Scientifically Proven Ways to Preserve and Increase Muscle Mass
Our article focuses on the importance of building and maintaining muscle mass for ordinary people. Many people underestimate the importance of muscle mass, thinking that it is only important for professional athletes and bodybuilders. However, that is not the case.
Normal musculature is necessary not only for achieving a good figure, but also for normal brain function and improved learning ability. In addition, musculature contributes to normal metabolism and helps prevent excess weight gain. It also ensures the normal functioning of the endocrine system and helps strengthen bones, preventing the development of osteoporosis in old age.
Also, musculature has a positive effect on joint health and has beneficial effects on many other aspects of health. In our article, we will provide evidence-based recommendations for those who want to build and maintain muscle mass, but are not a professional athlete or bodybuilder.
- Which Muscles Need Special Work After 30 and How to Help Them?
- How Much Time Should I Spend Working Out to Increase Muscle Mass?
- How Do I Choose the Optimal Load and Number of Repetitions for My Exercises?
- Optimal Number of Repetitions for Muscle Growth
- Duration of Strength Training for Maximum Muscle Growth
- Additional Muscle Growth Factors
- Conclusion
Which Muscles Need Special Work After 30 and How to Help Them?
When we reach the age of 30, our muscles begin to gradually lose muscle. Each year we lose about 1% of our muscle mass if we do not exercise regularly. This is important for everyone, regardless of gender or age, if you want to stay healthy. However, which muscles need to be exercised more thoroughly than others?
First, you need to do an assessment of your muscles. To do this, you need to relax and try to tense each muscle in turn and monitor the response. For example, you can try to tense the trapezius muscles and see if they contracted. It is important to remember that you do not need to make any movement, just a simple muscle contraction. You will notice that some muscles tense easily and some do not respond to the command at all.
It is those muscles that cannot be awakened that need more careful development. They may be the most important for your health and require more attention during your workouts. For example, if you can’t tense your abdominal muscles, it may be due to back problems, and if you can’t tense your calf muscles, it may be due to knee problems.
Exercise and strength training can help strengthen your muscles and prevent muscle loss. Regular exercise can also improve your posture and maintain bone health. If you are new to working out, talk to a trainer to help you develop the right workout program for your needs and abilities.
How Much Time Should I Spend Working Out to Increase Muscle Mass?
According to the latest data, to keep your muscle mass in shape, you need to perform 5 to 10 sets per muscle group per week. However, if you want to increase your muscle mass, you should perform 10 to 15 sets per muscle group per week. It is better to divide these sets into several equal parts, for example, performing 15 sets in three workouts, 5 sets each.
The main muscle groups are the abdominals, shoulder girdle muscles (including pecs, trapezius and deltoids), back muscles (including the broadest muscles of the back), arm muscles (including flexors and extensors) and leg muscles (including the gluteal muscles, flexors, biceps, calf muscles and quadriceps). All of these muscle groups should be worked from 5 to 15 sets per week.
However, you should keep in mind that each body is unique and may respond differently to training. Some people only need to do 2 sets per week to maintain muscle mass, while others may need 20 sets per week. The number of sets needed per week can depend on many factors, such as training experience, genetic predispositions, overall health and fitness, age, etc. If you are new to training, you may need fewer sets per week than someone who has been training for more than two years.
How Do I Choose the Optimal Load and Number of Repetitions for My Exercises?
In order to train your muscles as effectively as possible, it is important to understand how much weight to use when exercising. The latest scientific evidence shows that the optimal intensity is 30% to 80% of the maximum single weight that can be lifted once. To illustrate this with an example, consider a biceps exercise such as dumbbell lifting. Let’s assume that you can lift 30 pounds of dumbbells once. This means that your maximum single weight for this exercise is 30 pounds.
However, you don’t have to work with the maximum weight to effectively train your muscles. Instead, it is recommended that you use 30% to 80% of your maximum single weight. In our example, 30% of a 30-pound dumbbell is 9 kilograms and 80% is 24 kilograms. Thus, for this exercise, the optimal weight would be a dumbbell weighing between 9 and 24 kilograms.
Determining the correct weight for training will help to avoid injury and achieve the best results in strengthening and developing muscles. However, it should be remembered that the optimal weight can vary for different exercises and for different people, depending on their fitness and training goals.
Optimal Number of Repetitions for Muscle Growth
An important point is the intensity of the workout. The latest scientific evidence suggests that you should use 30% to 80% of your maximum single weight to effectively train your muscles. This means that for biceps weight lifting, if you have set your maximum for one rep of 30 pounds, then the optimal weight for the workout would be between 9 and 24 pounds.
Another important thing to clarify is that the reps should be done before exhaustion, but before functional exhaustion. This means that you should do reps as long as you can perform the exercise correctly in its entirety. You don’t want to do too many repetitions so that you don’t drive your muscles to total exhaustion.
If you are doing exercises with your own weight, such as pull-ups, the optimal number of repetitions will depend on your maximum number of pull-ups. You should perform pull-ups as long as you can do them technically, and it is better to keep 3-4 pull-ups in reserve.
In addition, it is important to understand that you should do 90% of your workouts at an intensity of 30% to 80%, and 10% of your workouts should stress your muscles by working up to failure. This can be one set that you have to perform to the point where you can’t even bend your arm. However, such workouts should not be more than 10% per week.
Finally, it is important to remember that everything is individual and you need to watch that you recover well between workouts. Regular training with optimal intensity and number of repetitions will help to achieve the desired results in the development of muscle mass.
Duration of Strength Training for Maximum Muscle Growth
The optimal time for physical activity is 45 to 60 minutes. This is due to the fact that after 60 minutes cortisol, a hormone that can have a negative effect on the body, begins to accumulate. In addition, pro-inflammatory cytokines begin to accumulate after 60 minutes, which can also be harmful to health.
Of course, there are people who can exercise longer – up to an hour and a half or two hours, but for most people the optimal exercise time is 45-60 minutes. It is also important to eat right and eat enough protein, especially for those who are looking to grow muscles. In order for your muscles to grow, you need a positive energy balance, which means that you should be consuming about 500 more kilocalories than you are expending. With enough protein and a positive energy balance, energy will be directed toward muscle synthesis.
It is also important to get adequate sleep and consume enough vitamins to stay healthy. It is also important to maintain normal hormone levels, which can be achieved through proper nutrition, exercise and rest. All in all, the right level of physical activity and proper nutrition will help you achieve the results you want in your workouts and keep your health at an optimal level.
Additional Muscle Growth Factors
It should also be understood that quality sleep is very important for muscle growth. During sleep, tissue repair and repair occurs, including muscle fibers. Insufficient sleep can lead to a deterioration of recovery processes and stunted muscle growth.
In addition, attention should be paid to nutrition. Complete protein is an essential component for muscle growth. You need to consume a sufficient amount of protein every day, especially after a workout when your muscles need to recover. It is recommended to consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight per day.
You should also watch your overall energy balance. If you want to gain muscle mass, you should consume more calories than you spend. This will allow your body to get enough energy for training and muscle growth. And it is also recommended to consume complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables, fruits, and grains, which provide your body with enough energy for exercise and recovery.
Finally, you have to remember that exercising can have an effect on your hormonal balance. One of the main hormones responsible for muscle growth is testosterone. Specific exercises, such as heavy basic exercises, can increase testosterone levels in the body. In addition, you should avoid stressful situations, as stress can cause your hormone balance to deteriorate.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in order to achieve the desired results in training, it is important to consider several factors. The optimal exercise time is 45 to 60 minutes, as after this time, harmful substances begin to accumulate, which can be counterproductive. For muscle growth it is necessary to consume a sufficient amount of complete protein and maintain a positive energy balance. It is equally important to take care of your health and maintain normal hormonal levels, for example, by eating right, sleeping and taking vitamins. By taking all these factors into account and finding a balance between them, you can achieve the desired results in physical training and improve your health and well-being.