As a personal trainer I work with people that are trying to get fit and get healthy. Most people want to lose weight but building muscle and gaining strength is a huge component.
A lot of my female clients are hesitant to lift heavy because they are afraid of “getting big and bulky.” But lifting weights is how you build beautiful muscle. I lift heavy during several of my strength training workouts and I do not have thick/bulky muscle!
One thing I notice is that females tend to overkill the cardio. Yes cardio is great for improving cardiovascular fitness and is heart healthy. BUT cardio does not build muscle.
Here are some tips I use for building lean muscle:
- Hit the WEIGHTS
- Lift heavy- increase the weight if it’s too easy, aim for a challenging weight
- perform 6-10 reps of each exercise, with a higher # of sets
- refuel post-workout to rebuild muscle
- eat clean- veggies, fruits, lean protein, & healthy fats
Don’t forget to stretch to elongate the muscles and stay hydrated!
