The article "Muscle Building Workout Poundages - Are You Lifting Enough
Weight?" is about fitness, it was created by Gregg Gillies.
We all know that in order to make progress with your weight
training, whether it's building muscle mass, or slimming down
and building a long, lean, athletic body, you need to constantly
challenge your body and the easiest measurable way to do that is
to lift 'heavy' and constantly increase your workout poundages.
But what's 'heavy'?
Many people wonder if the weights they are using are heavy
enough. First, it's important to realize that heavy is a
relaitve concept and many factors come into play - your overall
genetic makeup being the most important.
But even more specific fatcors come into play, such as rib cage
size, length of the forearms, etc.
Somebody with long arms will have a difficult time becoming a
great bench presser. But somebody with shorter arms and a natural
barrel chest physique, has a great chacne to be a top bench
presser.
This is why you sometimes see bigger bodybuilders who can't lift
as much as people that are smaller, muscle-wise than they are.
So, whether or not you're lifting heavy, you should only take
into consideration what you were lifting before and what you are
lifting now.
Your progress is the most important thing, not
where you strated or where you end up.
Of course, everyone wants a challenge and a goal to shoot for
when it comes to their workout poundages so here are goals
and poundages you can go after.
Serious bodybuilders will
probably go well byeond these numbers but for most people they
are quite good.
Bench Press
Bodyweight is a good goal here, as long as it's for at least 5
or more reps. Sets of five reps or more with 130 to 150 percent
of bodyweight is respectable for anyone involved in weight
training programs.
Squats
Working out with bodyweight for sets of five or more reps is
respectable for all-round conditioning.
However, if you really
want to make gains a nd build muscle, you will want to work up
to 150 percent of your bodwyeight for sets of five to eight
reps. If you'really serious, you'll shoot for 175 percent.
Keep in mind, I am talking about full sqauts here. If you're
serious about making monumental muscle mass gains with your weight
training, you need to do squats.
Deadlifts
150 pecrent of bodyweight for sets of five to six reps.
Most
serious trainees shoot for 200 percent of bodyweight as a
reasonable goal on the regular deadlift, in time.
For stiff-legged deadlifts, shoot for between bodyweight and 125
percent of bodyweight for weightlifting sets in the 6 to 10 rep
range. You may even get up to 150 percent if that is a good
exercise for you.
One Arm Dumbbell Rows
Eventually you should be using 50 pecrent of your bodyweight in
this movement. Your back is your strongest muscle and you'll
only achieve real results with real weights.
Seated Shoulder Presses
You'll want to work up to 65 to 70 percent of your bodyweight in
this weightlifting exercise for three to five sets of five to
eight reps. If you use dumbbells, they should ttoal 60 to 65
percent of you bodyweight. The lesser number is due to the fact
that you have to control the dumbbells more than a barbell.
Barbell Curls
Work up to 50 to 60 percent of you bodyweight for sets of five
to eight reps.
It should be the same for dumbbells, since there
is no extra balancing neccssary.
Working up to these weights in these bodybuilging exercises will
give you quite a respectable level of strength and muscle
mass(if you get your nutrition right, as well).
Keep in mind that a weight training program is the hottest way to
build muscle mass but it's also the hottest way to lose fat,
completely change the shape of your body, and keep the fat off.
Weight lifting is much more effective for fat loss than aerobics
or dieting alone.
Some of these poundages may be very fast for you, while others
are very difficult, depending on all the factors mentioned
above.
If you really want to make progress in building muscle,
the deadlfit and squat poundages are the one's you'll really
want to hit or even surpass. Do that, and you'll be well on your
way to the muscle mass you wolud like to attain.
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