Weight Training Tips and Articles

The Best Times To Do Cardio For Fat Loss

  Everybody knows that cardiovascular training is very important for fat loss. The only problem is that your body will burn stored carbohydrates (glycogen) before it starts burning body fat when you do a cardio workout. Because of this you usually won’t be burning fat calories until 15 to 20 minutes into your cardio routine unless you do it at the right times.

  Since you burn glycogen when you sleep to maintain the bodies functions doing cardiovascular exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is the best time to do it. When you do your cardio at this time you’ll be burning more calories from your fat stores. Another good time to do a cardio workout is after you weight train. Weight training will exhaust your glycogen stores so you’ll be ready to burn fat when you get to the treadmill or elliptical machine.

  To get optimal body fat loss from cardiovascular training try doing it at either of these times during your day. Whatever the case, try not to do it if you’ve eaten a meal within a few hours before.

Eat More Protein To Build Muscle

  If you’re trying to build muscle you need to pay attention to your diet as much as, and possibly more, than your weight training routine. Depending on your body type, what you eat can make a big difference in how much muscle mass you ultimately gain.

  Consuming a lot of protein is important for anybody trying to build muscle. Lean red meat, chicken, fish, and eggs are the main sources of protein. If you find it hard to take in enough protein during the day you should buy a protein supplement. Nowadays, you can find protein supplements in the form of shakes and bars that actually taste good. Since the body can only digest so much protein at a time it’s best to eat some 5 or 6 times a day instead of the normal 3 so you get more protein where you want it.

  While you need carbohydrates and fats to help build muscle, how much of each you consume daily depends on your body type. If you’re an ectomorph (naturally skinny) you can probably eat as much as possible without having to worry about gaining too much fat. If you’re an endomorph (tend to hold more body fat) you need to keep an eye on your intake of carbs and fats. If you’re a mesomorph (naturally muscular) a balanced, high protein diet should work best.

Increasing Bench Press Strength

  The bench press is likely the most popular exercise for weight trainers to perform. If you look like you weight train you’ll likely hear the “how much can ya bench?” question every now and then. A big bench press shows that you have the strength and not just the size. Because of this, most weight trainers want to be able to bench press as much weight as possible.

  The first step to increasing bench press strength is to make sure you’re using proper lifting form when you perform it. If you do sloppy bench reps you won’t be building as much strength in your chest as you wouild if you used good lifting form. It’s okay to have your back arched, but you need to keep your behind on the bench when you beench press. You should also contract your upper back muscles and pull your shoulder blades inward to pop your pecs out. Always lower the weight under control, do not drop it on your chest. When the weight touches your chest try to explode it upward.

  One great technique to increase your bench press strength is to identify where you are at your weakest during a rep and doing some sets that focus only on that part of the movement. Do this by setting up a squat rack so you are forced to only do the part of the bench press rep that you are weak on.

  You also need to make sure you don’t get overzealous and end up overtraining your chest from too many bench sets. If you’re still sore from your last bench press workout ou need to take another day or 2 off before you do them again.