Weightlifting for Bulk

When people think of weightlifting and building muscle they usually are thinking of two things, “Bulk” and “definition”. People will throw around words like  I am interested in “building muscle” or and this is especially true of woman, say I don’t want to get bulky I just want “to get toned”.  Further the think bodybuilding is going for “definition and or tone” and weightlifting for “Muscle or Bulk”.

Well a lot of these terms get misused, even in professional lifting and body building magazines. The truth is that weightlifting, any kind of weight lifting will do both - grow your muscles and tone you muscles. When they talk about definition, or what most people refer to as “Muscle Tone” they really are talking about the muscles you can see, like the six pack abs or bulging pecks. Well in that case

Body builders are the ones that are most concerned with showing off their physique as they weightlift for a visual competition – and they know that the way to get “sculpted” and show those muscles has much less to do with how you weightlift as it is with reducing body fat percentage, no muscles, no matter how “toned” will show under a layer of fat.

But if you want to “get big” or weightlift for quote/unquote bulk here is the safe and effective way to do it. Its all about being able to constantly push your muscles to the point that they will continue to grow to their maximum potential which ultimately is determined by your genes. It involves a couple of basic principles, details will vary as you tailor a program to your specific goals and body type, but so long as you train smart, eat right, and get the right amount rest to renew and rebuild – you will bulk up. Period. It’s that simple.

First lets set a baseline. Get a tape measure and measure you biceps, quads, abs, every area you want to “bulk up”. Also take a picture of yourself. You know all those
classic before and after pictures? Follow a program of sensible weightlifting keeping those three basic principles in mind: lift smart, eat right, rest – and you will be that “after guy” (or gal).  Set realistic goals for strength or muscle growth. If you can add from a half a pound to a pound of lean muscle mass every week that is good.

A good routine for bulking up means that you should not work any given muscle group more than once a week. The key is to let the body heal and repair that is how muscle growth occurs. When you start lifting of course you will feel sore for the next day or two. Some suggest that you should go back to work that group soon as the pain is gone, but there has been a lot of fitness and medical pros that have said that healing and repairing of muscle tissue that leads to growth and increased strength doesn’t happen until after the pain has subsided.

The right diet for “bulking up” when lifting should have a ratio of 40% Protein, 40% Carbs, 20% Fat. Stick with complex carbs, avoid sugars and processes carbs, stick with whole grains. As far as Fats go you know the drill, avoid the bad fats, hydrogenated oils, and trans fats – and stick with good fats like those found in nuts.