Is this really the best way to help muscles grow?

[Anonymous]

someone posted this on my facebook feed
" It's not all about lifting heavy weights but maximising time under tension to really help the muscle to grow!"
I mostly do occasional calisthenics and since i'm in the country yard work but when i'm lifting and with the calisthenic exercises i always aim to life heavy or do something tough with low reps till failure then drop the weight since i was always told that was most effective but i think this person's training or trained to be a medical teacher (training to help train doctors) though they where also competing for some running team so you would think knows there stuff only it goes against the training iv always been told and used.

[jp612612]

The thing is, everyone's body is different so it's hard to give a straight answer on this. I have a body type where I grew big muscles and for me, lifting heavy weights just accelerated that. Like I'd aim for three sets of 10 reps at a certain weight. If I was able to do all three sets, then I'd move up in weight the following week. However, the friend I workout with is a 6'3" wiry guy. He can't grow muscles for shit and hits the wall really often.

[Truthatanycost]

I bet your friend is just not getting enough calories in, or his calories are not from a quality source. He can lift as heavy and often as he wants but he won't build much unless he has enough calories or at least a slight surplus, as you probably know.

[Truthatanycost]

If you do the 9-12 rep range then time under tension will be taken care of naturally. Some people are into higher reps but I think there comes a point where you have to think of the time it takes.

[Ahrixxa]

I wish I had a body builder to motivate me at the gym

[Asker]

Yes It definitly helps when you have someone to compete with.

[Ahrixxa]

uh huh, it would be nice to have a work out buddy to encourage me

[Truthatanycost]

That depends on the individual. I workout alone doing strength training 3x a week without fail. I listen to music while doing it and never miss a session. I do not go to the gym though. I've gained lean muscle mass in the last few months and have increased in weight and strength.

We can learn to motivate ourselves. My results, commitment and enthusiasm does motivate others though.

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost I am very committed. I am losing weight gradually and in 2 months from now I will be looking sexier than ever

[Truthatanycost]

That's great! It's good to do it gradually because then you can sustain it for a lifetime. Working out and improving your body does make one feel very sexy and it's not only a good feeling, but it transfers over to other areas in your life.

I'm having a workout later, can't wait.

One area that can help with losing weight or keeping it balanced is your thyroid. Making sure you get the required nutrients can help.

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost Sweet, what is work out regimen? Can you tell me what are great exercises for my squadtriceps and abdomen?

[Asker]

If you train at home i find having dragon ball on in the background can help motivate you.
Also epic music in the gym or at home run etc
Dance when pepole aren't watching and stretch i find lots of things can be can be added exercise

[Truthatanycost]

I use an Isokinator Green Giant (0-396 lbs of resistance) for about 90% of my routine and a Bullworker to target the back a little.

What have you been doing to target the Quadriceps so far? I recommend squats but make sure your technique is correct.

When it comes to ab workouts, many of them are bad for the spine, for example crunches, planks, leg lifts, superman etc. All place too much compression (or newtons of pressure) on the spine!

Reverse curl ups are possibly a good ab workout as seen here www.simplebackpain.com/bestabsexercises.html

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost Does hip rolling count as exercise? My favourite machine is the leg press and seated row.

[Truthatanycost]

I think hip rolling counts as exercise yes but it wouldn't be my first choice. At first I thought you meant some thing on a machine but it's a sort of seductive dance right?

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost Yes it is a very seductive dance. Maybe I can show you sometime 💋 I can make a gif for you. It looks pretty cool haha

[Truthatanycost]

Oh I thought it might be the seductive dance. I took a look on Youtube at some (for research purposes only) and it looks like reasonable exercise. I wouldn't be able to do that without laughing so it must be more a girl thing. Laughing is also good exercise though...

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost Hip rolling is isolations of the hips. I took belly dance for 3 years. I'm an amateur dancer. I can hip roll on my knees. Would you like to see it on webcam or video?

[Truthatanycost]

Belly dance looks like a great workout. I imagine it would work the entire body eventually, even if it is isolation of the hips?

I can't wait to do my workout tomorrow, but I've had to reduce resistance on one of the routines because my legs can take so much more resistance than my abs! I forget we are only as strong as our weakest link.

A video would be fine.

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost Tomorrow I can make you a video gif. Hey is it ok if you can rate my body?

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost What does resistence mean? Damn, wish you could be my workout buddy!!! I would love to have a tight firm body before I turn 22.

You have a very sexy chiseled physique

[Truthatanycost]

Resistance is what ever force you work against (and hopefully overcome) to make your muscles / strength grow. With weight training, it's gravity or it could be pushing or pulling the weight of your own body through space i. e bodyweight exercise or Isometrics (immovable object).

I have a good physique but I want a little more mass around the shoulders, back and triceps. Where are you putting up the video gif? on Gags?

[Truthatanycost]

I will try some of that Dragon Ball music for my workout later? I can find it on youtube but do you have any recommendations? Or do you mean you play the movie scenes?

I like to play music like Two Steps from hell and a Hero will rise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_50WQ2UQ9A

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost Wrong person? I don't understand the last part about your dragon ball work out

[Truthatanycost]

I was trying to reply to the Asker, maybe it went into your box by mistake. He mentioned Dragon Ball during workouts.

[Asker]

@Truthatanycost Just watching dragon ball training and fight scenes for motivation while i'm doing bodyweight exercises and in the rest periods between sets.

[Asker]

@Ahrixxa

[Truthatanycost]

Oh ok. Good idea. Youtube has loads of those but they also have Dragon Ball Z motivation and music videos of specific parts of the anime! I might play some during tomorrows workout.

You should check out the Isokinator Green Giant if you aren't afraid of the expensive cost. They have a 30 day free trial though.

[Asker]

@Truthatanycost I looked it up and i can't see the point it looks like its just a really expensive device for measuring force I'm certainly not spending that sort of money on it.

[Truthatanycost]

That's pretty much what I thought until I tried it. I thought it was a total gimmick but tried it for free. People I know only bought one after seeing the changes in my physique though.

I do think it could have a more reasonable price but then it would just be made from cheap plastics.

There is no harm in keeping an open mind.

[Asker]

@Truthatanycost But there is harm in keeping an open wallet.

[Ahrixxa]

Can you tell me what you think of my body please?

[Truthatanycost]

Link me and I will take a look.

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost Would you like to be friends on here? Do you want to kik?

[Ahrixxa]

I don't want to put any links on here.

[Truthatanycost]

I don't use kik but I've followed you on this now. I'm going to go have my workout now! Can't wait to see how much stronger I've gotten.

[Truthatanycost]

I just played the Dragon Ball Z in the background and a few Dragon Ball Z motivational videos while I trained, damn, it was such a difference. I will be playing them every single time now!

My muscles are burning like hell but I feel like going again (I won't, will rest and recover for next time instead). Thanks for the suggestion.

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost how old are you?

[Truthatanycost]

I'm 38. Not sure why it says I'm 100.

[Ahrixxa]

@Truthatanycost at 38 you are ripped?

[Truthatanycost]

The funny thing is, at 38, I have more energy, health, fitness, strength and muscle than when I was younger. Depends on your definition of ripped. I have lean muscle mass and low body fat. My experience is likely the exception to the rule though. Most people my age look about twice my age haha.

[Truthatanycost]

I just came across this when doing some reading and thought of this take. Check it out.

www.bodybuilding.com/.../...ime-under-tension.html

[Anonymous]

If you want muscle mass then you should try and keep your reps between 8-12. That's the sweet spot for muscle hypertrophy (which is what you want if you want to grow muscle. Calisthenics are fine but if you get to a point where you're doing a lot of reps no problem then you will want to increase the weight you are lifting. Just remember range of motion and form always come before how much weight you lift. Never sacrifice range of motion and good for more weight or more reps.

[Asker]

You can make Calisthenics harder i do sets of handstand pushups , one handed pushups , pistol squats , plank
I'm in about the 6 rep range with those sorts of exercises at the moment.

If you get past that you can still make it harder like the shaolin monks do ie
raised one handed pushups until it becomes a one handed hand stand pushup witch is about the limit of what's humanly possible.