Whether you want to enhance your overall wellbeing, lose weight or tone up; building muscle is the way to go. Team MuscleTech’s Lindsay Cappotelli explains, ‘Hopefully most of us know by now that the myth of women getting huge and “manly” from lifting weights is just that – a myth. Rather than turning women into big, bulky “hulks”, muscles create a lean and toned figure. They can transform your body from soft and flabby to tight and firm.’ With over 10 years of fitness experience, Cappotelli is the perfect person to give you tips for building muscle.
1. Don’t Overdo Your Cardio: According to Cappotelli, ‘Women often make cardio the focus of their workout routine and the weights get pushed to the back burner, when it should actually be the opposite. If you don’t have extra body fat to lose, you could even consider eliminating cardio completely, or limiting it to just one to two short, high intensity interval type workouts a week.’
2. Eat More: ‘Another mistake women make when trying to gain muscle is simply not eating enough,’ says Cappotelli. ‘Eating nothing but salads all day just ain’t gonna cut it! In order to gain muscle, you must consume slightly more calories than you burn. In addition to lean beef, chicken, turkey, and eggs, having a couple of protein shakes is one way to help you hit your protein and calorie requirements for the day.’
3. Lift heavier: Cappotelli urges, ‘Ladies, don’t be afraid to get out of the 12-15 repetition zone! When I started lifting heavier with reps in the five to eight range was when I really began seeing results. Plus, lifting heavy and being strong is an amazing feeling! Focus on getting stronger on the basic, compound lifts and try to keep adding more weight to the bar. Don’t be afraid to lift heavy! You may be surprised by how strong you really are.’
4. Keep a Workout Journal: ‘I think this is a crucial often overlooked component,’ Cappotelli comments. ‘Instead of just going to the gym and doing random things or whatever you feel like that day, it’s best to go in with a plan. Keep track of your exercises, weights, repetitions, and rest time in between sets, so that you can try to improve upon that from week to week. I like to plan out my workouts ahead of time every four to six weeks and make sure that I am constantly improving in some way.’
5. Train with Intensity: Cappotelli notes, ‘Many women don’t know what it really means to lift with intensity, so they never get the results out of weight training that they truly could. When you are performing an exercise, you should be extremely focused; not just going through the motions. Focus on the muscle you’re working. Put your mind into it. Feel it moving and contracting. Focus. Breathe. Strain. Make every rep count!’
6. Take Pictures of Your Progress: ‘It’s sometimes hard to see how your body is changing when you look at yourself every day,’ Cappotelli asserts. ‘Taking progress pictures every few months is one of the best ways to see how your body is changing. Weighing and measuring is one way to keep track of results, but photos will tell the true story.’
7. Have the Right Mindset: Cappotelli points out, ‘Results won’t come overnight, and there may be times when you feel that you’re not making any progress at all. Try not to get discouraged. It can take years to transform your physique, so don’t give up! If you’re doing the right things consistently, the results will come. Be patient, trust the process and don’t forget to enjoy the journey!’