Question: One of my biggest fitness goals is to build more muscle. Any tips?
Answer: If you are looking to increase your lean body mass, your program must be designed around strength improvements.
This means lifting weights that are a little heavier, performing fewer repetitions on each set and taking a little longer breaks between your sets to allow your muscles to recover. Because these programs can be time consuming, it is usually most effective to exercise your body parts on separate days.
Below is a sample two-day split:
Day 1: Lower Body/Abdominals
- Squats: 4 sets, 4-8 reps
- Leg Press: 3 sets, 6-8 reps
- Walking Lunges: 3 sets, 8-12 reps per leg
- Leg Extensions: 2 sets, 12-15 reps
- Lying Leg Curls: 4 sets, 12-15 reps
- Crunches on Ball: 3 sets, 30 reps
- Alternate Crunches on Ball: 3 sets, 15 reps per side
- Alternate Kick-outs with Ball: 3 sets, 20 Reps per leg
- Cardio: 20 minutes (70-85 per cent of your max heart rate)
Day 2: Upper Body
- One Arm D.B. Rows: 4 sets, 6-8 reps
- Wide Grip Pull-downs to Chest: 3 sets, 8-10 reps
- Incline D.B. Press: 3 sets, 6-8 reps
- Flat Bench Press: 3 sets, 8-10 reps
- Lying Tricep Extensions: 3 sets, 8-10 reps
- Tricep Cable Pushdowns: 2 sets, 10-12 reps
- Barbell Curls: 3 sets, 6-8 reps
- Seated D.B. Curls: 2 sets, 12-15 reps
- Shoulder Press: 3 sets, 6-8 reps
- Rear Delt Machine: 3 sets, 12-15 reps
- 20 minutes (70-85 per cent of your max heart rate)
Perform both days two times each week. For example, you may perform Day 1 on Mondays and Thursdays, and Day 2 on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Make sure to perform a warm-up for at least 10 minutes beforehand and to use a weight that allows you to comfortably perform all of your repetitions.
It is important to consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
Question: I am a college student and I often buy something from the vending machine when I get hungry in between classes. What is the best thing to have?
Answer: Most vending machines contain very few nutritious foods, if any.
Many people choose sunflower seeds or peanuts thinking they are having a healthy snack. While nuts and seeds contain valuable vitamins and minerals, they should be eaten in moderation. One cup of sunflower seeds has about 65 grams of fat and one cup of peanuts has about 70 grams of fat.
Chocolate, another popular choice, usually contains large amounts of sugar. This adds carbohydrates to your diet without adding any significant vitamins and minerals.
To avoid high fat or high sugar options bring a few pieces of fruit for a convenient and nutritious snack. Fresh fruit is a good source of vitamins and minerals and an excellent substitute for candies or chocolate bars that contain few nutrients. Yogurt is also an excellent portable snack that is high in protein, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin D. For added protein, go for a Greek yogurt.
Don’t forget to experiment: try different combinations of fresh fruits and veggies, along with proteins like yogurt or cheese and healthy grains like oatmeal. Find what works for you and add variety to prevent boredom.
Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in North Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800 or visit KarpFitness.com.
