Weight training and how to maximise your results!

A lot more of us have now realised the importance and benefits of weight training:

- Increased strength

- Improved body composition

- Improved bone health

- Increased energy levels and an Improved mood

- Reduced risk of certain diseases - (diabetes, heart disease)

Some women may still be put off due to the fear of becoming too bulky, but I can assure you now that will not happen.  We are a lot smaller than men and therefore start off with less muscle than they do. It takes years of hard work and dedication from the correct diet and correct training to put on a good amount of muscle.  If you start adding weight training into your weekly routine your body composition will only start changing for the better. 

To grow muscle it takes time. 

I’ve been weight training for 8 years and I’m still not where I’d like to be, and I’m definitely no way near ‘bulky’.  Sometimes I can get a little frustrated.

So I do have to remind myself to be a little more patient .... Rome wasn’t built in a day as they say!  If you are a beginner then it is easier to put on muscle than if you were advanced with your training. It will become harder as there is a limit to the amount of muscle your body can gain. Annoying, I know!

“But I’ve been training for a while now and I’m not seeing any difference” 

Sure it takes time but if you’re training each week month after month and yet not seeing any results then it could be a sign that your approach is off. Lifting weights applies 3 different types of stress to your muscle fibres which signals the muscles to grow. 

- Mechanical Tension - volume in your workouts. 

- Metabolic Stress

- Muscle Damage 

Tension is the biggest builder of muscle. By increasing the volume from adding weights, sets and reps over time, providing you’re doing everything else this will be your answer to making some muscle gains. 

Here are my 6 top tips to maximise your results! 

1. Increase training volume 

This is a major factor when it comes to getting results. If you keep training at the same intensity with the same weight, set and rep ranges then your body will end up adapting to the same stimulus i.e. you will reach a plateau which will prevent you from progressing.

Further down the line as you become more advanced you will need to place more stressors on your body i.e. more weights, sets & reps.  I won’t get into this too much now, but we as women have a slightly different muscle type fiber variation, (larger and more type 1 fibers) meaning that we can actually handle more volume than men.  Estrogen is anti catabolic, aids in muscle repair and protects us from muscle damage.

This is another reason why women can handle a higher training volume without becoming too overtrained.

2. Eat enough protein 

Proteins are the main building blocks of your body. Exercise, especially weight training, can cause an increasing amount of muscle protein breakdown. Therefore replenishing your body with enough quality protein is needed to repair your muscles.  It’s the amino acid content in protein which is needed for muscle repair. Leucine in particular is the most important one for muscle protein synthesis. Check your protein powders and the leucine content, aim for 2-5g after working out to support muscle growth. 

In order to gain muscle you will need a positive protein balance. You would benefit from having 3-4 servings of protein each day roughly 25-40g in each meal depending on your weight stats along with a larger bolus of protein before bed, i.e. a bowl of greek yogurt with berries and almonds.

3. Focus on eccentrics 

When lifting weights you’ve got 2 phases, the concentric phase, this is when the muscle doing the work shortens (feels harder) and the eccentric phase, this is when the working muscle lengthens (feels easier). 

For example when you squat, the eccentric phase will be when you lower yourself down and the concentric is when you return back up.  To increase the eccentric effort in your workout you can do 2 things. 

- 1 slow yourself down on the eccentric.

- 2 perform eccentric only variations into your routine. (You will need to increase the weight used).  

4. Sleep 

I can’t stress enough how important sleep is! This is the time when your body is repairing itself. If you’re training hard but not getting enough sleep, your body won’t be fully recovering or repairing, including your muscles.  If you don’t sleep enough this is a stress to your body. Your levels of cortisol (stress hormone) will rise. Cortisol can have a catabolic effect (breaking down of tissue). Not what you want when trying to build muscle.  When you sleep your levels of human growth hormone levels also increase. This is a good thing as the hormone helps repair tissues in the body, i.e. muscle tissue. Win win! 

Make sure to be getting 7-9 hours per night. 

5. You need a calorie surplus not deficit 

If you’re wanting to grow and build then you need to give your body the tools to do so. You couldn’t build a house without bricks. Well the same applies to building muscle. I’m not saying go and shovel down anything and everything in sight.  But I am saying you need to set your calories above maintenance, for women around 200-300 calories a day above will be enough. 

6.Try creatine 

Creatine is naturally found in our muscle cells, It helps our muscles produce energy. It is the number one supplement for improving performance in the gym. Studies show that it can increase muscle mass, strength and exercise performance.  Creatine doesn’t directly cause muscle growth, but as it helps to do things such as boosting anabolic hormones, reducing protein breakdown and boosting performance it can therefore effectively promote muscle growth.  For the best results, opt for creatine monohydrate, the most thoroughly researched form of the supplement and it has an outstanding safety profile. Some people may find creatine causes some water retention, so don’t be alarmed if you start to feel a little puffy. There is no need to do a loading phase with this supplement. Take 3-5g per a day around training and also on rest days.