The Basics Of Weightlifting

Weightlifting is the process of moving body parts through their range of motion against resistance provided by weights. The same motion is repeated over and over without stopping to rest for a specific number of repetitions, or reps. A certain number of reps, typically 6-12 for weightlifters trying to build muscle, constitutes a set. Lifters trying to increase muscle endurance without building muscle may perform 12-16 reps in a set, or even more.

Weightlifters will most commonly perform 3 sets of 6-12 reps for one particular exercise. Several different exercises are then normally performed for each muscle group to ensure a quality workout.

How Weightlifting Causes Muscle Growth

The number one key to building muscle and increasing strength is developing a consistent weightlifting routine. Lifting weights provides resistance to your body’s normal motion, causing minor damage to muscle fibers and leaving them feeling sore and fatigued. This state is known as hypertrophy.

Following a workout, the body responds to hypertrophy to repair the damaged muscle fibers. Muscle growth occurs as the body overcompensates and actually builds more muscle tissue around the damaged area as a sort of protective mechanism against future damage.

Progressive Overload

Since the body builds more muscle around the damaged muscle fibers in response to hypertrophy, muscles will not only become larger and stronger, but also more resistant to future damage. Therefore, it is essential that the theory of progressive overload be applied to any effective weightlifting routine.

Progressive overload means that the amount of weight, the number of reps, or the number of sets must be gradually increased for muscle growth to continue. This does not mean occasionally doing a few extra reps or throwing in an extra set one day. Progressive overload requires consistently and systematically attempting to increase the amount of weight you lift for each exercise. This will ensure that the body is constantly adapting rather than just maintaining its current state, and the result will be the continued muscle growth and steadily increasing strength that you are looking for.

Try keeping a log to record exactly what lifts you do, the amount of weight you use, and how many reps you complete each day.

Lifting Until Failure

Another important concept for anyone trying to build muscle and gain strength from weightlifting is failure. Normally the word “failure” has negative connotations, but in the world of weightlifting, failure is a very good thing. Reaching the point of failure means your muscles have been worked to the maximum and will certainly go into a state of hypertrophy and rebuilding.

Failure occurs when the weight literally begins to fall because your muscles can no longer generate enough force to move it upward. It is very important to have a spotter if you plan on lifting to failure since it can potentially be dangerous and cause injury if not performed correctly. The spotter should be there to guide your motion as the weight begins to fall and to assist you in returning the weight to the rack.

Try incorporating failure into your third set, especially on major muscle-building exercises like the bench press.

Negatives

Negatives are another method that can be highly effective for achieving hypertrophy and muscle failure, which ultimately leads to the muscle building and strength increase you are after. A negative is when you lower the weight as slowly as you possibly can before raising it up again to complete the rep. You can also try to explode upward with all your power after slowly lowering the weight to maximally stimulate all your muscle fibers.

Try incorporating a couple of these into the end of your third set to maximize your muscle building potential in every workout.

Focus And Breathing

Focus is essential to muscle building. Not only do you have to remain focused on your goals of building muscle and getting stronger by maintaining a consistent workout routine, but you must also focus when you are in the gym performing each and every rep. This is extremely important because it will help make every single workout effective and worthwhile.

Really concentrate your mind on what you are doing as you raise and lower the weight. Try to feel each and every muscle fiber contracting as you complete each rep. Focus all your strength and energy into each motion. Building muscle is not all just lifting heavy pieces of iron. There is a mental component as well. You must be in the right state of mind when working out, and if you can consistently achieve this state of focus, you will definitely see results in a short amount of time.

Breathing is also very important while you lift weights. Try to coordinate your breathing with your motions so that you exhale while you exert the most energy, during the upward motion of the lift, and inhale while you lower the weight back to starting position. This will allow your muscles to utilize their maximum power and give you an extra push to finish the difficult last few reps.