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Martian · 09-19-2005, 03:52 AM

pje120 - Yes, no and another no.

Yes, muscle definition (commonly and colloquially referred to as tone) is more a function of body fat than the muscle itself. No, a lot of food doesn't equate to a lot of gain. And no, no, ye gods no, the proper method to build endurance is certainly not to train like a power lifter. Power lifters train in a generally unhealthy method to begin with and focus on power; following them will not build endurance.

Endurance comes from two things. The first is cardiovascular fitness, which allows more oxygen to circulate through the body and lactic acid to be removed more quickly. The second is slow twitch muscle fibre. Our bodies are naturally very good at adapting to our needs. If you frequently lift a lot of weight, the body figures out that you need to lift heavy weights in your day to day life and provides, by the way of increasing muscle mass and increasing the percentage of fast twitch fibres, which promotes strength and power. That sounds great, except that it's power at the cost of endurance and if you lift very heavy weights you cause more microtears. Microtears promote muscle growth, but more of them can also lead to a higher risk of tearing an actual muscle or ligament or causing hyperextension. High weight at low rep is high gain, high risk. For most people I recommend a balance, usually 3 sets of 6-8 reps, but if endurance is the primary concern it's okay to up that and do more reps. The higher reps will use more calories and burn off fat while increasing cardiovascular fitness. At the same time it will build the level of slow twitch fibres within the muscle, which will increase endurance. You will build power this way, although it will take longer to see signifigant gains in that area.

If you need someone to emulate, the proper person to follow is a marathon runner, who's goal is to increase endurance and keep weight down. You will need to increase the amount you eat to compensate for the extra activity, but when it comes to developing muscle protein is one of the deciding factors, as well as carbs. The accepted 'magic numbers' are generally 40-30-30; ie, 40% of your calories should come from carbohydrates, 30% from protein and 30% from fats. This represents a balanced diet for a normal individual, although when strength training it's okay to actually use numbers like 40-35-25 or even 50-35-15. The goal isn't to eat more, it's to eat better. You do need to have enough net calorie intake to match what you're burning and that will increase with cardio and strength training, but don't start scarfing down the candy bars, because the wrong calories are just as bad (or even worse) than not enough calories.

And the number one factor to this whole thing is patience. There is no way to make overnight gains, there are no miracle pills or machines and there's no such thing as washboard abs in 2 minutes a day. Or, yeah, there is, but be prepared to wait a long time for them. Proper diet and exercise is a commitment to a better lifestyle that will help you live longer and feel better and when taken in the context of the rest of your life, 6 weeks isn't a long time to start seeing results. Don't push yourself too hard.

As a final note, remember the rest is just as important, if not even more important than the actual workouts. It's a common misconception that you make gains in strength, size and endurance in the gym. The workout is what initiates the process but the actual gains are made after you go home and go to bed. Working out is essentially damaging your body intentionally and you need to give it time to heal in between, so don't think you need to be on the weight bench daily. 3-4 days a week targeting different parts of the body each day is pretty much ideal when it comes to strength training, although light to moderate cardio can generally be done daily, unless you have any previous heart conditions, in which case you need to consult a doctor before even starting. This is serious stuff and can do you a lot of good, but if you do it incorrectly it can also do you a lot of harm. Be careful out there and take everything you hear with a grain of salt.

09-19-2005, 03:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	pje120 - Yes, no and another no. Yes, muscle definition (commonly and colloquially referred to as tone) is more a function of body fat than the muscle itself. No, a lot of food doesn't equate to a lot of gain. And no, no, ye gods no, the proper method to build endurance is certainly not to train like a power lifter. Power lifters train in a generally unhealthy method to begin with and focus on power; following them will not build endurance. Endurance comes from two things. The first is cardiovascular fitness, which allows more oxygen to circulate through the body and lactic acid to be removed more quickly. The second is slow twitch muscle fibre. Our bodies are naturally very good at adapting to our needs. If you frequently lift a lot of weight, the body figures out that you need to lift heavy weights in your day to day life and provides, by the way of increasing muscle mass and increasing the percentage of fast twitch fibres, which promotes strength and power. That sounds great, except that it's power at the cost of endurance and if you lift very heavy weights you cause more microtears. Microtears promote muscle growth, but more of them can also lead to a higher risk of tearing an actual muscle or ligament or causing hyperextension. High weight at low rep is high gain, high risk. For most people I recommend a balance, usually 3 sets of 6-8 reps, but if endurance is the primary concern it's okay to up that and do more reps. The higher reps will use more calories and burn off fat while increasing cardiovascular fitness. At the same time it will build the level of slow twitch fibres within the muscle, which will increase endurance. You will build power this way, although it will take longer to see signifigant gains in that area. If you need someone to emulate, the proper person to follow is a marathon runner, who's goal is to increase endurance and keep weight down. You will need to increase the amount you eat to compensate for the extra activity, but when it comes to developing muscle protein is one of the deciding factors, as well as carbs. The accepted 'magic numbers' are generally 40-30-30; ie, 40% of your calories should come from carbohydrates, 30% from protein and 30% from fats. This represents a balanced diet for a normal individual, although when strength training it's okay to actually use numbers like 40-35-25 or even 50-35-15. The goal isn't to eat more, it's to eat better. You do need to have enough net calorie intake to match what you're burning and that will increase with cardio and strength training, but don't start scarfing down the candy bars, because the wrong calories are just as bad (or even worse) than not enough calories. And the number one factor to this whole thing is patience. There is no way to make overnight gains, there are no miracle pills or machines and there's no such thing as washboard abs in 2 minutes a day. Or, yeah, there is, but be prepared to wait a long time for them. Proper diet and exercise is a commitment to a better lifestyle that will help you live longer and feel better and when taken in the context of the rest of your life, 6 weeks isn't a long time to start seeing results. Don't push yourself too hard. As a final note, remember the rest is just as important, if not even more important than the actual workouts. It's a common misconception that you make gains in strength, size and endurance in the gym. The workout is what initiates the process but the actual gains are made after you go home and go to bed. Working out is essentially damaging your body intentionally and you need to give it time to heal in between, so don't think you need to be on the weight bench daily. 3-4 days a week targeting different parts of the body each day is pretty much ideal when it comes to strength training, although light to moderate cardio can generally be done daily, unless you have any previous heart conditions, in which case you need to consult a doctor before even starting. This is serious stuff and can do you a lot of good, but if you do it incorrectly it can also do you a lot of harm. Be careful out there and take everything you hear with a grain of salt. __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame