For a proper full body workout, strength training is just as important as getting in a balanced mix of cardio. While running and other aerobic activities are a good way to build muscle, especially leg muscle, your upper body and core need just as much stress and resistance training in order to strengthen your whole body. At Forever Strong®, we want everyone that comes to our small group training gym to achieve their own desired results when it comes to transforming their body, and ultimately their way of life. So, we’ll help you safely train until you’re at a point of fitness that you’re happy with, but our Fulton gym also believes that strength training and fitness should be approached holistically.
We Care How You Feel
In this sense, we mean that the entire body should be considered when you’re working out and getting in shape, as well as how getting fit can positively impact your day-to-day life when you’re not at our strength training gym. We want you to feel your very best and get the most out of your life, and in today’s blog post, we’re going to cover why it’s smart to emphasize overall strength training as opposed to gaining visible muscle mass. Let’s discover why the way you feel is just as, if not more important, than the way you look.
Growing Your Muscles
Note that making a muscle grow requires a slightly altered approach than it does to make a muscle stronger. This is where the distinction between your weight lifting performance versus your training effect comes into play. For those training up a muscle or muscle group specifically for cosmetic benefits (to make the muscle larger), the training effects that your workouts have on your muscles should be your area of concern. In other words, the volume of exercise and completeness of muscle fiber breakdown or directly related to the results that you’ll see in the mirror.
The idea with cosmetic muscle gain is to work your muscles to full exhaustion, which should be approached with caution. In many cases, this doesn’t necessarily take much weight in a well-planned isolation workout – rather, the cumulative effect that the workout has on your muscle tissue will translate to quicker gains in muscle mass.
Strength Training Your Muscles
Adding strength, on the other hand, comes through making the ‘base’ of your exercise routine consist of larger movement. So, compound-style exercises like squatting, deadlifting and bench pressing are great choices that allow the body to recruit many muscle fibers in one shot. This total body exertion, especially under heavy loads, will encourage greater hormone release and train your fast-twitch fibers to be more responsive and fire harder. Simply put, this is the formula to build strength in your muscles and in your body.
Comparing The Two
Due to the large impact on your hormones in addition to heavy lifting and compound movements, strength training generally has a greater impact on your central nervous system. Your body truly takes a beating with repeated maximal efforts, so rest time between sets and even rest time between training days as a whole should be closely monitored to avoid injury or any adverse effects.
All things considered, with size comes strength – the larger the surface area of the unit, the more force that unit will be able to apply against a resistance. That’s why massive bodybuilders wouldn’t be able to bench 700+ pounds if they only weighed 175. So, building the size of your muscles and gaining strength can go hand in hand if you train smart. Just remember, though, that your journey to fitness is often based on how you feel, what your daily energy levels are like, how your clothes fit, and so forth. Don’t get too consumed with that reflection in the mirror!
Learn More About What Forever Strong® Can Do For You
Ready to take the next step to more strength and a healthier life? Our Fulton gym is excited to work with you. Get in touch with us now!