Aim to lift weights most days every week. An ambitious weightlifting regimen will usually schedule weight training exercise for about five days per week, leaving two days for rest or cardio exercise. Try to avoid exercising the same muscle group two days in a row — to grow, muscles need time to rest and repair the damage from an exercise session. For instance, if you exercise your triceps one day, focus on your chest the next day. Don’t focus solely on your arms. Doing so over a long period of time will give you a bizarre, lopsided appearance — beefy arms, but scrawny core and lower body muscles. A good policy is to exercise your legs and core on at least two days per week.
Barbell/Dumbbell Curls: Stand holding a weighted barbell (or one dumbbell in each hand) at your waist with an underhand grip. Carefully raise the weight up to chest-level as you keep your elbows tucked at your sides, then lower it. Repeat. Hammer Curls: This exercise targets the crucial “long head” (biceps brachii) muscle, which is responsible for the much-coveted “bump” or “peak” on the upper arm. [2] X Research source Perform as if doing dumbbell curls, but hold the dumbbells so that your palms are facing each other, rather than with an underhand grip. Your arm motion should resemble the slowed-down swinging of a hammer. See our biceps article for more exercises.
Triceps Extensions: In a standing position, hold a dumbbell in both hands behind your head with your elbows bent near the sides of your head. Lift the dumbbell up and over your head, taking care not to hit the back of your head. Lower the weight back to the starting position and repeat. Dips: Support yourself between two parallel level bars or at the edge of a bench using your arms. Slowly lower yourself to the point where your upper arms are level with the floor, then lift yourself back up without twisting or jerking. Repeat. See our triceps article for more exercises.
Military Presses: In a standing or sitting position, bring a weighted barbell up to the chest level using a medium-wide overhand grip. Slowly raise the weight in front of your face and up over your head. Lower the bar to roughly chin level and repeat. Lateral Dumbbell Raises: Stand holding one dumbbell in each hand. Slowly raise your arms in an arc out to your side, leading with your elbows. When your arms are roughly parallel to the floor, slowly lower them back down and repeat. You may angle your arms forward or backward to work the front or back of your shoulders. Overhead lifts: This full-body exercise targets the shoulders as well as the hips, legs, and back. Standing with a weighted barbell on the floor in front of you, carefully perform a deadlift to raise it to about waist level. Lift the weight up to your chest (taking care not to use uncontrolled movements) and perform a Military Press (see above) to lift it over your head. Reverse these movements to lower the weight back to the floor and repeat.
Bench Presses: Lay with your back flat on an exercise bench. Carefully lift a weighted barbell (or two dumbbells) up away from your chest until your arms are extended, then lower the weight back down and repeat. Be sure to use a spotter to avoid serious injury when dealing with heavy weights. Chest Flies: Lay on your back on the floor or an exercise bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Position each arm out to the side, then bring your arms together in front of your chest in a wide, smooth arc. Lower your arms back to their starting position and repeat — you should look a little like you’re “flapping” a pair of wings. See our chest article for more exercises.
Seated Rows: Sit on a bench in front of a horizontal cable set up or elastic band. Carefully pull the cable or band toward you, making sure to keep your back straight in an upright but slightly reclined posture. Squeeze the muscles between your shoulder blades as you complete the full range of motion. Be sure not to hunch or bend in your back as you do this exercise — this can lead to back injury. [6] X Research source Inverted Rows: Lay with your back on the floor under a low horizontal bar. Grab the bar and slowly pull yourself up toward it (keeping your feet on the ground) until the bar is nearly touching your chest. Lower yourself back down and repeat. Chin Ups/Pull Ups: There are a huge variety of exercises you can do hanging from a horizontal bar. To do a basic chin up, hold the bar with an underhand grip and slowly raise your body up to the bar until it is near your chest. Lower yourself down and repeat.
Barbell Wrist Curls: Sit at a bench holding a weighted barbell with your forearms resting on your thighs. Raise the barbell as high as it can go using only the muscles in your hands and forearms, then let these muscles relax to let the weight hang as low as it can. Repeat. For a complete workout, try reversing your grip with each set.
On the other hand, some weight trainers (including Arnold Schwarzenegger) recommend a more middle-of-the-road approach that uses medium-high resistance levels and a slightly higher number of reps (typically about 8-15. ) This offers a healthy balance of strength, definition, and mass over time.
However, it’s always important to use good form, so don’t let your goal of being “explosive” distract you from your ability to lift the weight smoothly through its full range of motion. Never use bending, twisting, or jerking motions to lift a weight — this can cause painful, long-lasting injury. [8] X Research source
Body weight exercises (like pushups, crunches, pullups, dips, and so on) are usually considered happy middle ground — they offer lots of potential for muscle growth while keeping the risk for injury low.
If you love cardio, consider substituting lower-intensity exercises like walking and hiking as opposed to higher-intensity ones like swimming or running.
Protein: Lean meats, like chicken, turkey, most fish, egg whites, and lean cuts of pork and beef. Plant products like legumes, soy (tofu), broccoli, spinach, tempeh, and seitan can provide plenty of healthy protein. Lean dairy (like Greek-style yogurt) is also a good source of protein. Finally, many weight lifters recommend protein supplements and powders. Carbohydrates: Whole grain bread/pasta products, brown rice, oats, quinoa, starchy vegetables like yams and potatoes. Green and/or fibrous vegetables like broccoli, celery, peas, and so on are also good choices. Fats: Avocados, nuts, cheeses, and light, healthy oils (like canola and sunflower oil) can provide valuable energy and nutrients.
In addition, a full night’s rest is crucial for healthy muscle group. While everyone’s sleep needs are different, most reputable sources recommend about seven to nine hours of sleep every day for adults. [11] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source Proper rest can prevent injuries, like a bicep tear, which could save you weeks or months of recovery time in the long run.
In men: Enlarged breasts, painful erections (priapisms), shrunken testicles, lowered sperm count, infertility, impotence. In women: Increased face and body hair, irregular menstrual cycles, deepened voices, enlarged clitoris, shrunken breasts. Acne Oily skin Jaundice (yellowed skin) Mood swings Paranoid delusions Occasionally, serious problems like heart attack and certain types of cancer.
