Word Count: 775 Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 2:17 AM
Do High Rep Bodybuilding Workout Sessions Enhance Muscle Definition?
One of the most popular bodybuilding goals is maximum definition, where body fat is shed so that muscles seem far more aesthetically pleasing, yet how is this goal achieved while maintaining precious muscle mass? This difficult question has left many bodybuilders perplexed and frustrated as they experience substantial muscle loss when seeking to improve muscle definition. While a portion of the bodybuilding community may understand that enhancing definition is contingent upon changing specific diet techniques for significant fat loss, others feel as if specific weight lifting principles are the primary fuel for increasing muscle definition. When adopting such an ideology, one of the most widely accepted bodybuilding techniques is to increase rep range, where lighter weight is utilized to allow for a higher than normal amount of reps per set, and numerous bodybuilders believe that this weight lifting method will bring muscle definition to new heights, therefore some accept an exclusive lower weight and higher rep approach to weight training during a fat loss phase.
I cannot confirm exactly where this bodybuilding theory originated, but can guess that because lactic acid buildup in muscles occurs when executing high rep bodybuilding workout sessions, and therefore causes a muscle "burn" that is absent when using heavier weights, some are convinced that this targets the muscle in a more complete way, and therefore must bring definition to a level that exceeds what is seen with a lower rep range. It's also possible that cardiovascular stimulation accompanying higher rep weight training workout sessions causes many bodybuilders to believe that they are burning a greater amount of fat, and they then adopt these higher rep workout routines when muscle definition is the primary goal. The problem with these theories is that the weight training portion of a workout regimen is not meant to burn fat or improve definition, but rather to promote muscle size and strength, and therefore should be implemented with this specific goal in mind.
By modifying rep range to address muscle definition, the bodybuilder in effect will reduce the overload he or she provides to muscle tissue, and will inevitably begin to burn away a portion of muscle mass that was built with higher weight and lower reps. Instead of improving definition, this specific weight lifting method will interfere with this very goal by attacking muscle, as a larger number of reps per set have no more of a positive impact on muscle definition than low rep weight training techniques, but they do offer a lower level of overload and fatigue, adversely impacting muscle growth, and risking the loss of muscle mass when following a lower calorie eating strategy for fat burning.
Therefore, a bodybuilder should continually build each weight training workout with a proper combination of rep ranges in order to protect muscle mass while working towards enhanced definition, and focus on altering diet variables to encourage fat reduction, which is the key behind improving definition in all muscle groups. But is there a workout strategy that will accelerate the fat reduction process? Yes, and the technique does not involve any modifications to the weight training workout, but does encourage the cardiovascular system to increase metabolism and overall fat burning capability; aerobic activity is the key to accelerating the speed of fat reduction, and is often ignored by bodybuilders to the detriment of muscle definition. Even when seeking muscle mass gains, cardiovascular activity will assist in controlling body fat levels, so in addition to a disciplined weight training workout plan comprised of both high and low rep ranges, aerobic activity is a vital concept in producing maximum muscle definition, and should become required protocol in any bodybuilding workout regimen.
If you are seeking muscle definition, and find progress to be disappointing, do not pursue a high rep range for your weight training workouts, but rather first analyze your diet plan, which is the primary factor behind body fat gain or loss, and then integrate regular aerobic activity, five days per week if you are able, and once these variables are intact, you will begin to notice body fat reduction and definition enhancements that will bring all of your muscle gains to the skin's surface. If you are currently performing consistent aerobic activity, make sure intensity is sufficient, as a walking pace is not sufficiently stimulative to the cardiovascular system for any significant metabolism boost, and remember that no exercise variable, whether it be weight lifting or aerobic activity, can substitute for a correctly designed fat reduction food plan, so focus on fat loss eating techniques for the most noticeable improvements in the definition of your muscles.
About the Author
Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a bodybuilding routine for muscle building without supplements or drugs. He also owns IncrediBody.com, an online fitness superstore selling protein powder at guaranteed lowest prices.
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