training to gain muscle
I am 49 years old woman, 125 pounds of weight and 10% of body fat. I love to workout and I would like to gain some muscle mass and look more athletic. I do not want to lose more weight. I need a workout program. Thanks.
Hi! It’s great that you love working out and are continuing to push yourself! While all people are different there are a few basic guidelines that I can share. Even though you’re not trying to lose weight, cardio is important of course for cardiac health. You definitely will want to make sure you are eating enough calories for your body, and them a little extra to build muscle. (You don’t have to eat a lot) Make sure you are getting enough protein, with good healthy carbohydrates and enough healthy fats. Diet is KEY to build able to build muscle, and also to being able to push yourself through that workout and lift more each time.
A good way to build muscle is to do a ‘split’ workout, where you split the workouts into 3, 4 or 5 different days. This can also be done according to where your weak areas are, as you may want to do a workout just for that area, or hit it twice. There are MANY variations out there of a split routine. I like the push/pull: back&bis(pull), chest&tris(push), legs, shoulders i split out and do abs at least 3x/wk. You’ll want to lift as heavy as you can, but with good form. shorter sets. again, lots of variations from 3x10, or 4x8, etc.
I definitely recommend using the Muscle & Trainer app. You can choose by female —> Goal: build muscle and it will give you some recommendations. Also some great clips of various routines. Hope that helps! Good luck on your journey! ;)
