Those wanting to improve their fitness and gain muscle can do so by performing aerobic, resistance and stretching exercises as well as by practicing healthy eating habits. The components of fitness include cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition, according to the American Council on Exercise. You can become fit and gain muscle by engaging in your favorite cardiovascular activity, lifting weights, stretching and reducing your body fat levels.
Step 1
Do a warm-up. Warm-ups, which should mimic the activity you will be doing, prepare your body for exercise by increasing blood flow to the tissues. They also decrease the risk of injury. Complete an easy 10-minute walk or jog, then a five-minute stretch, before your cardio session. Use lighter weights to do a bench press or squat before getting into the heavier weights. Stretches during your warm-up are done to loosen your joints, not to increase your flexibility.
Step 2
Go for a walk, then a jog. If you are currently sedentary, you will improve your fitness levels with just walking. As your body adapts, you can alternate 30 seconds of jogging with three minutes of walking. Gradually extend your jogging periods and decrease your walking periods. Do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, accumulated in one or multiple daily sessions, at least five days of the week.
Step 3
Stretch all major muscle groups. The stretches you do after a cardio or weight-training session should be held for 15 to 60 seconds to increase your flexibility. Flexibility is especially important for the lower back and hamstrings, as these muscles, when tight, tend to cause low back pain. Perform stretches for your lower back, hamstrings, quads, glutes, hip flexors, chest, back, shoulders and torso.
Step 4
Lift weights. Progressive resistance exercises will build muscle, increase your muscular endurance and increase your strength. To increase muscle mass, use heavier weights as you get stronger. Include exercises such as the bench press, barbell squats, back rows, dumbbell curls, triceps extensions, deadlifts and weighted crunches. Keep track of your exercises, weights, sets and reps.
Step 5
Eat the right things, at the right time and in proper amounts. You need enough energy to support your exercise. Eat some protein and carbs at least one hour before every exercise session. Whole-wheat toast with peanut butter is a good example. In addition, eat as soon as possible after your workout, when your muscles are primed to take in nutrients. If you work out at a gym, pack a banana and skim milk to eat in the car once you're finished exercising. Eat five or six small meals a day, with each meal consisting of 250 to 400 calories. The American Council on Exercises recommends that 55 percent of your calories come from carbs, 20 percent from protein and 25 percent from fat.
Step 6
Rest after your workouts. Rest and sleep are necessary to allow your muscles to heal and therefore grow. Overtraining will derail your fitness efforts by breaking down muscle tissue repeatedly without giving it adequate time to rebuild. Overtraining also puts you at a higher risk for injuries that could force you to take a long period off. Signs of overtraining include decreases in your performance, menstrual disruptions, chronic fatigue and an altered resting heart rate.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep a log of your cardio and resistance training to ensure you are making progress toward your fitness goals. Create a spreadsheet to manage your daily meals and count calories, carbs, fat and protein.
- Check with your physician prior to engaging in a physical fitness program, especially if you are new to exercise.
Things You'll Need
- Exercise clothing
- Exercise shoes
- Treadmill
- Exercise mat
- Bench press
- Barbell
- Weight plates
- Squat rack
- Dumbbells
- Pencil
- Graph paper
- Spreadsheets
- Wheat bread
- Peanut butter
- Banana
- Skim milk
References
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 1997
- American College of Sports Medicine: Overtraining with Resistance Exercise
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