Workout Plan to Build Lean Muscle

Workout Plan to Build Lean Muscle
Photo Credit Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images

A commitment to get in better shape by building lean muscle is almost always accompanied by a decision to burn calories and fat. To do this, you have to perform strength-building exercises, cardiovascular exercises and eat healthfully. Building lean muscle will make you more athletic and give you more confidence.

Function

To build lean muscle with weight training, use light weights with maximum reps. Lifting heavier weights will build power and explosive muscles. Lean muscles will help you build endurance. This is particularly helpful in sports like baseball and basketball. A pitcher with endurance will be able to hold his form throughout the game and continue to make good pitches even after he is tired. Do arm curls, the bench press and lunges with lighter weights and do more reps to build lean muscle.

Significance

Hitting a boxing heavy bag for three minutes at a time will help you build lean muscle. Boxers know that to develop a power punch they have to use more than their shoulders, arms and fists. The punch must start from the muscles in your legs. Hit the heavy bag with left hooks, right crosses, left jabs and right uppercuts. Hit the bag as you move to your left -- if you are right-handed -- and do it for three minutes at a time. Take a one-minute break and repeat the set.

Considerations

If you want your body to get stronger, get rid of the excess weight by doing cardiovascular exercise. One of the best cardiovascular exercises is interval sprint training. Sprint 100 yards and get back to the starting line as quickly as possible. Follow that with sprints of 90, 75 and 60 yards. Take a two-minute break and repeat the set. This will burn fat and help your body develop lean muscle.

Features

You cannot build lean muscle if you don't eat healthfully. You have to make the commitment to stop eating fatty foods. Eat white meat chicken and fish as your main sources of protein. Eat two to three portions of fresh fruit and two to three portions of fresh vegetables every day. Eat complex carbohydrates like spaghetti and oatmeal to fuel your exercise routine. Stay away from fast foods and junk foods. Drink 64 oz. of water per day to wash toxins out of your system and lubricate your muscles, joints and tendons.

Warning

Do not overtrain when you are lifting weights. Even if you are using lighter weight with multiple reps, your muscles still need time to respond to the exercise and recover from the work that was done. If you lift weights on Monday, don't lift again until Wednesday. Instead, you can use stretching bands to build muscle. Elastic bands will help you get stronger without building bulk. If you alternate workouts with barbells and elastic bands you can build lean muscle quickly.

References

Article reviewed by Jay Lawrence Last updated on: Dec 7, 2010

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments