Strength training is a way to gain weight without increasing your risk for chronic disease or gaining body fat. While regularly lifting heavy weights will help you gain strength, understanding the ways your body changes with different types of training will help you create a program that gets you more muscle weight, faster.
Stabilization Exercises
Stabilization is the first phase of exercise recommended in the National Academy of Sports Medicine's Optimum Performance Training Model. This phase of training, which is approximately four weeks long, consists of three sets of exercises for 15 to 25 repetitions. These are performed by pushing or pulling the weight for one second and lowering it back down over four seconds to make sure each muscle is moving the way it should. The emphasis is tendon strength and muscle coordination to set your body up for pushing heavier weight.
Strength Exercises
Once you have worked out consistently for four to eight weeks, your body will be ready to handle heavier loads. Lift weights three times a week by performing full-body exercises for four sets of one to 10 repetitions, says the NASM. This phase of exercise specifically targets muscle growth, strength and size, which will help you add weight. Each exercise is performed on a stable surface like a bench, rather than standing or sitting on stability balls. An example of a strength session may include crunches on a machine, bench presses, seated rows, leg presses, seated shoulder presses and hamstring curls while lying on a bench.
Power Sessions
After four to eight weeks of strength exercises, your strength may slow. Power sessions will help the body push past plateaus by forcing your body to use more of your muscles for each exercise. Continue the same three-day-a-week routine but perform a 10-repetition power exercise that works the same muscle group immediately after each strength exercise. Power exercises involve explosive motions where you push as hard as you can. For example, do 10 squat jumps immediately after 10 leg presses. This style of training can help you push past weight gain plateaus.
Crossfit Philosophy
Crossfit is a comprehensive exercise program designed by gymnastics coach Greg Glassman to move fitness in to a new era. This program, which gives free exercises every day on its website, is designed to push the body to its limits by constantly switching between stabilization, strength and power sessions. The workouts are not meant for beginners, however, and should be done after several months of preparing the body for exercise. An example of a crossfit workout may include five rounds of 25 box-jumps, 25 push-presses, 25 squats with a barbell overhead and 25 kettle bell swings, all performed as quickly as you can.
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