Lifting weights to gain muscle mass and reduce body fat is appropriate for all ages and genders. It is not necessary to lift weights every day to get results. In fact, rest is necessary and appropriate to take advantage of your body's metabolic processes that build muscle fibers. A whole-body workout three days per week, along with cardio, good nutrition and adequate rest is a plan that can produce gains and keep you in good health.
Free Weights Vs. Machines
Total-body weight workouts that engage all major muscle groups and your core work well with free weights, since the work of lifting the barbell or dumbbell, balancing it and putting it back down all utilizing core muscles. For weightlifters just getting started on an exercise program or recovering from an injury, machines are useful. Many gyms place machines in a "circuit" layout, meaning that a total-body workout is done by using each machine in sequence.
Duration and Frequency
Doing the whole-body workout with eight to 10 repetitions per set, and two to three sets per exercise is a proven way to get results safely. A whole-body workout within these parameters should take 45 to 90 minutes to complete, depending on rest intervals and total number of exercises. Three times per week is ideal, because at least 24 hours of rest is needed to allow your muscle fiber repair and stimulate growth. Special populations, such as the elderly, are better off waiting 48 hours before resuming a total-body workout.
Cardio
Your heart is an important muscle that needs its own exercise. Daily cardio to raise heart rate is important in muscle gaining because the increased blood flow and metabolism mean more nutrients are sent to the muscle cells, and waste products that contribute to post-workout soreness are removed. Cardio two to three days per week on days off from your total-body workout mean better-quality mass gains and better overall health.
Nutrition
Muscle cells need a proper ratio of carbohydrate, protein and fat to grow bigger. Following a full-body workout plan get results faster the better you eat. Eating four to five nutritious small meals daily and drinking a glass of water with each meal can make an enormous difference in your results. Whole grains, lean proteins and a variety of fruits and vegetables support mass gains.
Rest
Total-body workouts three times per week, eating well four to five times per day, plus work or school obligations can make it tough to get enough rest. However, rest is probably the most overlooked aspect of gaining mass. You need at least seven or eight hours of sleep daily, or six or seven hours of nightly sleep and a daily nap. Your body's metabolic repair and rejuvenation processes take place while sleeping, since your waking hours divert blood to your limbs and gut. During rest, your blood supply is available to carry to your muscles the nutrients derived from the day's digestion.
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