Body strength comes from large muscles. You can either have high-volume muscles, like a bodybuilder, or you can have high-density muscles, which are more efficient. High-density muscles give you significant strength without the bodybuilder look that many want to avoid.
The key to developing high-density muscles is to lift weights and eat the right foods. It is important to perform certain lifts with certain reps and certain amounts of weight: compound lifts with enough weight that you can only do five or so reps. This will develop strength through muscle density. Your food needs to be low in empty calories and unnecessary fats and high in the protein and carbs your body needs to repair old muscles and build new ones.
<!-- google_ad_section_end() --><SECTION class="Module body FLC"><DL class=difficulty><DT>Difficulty: <DD>Moderately Challenging </DD></DL>Instructions
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The key to developing high-density muscles is to lift weights and eat the right foods. It is important to perform certain lifts with certain reps and certain amounts of weight: compound lifts with enough weight that you can only do five or so reps. This will develop strength through muscle density. Your food needs to be low in empty calories and unnecessary fats and high in the protein and carbs your body needs to repair old muscles and build new ones.
<!-- google_ad_section_end() --><SECTION class="Module body FLC"><DL class=difficulty><DT>Difficulty: <DD>Moderately Challenging </DD></DL>Instructions
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- <LI class=step itxtNodeId="11" itxtHarvested="0">1 Adjust your diet to decrease your body fat. The less fat on your muscles, the more dense they will be, as muscle is more dense than fat. Eliminate fast foods, soda and alcohol, along with simple carbohydrates, such as white bread. Get protein from lean sources, such as white poultry (chicken breasts) and fish, such as salmon and tuna. Consume 1 g of protein per pound of body weight daily. For instance, a 200-lb. person should consume 20 g of protein per day.
<LI class=step itxtNodeId="10" itxtHarvested="0">2 Increase your water intake. Muscles are made of 70 percent water, so the more water you drink, the more your body will be able to channel to your muscle density. Consume at least eight glasses of water a day, but more is better.
- 3 Shift your current weightlifting regime to focus on high weights and low reps. If you were previously bench-pressing three sets of eight reps, change to five sets of five reps. This will stress your muscles more in the short term and force them to build more density. The weight should be heavy enough that you can only do five reps -- if a sixth rep is possible without breaking form, then your weight is too light.
- 4 Exchange your machine-based exercises, such as leg presses, for their equivalent barbell or dumbbell exercises, such as squats and lunges. The latter will be more effective as they force other muscles to help stabilize your body to keep the weight moving in a certain path. As with most weight-lifting programs, lift weights every second
- <LI class=step itxtNodeId="11" itxtHarvested="0">1 Adjust your diet to decrease your body fat. The less fat on your muscles, the more dense they will be, as muscle is more dense than fat. Eliminate fast foods, soda and alcohol, along with simple carbohydrates, such as white bread. Get protein from lean sources, such as white poultry (chicken breasts) and fish, such as salmon and tuna. Consume 1 g of protein per pound of body weight daily. For instance, a 200-lb. person should consume 20 g of protein per day.
