The fitness culture has really taken off in Denmark. Working out at a gym has never been so popular. Some people work out because they enjoy it and see it as a hobby, whilst others have specific goals they want to achieve through their training. This blog is part 1 of 2, in which we’ll take a closer look at some of the most important elements of training and diet. In part 2, we’ll look in more detail at how to actually put together a training programme and a diet plan that can help you either build muscle or lose body fat.
Bodybuilding or strength training?
When we talk about training, there are broadly speaking two categories: bodybuilding and strength training. For most people, bodybuilding is synonymous with Arnold Schwarzenegger – in other words, big guys with biceps the size of footballs. This form of training helps individuals to change their body shape, i.e. either to build muscle mass or lose body fat. For most people, however, it can feel strange to describe their approach as bodybuilding when they in no way resemble a traditional bodybuilder. But if your goal is to change your physique and thereby build muscle or lose fat, your training programme should be designed with a focus on high volume; this will be explained in more detail below.
Strength training, on the other hand, as the name suggests, focuses on developing an individual’s strength. If, for example, you are a handball player, you might want to improve your jumping power. This can be achieved, amongst other things, by incorporating exercises such as the box squat. Strength training is therefore often used by athletes who wish to improve a specific aspect of their sport. However, strength training can also be ideal for ‘ordinary’ people who simply wish to build their strength.
Machines, free weights or bodyweight exercises?
When you’re at the gym, it can be confusing for some people to know which equipment to use. Should you choose machines, free weights or simply stick to bodyweight exercises? The best option would definitely be a mix of all three, and here we explain why.
The advantage of free weights is that you’re not just working the individual muscle, but also the surrounding muscles. Let’s take the bench press, for example. When you’re lying on the bench and pressing the barbell upwards, you’re not just working your chest muscles; you’re also working your triceps and shoulder muscles. Another significant advantage of using free weights is what’s known as ROM (Range Of Motion). ROM is the range of movement you achieve whilst performing the exercise. When you use a barbell for bench presses, you can lower the bar all the way down to your chest, thereby getting a really good stretch in the muscle. This helps the muscle to grow optimally. Therefore, any training programme should include a sufficient number of free-weight exercises.
As mentioned, as well as free weights, there are also machines. The advantage of using machines is that they are easy to use and can be a really good place to start if you are a beginner and have never set foot in a gym before. If, on the other hand, you are a little more experienced, you will usually use the machines to isolate muscle groups and squeeze every last bit of effort out of the muscle; however, we will explore this in more detail later in the article. Machine exercises can therefore be used to either warm up the muscle in question, or to squeeze the last bit of energy out of it as a finishing move to your workout.
As well as machines and free weights, there are, of course, bodyweight exercises. Bodyweight exercises can be beneficial if you’re often on the go or don’t have time to visit a gym. Bodyweight exercises also have the advantage that they can be performed virtually anywhere, so you aren’t tied to training in one specific place. However, if you mainly train at a gym, you’ll still be able to benefit from a few solid bodyweight exercises. You can incorporate bodyweight exercises as a warm-up at the start of your training session, or you can choose to finish your session with them. On days when you’re training your legs, for example, you could do a couple of sets of walking lunges as a warm-up.
The eccentric and concentric phases
When we move about in our daily lives, thereby subjecting our muscles to a certain load, two basic things happen. You cause the muscle to stretch, and you cause the muscle to contract. In the context of training, these are also known as the eccentric and concentric phases.
The eccentric phase is when the muscle lengthens and generates force. To give an example, let’s take the bench press exercise. When you’re lying on the bench and start to lower the barbell, you’ll feel your chest muscles stretching; this is the eccentric phase. When you then start to press the bar back up, the muscles contract, and you are thus in the concentric phase. You might now be wondering what significance this has for you. The problem is that a great many people practically ‘forget’ to perform the eccentric phase. In other words, they practically drop the barbell onto their stomach and struggle to lift it back up again. That’s why it’s important to perform both the eccentric and concentric phases slowly and in a controlled manner if you want to see results from your hard work at the gym.
Here’s how many sets and reps you should do!
As mentioned, every training programme consists of different exercises. As a rule of thumb, however, it’s said that bodybuilders should focus on high volume, whilst those doing strength training should focus on high intensity. So, whether your goal is to build muscle mass or lose body fat, you’ll need to do plenty of sets and plenty of reps. As for intensity – that is, how many kilos you should lift – it should be moderately heavy. A good starting point could be 3–5 sets of 8–14 repetitions.
If, on the other hand, your goal is to get stronger, you should place a strong emphasis on the intensity of your training programme. This means you need to lift heavy weights. Unlike in bodybuilding, however, you should only do this a relatively small number of times per set. If we take an exercise such as the squat, one approach could be 3–5 repetitions per set, for 5–8 sets.
When you’re at the gym working out, you’ll find that some exercises feel incredibly difficult to perform compared to others. Exercises such as the bench press, squat and deadlift can seem more difficult to perform compared to some of the exercises on the machines. This is because, broadly speaking, machines only target the muscle in isolation. This means that machine exercises do not help to train your supporting muscles. Whereas an exercise such as the squat primarily trains your legs but also works your lower back, glutes and abs. You therefore put in a greater effort during an exercise like the squat, which means you tire more quickly.
Diet and nutrition
‘No food, no hero’ is an old saying. Diet is undoubtedly the most important element of your training, regardless of whether your goal is to build muscle mass, lose fat or become stronger. In the next section, we’ll take a closer look at the three macronutrients: fat, protein and carbohydrates.
Fat
Fat is an essential nutrient that every diet should contain in sufficient quantities. However, many of us are put off when we hear the word ‘fat’. Many people go about thinking that eating fat makes them fat. But that is, in fact, irrelevant. You can easily eat minimal amounts of fat and still become overweight. You can also lose weight by eating at McDonald’s and eating sweets, although this is obviously not recommended due to the health risks associated with eating processed food. Fat plays an important role in relation to our hormones and helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins. However, it does matter where you get your fats from. There are three different types: saturated fat, unsaturated fat and trans fats. You should consume as little saturated fat as possible. Saturated fat is found, for example, in meat and dairy products. Unsaturated fats are found in nuts, oil and oily fish, and this is precisely the type of fat from which you should mainly get your fats. Then there are trans fats, which you should avoid completely. This type of fat is found in processed foods.
Protein
Protein is the building block of muscles. It is therefore vital that people who exercise get enough protein in their diet. If your goal is to build muscle mass and you don’t get enough protein, your muscles won’t grow. If, on the other hand, the aim is to lose weight, it is also important to include plenty of protein in your diet, as otherwise you may risk losing too much muscle mass whilst losing weight.
Protein is the building block of muscles. It is therefore vital that people who exercise get enough protein in their diet. If the aim is to build muscle mass and you do not get enough protein, your muscles will not grow. If, on the other hand, the aim is to lose weight, it is still important to include plenty of protein in your diet, as otherwise you may risk losing too much muscle mass whilst losing weight.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the macronutrient that the body utilises most efficiently as an energy source. Carbohydrates can be divided into two broad categories: simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are those that are quickly broken down and absorbed by the body. Simple carbohydrates are found, for example, in fruit, rice, pasta, potatoes, sweets and sugar. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, take longer to be broken down and absorbed by the body. These can be found in most wholegrain products, brown rice and some vegetables. It is recommended that the majority of one’s carbohydrate intake comes from complex carbohydrates, as this provides a longer-lasting feeling of fullness and stable blood sugar levels. However, fast-acting carbohydrates can be beneficial immediately after a workout, when your glycogen stores are depleted of carbohydrates, which is why eating a piece of fruit at this time of day can be beneficial.
That’s all for part 1 of 2. In part 2, we’ll take a closer look at how to put together a really good training programme. We’ll also look at how to create a diet plan that can help you either lose fat or build muscle mass. Stay tuned!
