by 
You’ve been spending tons of amount of time in the gym looking to get Michelle Obama arms, but you don’t seem to be building any muscle. What gives?
Several things could explain why your arms are as noodly as ever (or why the sofa isn’t getting any bigger or your shoulders don’t look any more sculpted)-and most of them are totally under your control. Here, our experts uncover reasons you aren’t muscle building so that you can result in the changes you have to make all of your effort repay.
Don’t get us wrong-cardio is important to keep your body fat down and keeping the heart health in check. (Bonuses if you run or?bike, since outdoor exercise is linked to better energy and improved mental health.) But when it comes to building muscle, striking the treadmill won’t help you much. “Every element of exercise, minus cardio, can sort out muscle hypertrophy,” which is the scientific term for muscle mass building, says Michelle Lovitt, a workout physiologist and trainer in Los Angeles. “Cardio has a tendency to burn calories and puts the body inside a deficit, which is ideal for leaning out, but not building mass.”
Those 5-pound dumbbells were an excellent place to begin as a beginner, but when you have been weight lifting for some time, it’s time to bump up the weight. “You can use both exercise machines and dumbells,” explains Michele Olson, PhD, exercise physiologist, professor of exercise science at Auburn University Montgomery, “but, if you are not lifting heavy enough weight, it doesn’t matter if you’re primarily using dumbells or machines.” To be able to get buff, you must break down muscle tissues utilizing a weight that is challenging enough to result in micro-tears, which when repaired, form denser, stronger fibers.
Those micro-tears which are such a main factor for muscle-building need rest to rebuild themselves and grow stronger. When will they do that? When you are asleep! “You have to rest and feed your muscles between workouts or you will tear them down and they’ll become weaker,” says Olson. “Over time, you run the chance of over-training, which could result in injury, and possibly much more sleep troubles.”
If you’re seriously interested in wearing some muscle, then the most effective way to do it’s with three intense resistance training sessions and two lighter intensity workouts per week. “You need to have consistency in a workout program, hitting a minimum of each muscle group twice each week to construct muscle,” explains Lovitt. If you’re searching to switch up exercises, Olson suggests swaps for example sumo squats instead of traditional squats; step-ups on a bench rather than lunges; after which rotating back to the previous. “These types of variation can be very good at developing muscles, however the weights must still be fairly heavy that you’re using,” she says.
A muscle imbalance-when one muscle is stronger than its opposing muscle-can limit your ability to exercise effectively, and could lead to injury down the line. “It’s important to recognize whether you’re really working the muscles you think you’re and recognize if you have developed an imbalance that alters your movement pattern,” says Eric Ingram, physiotherapist at Louisiana Physical rehabilitation Centers of Pineville. One common imbalance in women is stronger quads and weaker, tighter hamstrings, because of prolonged sitting, high heel shoes, and improper training. If you suspect you have a muscle imbalance, see a physical therapist, who will prescribe exercises to even you out.
It’s not only about lifting-it’s about lifting safely and properly. So if you feel not physical exercise properly, you can’t really make any progress. “When someone is simply beginning to exercise, it can benefit to work closely having a knowledgeable fitness expert to be able to learn proper form,” says Ingram. But which goes for experienced lifters, too. If you aren’t sure in regards to a movement, it’s easier to ask. “If you aren’t working the correct muscles, you can’t expect them to grow,” explains Ingram.
It’s true-your genes can enjoy a job when it comes to muscle building. Generally, there’s two kinds of muscle fibers: Type I, which are slow twitch, and Type II, which are fast twitch. Depending on that you’ve more of, you might have an easier or harder time gaining muscle. “Fast twitch muscle fibers are two times as thick as slow twitch muscle tissue, lending to the overall thickness of the muscle with no activity,” explains Lovitt. “Those individuals with an inherited predisposition of the high number of those fibers can increase muscle size effortlessly while the individuals with a greater number of slow twitch muscle tissue need to work really hard to use mass.” It is the reason why a world-class sprinter genetically has more fast twitch muscle tissue than the usual world-class marathoner-it is dependant on what we’re born with.
