Weight Training Goals (Part 3 - Why Protein?)

My personal trainer is insistent on making me consume protein by any means possible. Chicken breast, Muscle Milk, even a protein bar post workout would be acceptable to him. Why is this so important?

Without protein you simply cannot build muscle. Carbohydrates are great for energy, the kind of energy to get you through that grueling gut busting workout. But it doesn't matter how much carbs you eat, without protein your body won't have the amino acids to build and repair your muscles.

It's recommended that to build muscle you have at least 1g of protein for every lb of body weight.

Weight Training Goals (Part 2 - How Long)

One of the biggest questions I always have is hong long something is going to take. I'm pretty impatient, so wanting a shorter time frame is always best. I know weight loss can take a while, usually about 1lb for a week, sometimes 2 if you're training really hard but how long does it take to build a lb of muscle.

For the answer, I turned to Yahoo Answers. Here's what contributors had to say:

"It depends on your diet and how often you train. If you train hard and eat at least 1g per 1lb of protein, you can perhaps gain 1lb a month on average (assuming you are female)."

"gaining muscle is all about the diet. resistance training only stimulates muscle growth. there must be a caloric excess in the diet and sufficient nutrients from proteins, carbs and fats. women have less muscle mass then men because their bodies produce roughly 1/10 the amount of test. to insure high test production you need to make sure that you are getting 20% of the daily calories from healthy fats. test production can drop by 30-40% in a woman with a low fat diet.

shoot for 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats."

Weight Training Goals (Part 1 - Slim Arms)

You've got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It's called perseverance. --Lee Iacocca

When I think about the journey ahead of me, I think about it in stages. Each stage being 10 lbs or milestones. In the case of weight training I used to think of it as something I would get to once I got past the 10 lbs or something.

Luckily, because I was planning at one point to get very serious about muscle building I had thoughts in my head about what I wanted to achieve.

First, slimming my upper arms.

I got this workout from wowbodybuilding.com:

The only equipment you’ll be needing is dumbbells and if you are sitting down, a ball to sit down on. This is performed by hold the dumbbells by your side with your palms facing inward. If you are doing it standing up, picking the barbells up off the floor, make sure you use your legs to help lift the weight. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart to give yourself a sturdy base. If you are sitting down, sit on a big ball, with your back and head straight, and palms facing forward. Seated or standing curl the weight up while keeping your elbows steady at your waist. "As you curl up your palms should begin to face your chest as you lift the weight. After fully contracting the bicep, lower the dumbbell in a reverse manner rotating your hand back to its original position while keeping control. You can also do the curls alternate. This isolates the biceps of each arm making it a good exercise for thinner arms. In this variation of a Dumbbell Curl, you curl the dumbbells alternately, first one arm and then the other, it gives you a better sense of isolation, allowing you to concentrate your energy on one arm at a time. Keep alternate curling until you have completed the necessary repetitions for both arms. To get the best possible range of motion, fully extend and contract the arm. Allow yourself to move naturally throughout this combined arms exercise. Your upper body should be leaning slightly forward when you start. As you curl, your back moves to an upright position. You will be limiting the amount of weight you can use if you try to keep your back totally still while curling. Take note that ultra strict form will actually leave you more susceptible to injury because the movement is not natural. But you should always maintain control over the weight, especially as you lower the dumbbells to their starting position. It is very important that you fully stretch and contract the bicep every time. Do not curl the dumbbell past the point where tension leaves the biceps.