By just looking at someone, you can tell if they’re strong and in shape. Right? Come on, that guy at the beach looks like he could bench press me! Well maybe he can, but there’s also a chance he just looks the part. At Art of Strength, we want you to not just look the part but be the part too.
Our philosophy is that cardio vascular strength has been lost in the shuffle of quick result workouts and diets. We’re looking to build quality, not quantity.
When sculpting your body, you must find that perfect balance of exercise and diet. For best results, your program should include cardio and strength training (we recommend using kettlebells) and stretching to increase your muscles flexibility. This exercise program will create a natural, sculpted look where your muscles are well defined and easily seen while avoiding a bulky look. More important than the effect this will have on your look, this program will have you in tip-top shape and feeling great. Strengthening muscles through body sculpting improves blood circulation, strengthens the heart and reduces age related problems such as stiffness, soreness and weakness.
When someone says they want to build their body, the first thing that comes to mind is an image of an unnatural, bulky and unhealthy bodybuilder. You will lift weights, then lift some more and for good measure why not do a few more repetitions. Odds are you’ll do this a couple times a day too. There’s nothing wrong with lifting weights; in fact, it’s a necessary part of sculpting your body.
However, the next time you’re at a gym and see one of those bodybuilder-looking guys, pay attention to the amount of running, walking or biking they do. They may be building muscle, but when it comes to being in shape they are not.
An essential part of most exercise programs that is frequently forgotten, is the diet. One of the main principles of a body-sculpting diet is the need to eat several small meals a day. This will increase your metabolism while keeping your blood sugar levels balanced, and prevent hunger that leads to overeating. Now just because they’re small meals doesn’t mean you can be eating bad foods with a high fat intake.
The Department of Health and Human Services advises you to eat lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy and other forms of lean protein as important components in building muscle, burning fat and keeping your appetite satisfied. Whole grains are also important, as they provide fuel for the body. Saturated and trans fats should be avoided; while monounsaturated fats are encouraged. Leafy green vegetables and a variety of fruits should also be included.
Just like the exercise program for building muscle is lifting, lifting and more lifting, the diet includes protein, protein and more protein. Intense-workout.com suggests you eat a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. So if you weigh 200 lbs, you should eat at least 200 grams of protein a day. That’s an insane amount of protein intake. Especially when it’s suggested you eat a lot of protein when you first wake up, after every workout and right before you go to bed. To help reach those goals you’ll have to start drinking protein shakes, eating protein bars and taking other protein supplements so that you can bulk up, and watch as your wallet size decreases.
Unless you plan on making a career out of bodybuilding, can you really afford to spend money on shakes, bars, supplements and going to the gym multiple times a day? Time is money and so is building your body.
While the body building guy at the beach may look good, following an exercise and diet program with the intent to sculpt your body, will leave you looking good, feeling good and building on what your body already has built.
Sam Salman is co-owner of Art of Strength West Bloomfield. Find out more, go to www.aoskettlebells.com
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