Latest news with #bodybuilders
CNET
2 days ago
- Health
- CNET
Lose Weight With Strength Training -- Here's How to Cut Fat by Lifting
Weight loss isn't easy, especially when you aren't sure exactly what kind of activity to do to get there. Although cardio is known to be the go-to for getting to that ideal body fat percentage, you can totally lose weight with strength training. It's easy to ignore strength training when you're focused on weight loss, but it's an excellent way to change your body composition, boost your metabolism and lose weight by burning fat. There are a ton of Reddit threads discussing whether aerobic exercise is the best for strength training or whether you should do strength training. There are varied opinions on this, but we know one thing for sure -- it is definitely possible to lose weight with strength training. You can actually use strength training to your advantage even if you're not a bodybuilder or don't spend hours at the gym. Strength training can help you build lean muscle, helping your body keep burning calories even when you're not working out. It's also not as heavy on the joints as high-impact cardio, which makes it a good place to start for all kinds of fitness levels. Whether you're just getting started with resistance exercise or aren't sure where to start, even two sessions a week can make for game-changing results in your fitness routine. Looking for more fitness tips? Check out how many calories you need to burn to lose weight, simple ways to shed body fat at home and how to achieve that elusive balance of losing weight while gaining lean muscle. Strength training can help you burn more versus strength training There's a constant back-and-forth argument about which is more efficient in reaching your ideal physique: cardio or strength training. According to New York City-based personal trainer Oscar Colon IV, cardio is ideal for burning more calories during a workout session -- and it's key to keeping your heart strong -- but strength training affects your body differently. "Strength training has a two-pronged effect because you burn calories during the workout and during the recovery and restoration of muscle groups you worked," he says. As a result, you get more results for your effort. It's still a good idea to incorporate cardio and strength training into a well-balanced fitness plan, so you can reap all the benefits. How much you do of one or the other may also depend on your current goals. If you're training for your first marathon, cardio will be your main focus as you build endurance, whereas strength training will be a priority when you're trying to get stronger or build muscle. Buillding muscle helps you burn calories even at rest. Getty Images How muscles affect your ability to burn fat As mentioned, strength training can help you burn more calories during and after your workout. This is thanks to the lean muscle you gain as a result of strength training. If your goal is to lose weight, having more lean muscle can help the process. This also means that the more lean muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate will be. Your resting metabolic rate, or RMR, refers to the total number of calories your body burns when it's at rest. Biologically speaking, resting metabolism aids your organ functions, neurological functions, breathing and blood circulation. Rachel MacPherson, an American Council of Exercise-certified personal trainer, performance specialist and Garage Gym Reviews expert, explains that muscle is metabolically active, meaning it burns calories even at rest. Although the effect is small, it's significant and does add up over time. "This also helps to counteract the decline of metabolism and muscle mass as you age, which can contribute to middle-age weight gain," she says. Strength training also has fat-burning benefits when you're fresh off a workout. "Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption is the process of your body regulating itself back to homeostasis after a strenuous workout," Colon explains. In other words, you're still burning calories as you recover, because your body stays warm for a while as it cools down. Studies have shown that beginners tend to put on muscle faster than those experienced with strength training. Getty Images How long it takes to put on muscle Now that you know that lean muscle is the key component in fat burning, you're probably wondering how long it takes to build muscle. This will vary from person to person, as genetics, hormones, gender, diet and other factors play a role in how much muscle you put on and how quickly. "If you consistently train three to four times a week for 30 minutes each session, you should realistically start to see results in three to four weeks," Colon says. MacPherson says you can put on muscle mass each week, and doing a 12- to 16-week hypertrophy training program is ideal for seeing a significant amount of muscle gain. "You can expect upwards of five to 10 pounds of muscle gain during this time," she says, adding, "As you become more advanced you will need to work harder for less gain but you will still see results." That's another interesting aspect of strength training: If you're a beginner, you tend to have an advantage over someone more experienced when building muscle. This is what some people refer to as "newbie gains," which refers to your body's muscle-building response to lifting weights because it's not used to this kind of stimulus. Research has shown that untrained individuals (those with minimal to no strength training experience) can put on muscle faster than someone who's already experienced with strength training. Generally speaking, men and women also have different results when building muscle mass. "Men can build muscle mass much easier and faster than women due to testosterone, while women can still build substantial amounts of muscle but will never look as large or full as men unless they use anabolic steroids," says MacPherson. "It's vital that women lift enough volume and weight while also eating enough to support muscle gain." This means letting go of the old-school mentality of dieting and shrinking yourself, otherwise it'll inhibit your ability to build muscle. Besides a well-regimented workout plan, a diet that supports muscle-building is key too. "In order to build muscle, you need to eat in a calorie surplus with plenty of protein," MacPherson says. She explains that eating in a surplus will lead you to gain some body fat, which is normal and necessary to gain muscle. "You can lose it afterward and it will be easier since your body has become better at burning calories due to increased muscle mass." Strength training has excellent health benefits. Getty Images Other benefits to lifting weights Besides helping you metabolize and get stronger, strength training has other benefits. Colon says it's also important for bone development and density. "Weight-bearing exercises put temporary stress on your bones, sending a message to bone-building cells to take action and rebuild bones stronger," he says. Another benefit tied to strength training is reducing your risk of injury by improving the strength, range of motion and mobility of your muscles, ligaments and tendons. "This can reinforce strength around major joints like your knees, hips and ankles to provide additional protection against injury," Colon says. Another plus is for your heart, because strength training is shown to help decrease blood pressure. You can also reduce the chances of type 2 diabetes, improve blood circulation and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Exercise has been shown to even have a positive effect on your mental health and resistance training has been found to ease anxiety as well. Bottom line It's helpful to know the unique effects strength training has on your body as you establish a consistent exercise routine. Not only will you naturally burn more fat by having more muscle but you'll maintain strength as you age and improve other functions of your life as well. If you don't have access to a gym, you can start your exercise regimen at home and still get the same results, as long as you have the proper equipment. Even if your goal isn't weight loss or body recomposition, strength training provides many benefits that make it worth adding to your lifestyle, and it'll only improve your well-being in the long run.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Is the ‘Anabolic Window' Real? What Experts Say
There has long been a debate around protein timing. How much protein should you eat before a workout? Do you need to eat protein right after? How much is enough? This all ties back to the idea of the so-called anabolic window, a period of time after exercise when the body is believed to be especially receptive to nutrients like protein and carbohydrates for muscle repair, recovery, and growth. The commonly cited window is 30 to 60 minutes post-workout, during which your muscles are supposedly primed to soak up everything you feed them, making it the ideal time to replenish and rebuild. For decades, bodybuilders and hardcore gym bros have sworn by this timing strategy, claiming it's the best way to get the most out of every workout. They'll chug shakes the second they re-rack their last rep, convinced those extra minutes could make or break their gains. But for the rest of us (researchers included), the question still lingers: Does protein timing actually matter that much? According to Alan Aragon, a renowned nutrition and fitness expert and researcher, it doesn't. In a recent podcast episode with Stanford University neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman, he explains that the exact timing isn't nearly as important as once believed. That means if you miss the 30-minute window, you're not missing your test his theory, Aargon and a team of researchers collected studies that compared two conditions: one in which participants consumed protein within an hour before or after exercise, and a control condition in which participants consumed protein, but not within two hours before or after training. This created a window of nutrient neglect on either side of the workout. "Essentially, we found that as long as total daily protein was about 1.66 or 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight, so about 0.7 grams per pound, as long as total daily protein was at that or more, then the timing relative to the training bout didn't make a difference," Aargon told Huberman. The key here is that you still need to hit your total daily protein goal for this approach to be effective. But because your body constantly has nutrients circulating, it can pull from that internal reservoir to support muscle repair and recovery. In other words, you're not starting from empty, so you don't need to rush to eat the second your workout ends. "This is important for people to hear because what this translates to in my ears is a very simple takeaway, which is that you don't need to obsess about the post-training anabolic window, especially if you're eating prior to training," Huberman adds. Is the 'Anabolic Window' Real? What Experts Say first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 11, 2025
The Independent
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Photos show a bodybuilding competition in Myanmar
Male and female bodybuilders took part in a competition to mark International Olympic Day at the Myanmar Convention Center in Yangon.
Associated Press
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Photos show a bodybuilding competition in Myanmar
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Male and female bodybuilders took part in a competition to mark International Olympic Day at the Myanmar Convention Center in Yangon. ____ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Medscape
20-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Muscle Gains vs Heart Strain: A Deadly Trade-off?
Sudden cardiac deaths (SCDs) appear to be more frequent among men who practice bodybuilding, particularly those competing at high levels. A global study of more than 20,000 athletes is the first to report the incidence of sudden death in this population. As the author noted in the European Heart Journal , the aim was not to demonize bodybuilding but to promote safer practices. Bodybuilding focuses on increasing muscle mass and definition through physical exercise and a targeted diet. Unlike traditional sports, bodybuilding competitions evaluate the aesthetics of the body rather than athletic performance. Researchers identified 20,286 men who had competed in the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) events between 2005 and 2020. Using web-based searches, they determined which athletes died. Over a mean follow-up period of 8.1 ± 3.8 years, there were 121 deaths. Among the 99 cases with documented causes, 73 were sudden. The mean age at the time of death was 45 years. Of the 55 nontraumatic sudden deaths — excluding those from car accidents, suicide, or homicide — 46 were classified as SCDs. The overall incidence of deaths (sudden and nonsudden) was 63.61 per 100,000 person-years. Among active competitors, those who died within 1 year of their last IFBB event, the rate rose to 80.58. The incidence of SCDs was 24.18 in the entire cohort and 32.83 among competing athletes, who had a mean age of just 35 years at death. Professional bodybuilders had a fivefold higher risk for SCD than recreational bodybuilders (hazard ratio, 5.23 [3.58-7.64]). Available autopsies showed the presence of cardiomegaly and severe ventricular hypertrophy in 4 out of 5 cases. Risk Factors The study pointed to a broader issue in addition to bodybuilders, which could also affect nonprofessional athletes who practice strength training. What are the possible causes? Univadis Italy , a Medscape Network platform, asked Marco Vecchiato, MD, a specialist and researcher in the Sports and Exercise Medicine Division at the University of Padua, Padua, Italy, and the coordinator of the study. 'Our study had epidemiological purposes and was not designed to identify, in a cause-effect manner, the mechanisms underlying these premature deaths. However, the literature in the field has advanced some plausible hypotheses, suggesting that a combination of factors could contribute significantly to the increased risk,' said Vecchiato. These include: Intense training regimens, such as high-intensity workouts, place major strain on the cardiovascular (CV) and muscular systems. Extreme dietary practices, such as high protein intake and repeated weight cycling between off-season and on-season periods, can place significant stress on metabolic and CV systems. Dehydration techniques, such as rapid fluid loss before events using hydro-saline protocols or diuretics, can be dangerous. The use of doping substances, especially anabolic steroids and similar agents, can severely harm the CV, kidneys, liver, and nervous system. Doping Impact 'It is important to underline that, to date, there are no studies that have exclusively investigated the risk for death and SCD in a population of bodybuilders with the guarantee of not taking doping substances. However, recent evidence published in first-time journals and with long-term monitoring suggested a clear difference in terms of cumulative mortality between athletes with and without a history of anabolic steroid abuse,' said Vecchiato. He noted that performance-enhancing drug use is likely to be widespread at the highest competitive levels. In the US, where bodybuilding is more structured and athletes face intense competitive and aesthetic pressure with serious psychophysical consequences, many athletes speak openly about the use of performance-enhancing drugs. However, in Italy, 'The issue remains mostly hidden and is often not perceived as a medical risk but as 'a necessary means' to obtain a certain physique,' he said. Uncertain Rules Athletes are generally required to undergo regular medical checkups, but does the same apply to bodybuilders? 'In Italy, there are numerous bodybuilding federations, each with its own rules and requirements for membership. Some of these clearly state the obligation to present a competitive sports medical certificate, while others do not mention any specific medical requirements, thus allowing membership even in the absence of a health assessment. In these cases, the activity is not formally classified as a sport but rather as an activity for aesthetic purposes, which allows you to bypass some obligations required for competitive sports, including medical certification,' Vecchiato explained. Although not formally required by regulations, a sports center or gym may still ask a bodybuilder to provide a noncompetitive medical certificate, often for insurance purposes. Under Italian law, such certification is not mandatory for individuals engaging in noncompetitive physical activity unless they are affiliated with a national sports federation or a sports promotion body recognized by the Italian National Olympic Committee, which oversees organized sports and fitness initiatives in the country. 'This heterogeneous regulatory situation means that some athletes are subjected to in-depth sports medical check-ups annually, including a baseline electrocardiogram, stress test, spirometry, urine test, and any further investigations of a higher order, while others receive an evaluation with only an electrocardiogram in resting conditions. Finally, a nonnegligible portion of subjects may never be subjected to any structured medical evaluation, not even when starting or continuing the activity practiced,' he said. 'The first contact with a doctor can therefore only occur after the onset of advanced signs or symptoms, sometimes linked to already structured CV or metabolic damage, making any form of secondary prevention potentially late,' he said. These signs warrant cardiologic or psychological evaluation. 'The general practitioner can play a key role in recognizing warning signs (excessive muscle hypertrophy, extreme weight fluctuations, suspected use of illicit substances, marked and sudden mood changes in the absence of diagnosed mental illnesses, gynecomastia, extensive acne in adults not present during puberty, etc.) and directing them towards cardiological or psychological investigations,' warned Vecchiato. He also noted that 15% of SCDs in this population were traumatic. Obsessive body transformation goals, extreme practices, and substance misuse increase the risk for impulsive or self-harming behavior. This reinforces the need to prioritize the mental health of athletes. Vecchiato concluded that 'in addition to an intensified antidoping practice, the introduction of targeted CV screening and educational campaigns could significantly reduce the associated risks.' Raising awareness can encourage athletes to adopt safer training and nutrition programs and diets, to be supervised by a physician, and to refuse doping.
