Muscle Definition

Muscle Definition

Muscle definition is something everybody wants, from the elite athlete to the normal gym goer who is exercising for health benefits more than for the looks department.

The best way to achieve this is through high repetition training, now remember this is not a theory, I am speaking from experience and results as this is a method I have used hundreds of times on clients during the past 11 years of my personal training career.

The Benefits of High Repetition Training (HRP)

- Burns off subcutaneous fat and increases the visibility of muscle striations.

- Increases the protein content in the muscles through performance of long, high-reps sets.

- Increases capillary density within the muscle through increased adaptation to aerobic work, which may result in a slight increase in muscle size.

Get rid of FAT

In order to get the best defined look possible you need to reduce as much body fat as possible.  To accomplish this, the duration of nonstop muscular contraction must be increased.  Traditionally you will try running on the treadmill, rowing, cross training, cycling, stair climbers etc…but this unfortunately will not produce the desired results! 

The high repetition training method will result in elimination of fat from the overall body and more importantly from local muscle groups involved in the activity.

The number of repetitions and sets per muscle group need to be drastically increased in a progressive manor and in a nonstop fashion.  To avoid complete melt down of a muscle group during your workout, it may be an idea to exhaust one muscle group then straight after a set is complete move onto the opposite working muscle group.  For example, if you have just completed 10 sets on the bench press using the HRT method then it would be a good idea to then train the back muscles as they are still fresh, unfatigued and will allow you to perform another set of 10 sets! 

This is not only causing you to burn more calories but also keeps your heart rate up and adds an aerobic style routine to your training regime.

Considerations

Ensure when taking part in high repetition training that you leave only a few seconds from using one machine and moving onto another to keep your heart rate up.

HRT requires that muscle groups be constantly alternated

Beginners to exercise should enter this style of training regime with great caution as the end result can be muscle soreness for days which can be highly demotivating

Do not try to speed through the sets as this will cause your muscles to build up lactic acid at a much faster rate, instead, employ a steady speed throughout the set

It would be advisable to only take part in this training system twice per week to begin with if you are a beginner and for the elite athlete up to 4 times per week.

Ensure that your protein intake is always high and consume plenty of water.