- 1). Lower the resistance and use a higher repetitive range, such as 15 to 20 repetitions per set instead of the recommended 8 to 12 repetitions to avoid bulking up your muscles. For example, if you use 10-pound weights to do overhead presses for your shoulders, use 8-pound weights instead. Never go beyond 20 repetitions because then you run the risk of not building enough muscle. Your muscles must be fatigued by the end of the set for them to grow, so adjust the resistance you are using until this happens.
- 2). Increase the resistance when you feel it is not enough for your muscles to become fatigued. Usually this happens after three to four weeks of regular resistance training. If you do not increase your resistance, you will not keep building muscle because your muscles adapt to whatever load you apply to them.
- 3). Avoid overeating. While you must ensure your body gets sufficient calories for your muscles to grow when strength-training, keep in mind that any calories your body does not burn will result in excess body fat. Because building muscle takes lots of effort and focus, most of the time what looks like a bulky muscle is really a muscle covered in fat. Measure your body fat using skin fold calipers to determine your body fat count. If your skin folds are thick, take a good look at your diet and include more cardiovascular workouts, such as running, biking and using the elliptical machine to burn more fat.
- 4). Swim and do yoga. Swimming builds muscles all over your body while also giving you a good cardiovascular workout. Yoga uses your own body weight to build muscle, and combined with stretching, results in a long, lean look. Choose the more vigorous forms of yoga, such as Vinyasa or Ashtanga to get a good cardiovascular workout.
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