Please note that some exercises are aimed at building muscle mass, while others, on the contrary, will help you lose extra pounds. And even the same exercises, only with different weights, can give completely different results.
In this article, we decided to tell you in more detail how best to gain muscle mass, regardless of your physique and physical condition. But first things first:
Body types:
There are three main body types: endomorph, mesemorph and ectomorph. They differ in the structure of the skeleton and the characteristics of the muscular system. When drawing up training and nutrition plans, they must be taken into account, otherwise it will be extremely difficult to achieve the desired result.
Now let's take a closer look:
Endomorph.
With this body type, people are of average height, have a wide skeleton, powerful arms and legs, but weak abs; as a rule, they tend to be overweight. Girls, also of average height, have a noticeable transition from the chest line to the waist, and then to the hips; the figure can easily be divided into conventional circles.
It is easiest for endomorphs to gain muscle mass, but you need to follow the nutritional system and under no circumstances overeat, otherwise you will end up gaining not muscle, but fat deposits and, as a result, simply harm your health.
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Mesomorph
Mesomorphs are also usually of short or average height, usually squat, and are extremely rarely below average height. They initially have pronounced muscles, which in most cases simply need to be emphasized or maintained.
People with such a physique are luckier than others; they can easily both lose weight and, on the contrary, gain muscle mass. It is not difficult for mesomorphs to prepare for competitions; the body can withstand even the serious weight race required for most athletes.
Ectomorph
Compared to other body types, the ectomorph stands out greatly. People with this body type are tall, have a narrow skeleton and are thin. They are not inclined to be overweight, and therefore it is more difficult for them to gain muscle mass than others.
Ectomorphs are recommended to exercise hard and significantly increase the amount of food they consume, this is the only way they can create a powerful muscle corset.
Conclusion
As you already understand, endomorphs and mesemorphs do not have any big problems with gaining weight, but ectomorphs will find it much more difficult to achieve results. But don’t be upset if you’re unlucky enough to be born pumped up, everything can be fixed, and even in sports such as bodybuilding, ectomorphs are rare. Therefore, below we will focus specifically on ectomorphs.
Basic rules and principles for using crossfit training
The advantage of the new sports system is that the athlete fully develops physically. Thanks to the combination of several areas of sport, training becomes more interesting and effective. The basic rules of CrossFit include:
- Cyclicality. After completing the main program, it is also repeated again.
- Carrying out receptions. The complex is performed for a time or a certain number of times (approaches).
- Variation. A new program is developed every day, then after a certain time it is repeated again.
To maintain and consolidate the results achieved, you need to eat right. It is best to follow a special paleo diet. It is based on a complete rejection of quickly prepared semi-finished products and synthetic food. The menu includes seafood and lean meats, healthy fats and natural foods.
Fruits and fresh vegetables, dried fruits, all kinds of seeds and nuts, bell peppers, beets, and lettuce are also welcome. It is better to refuse products made from wheat, dairy products, flour products, pickles and smoked meat or fish. Limit your potato consumption.
It's best not to drink a lot of fluids while doing CrossFit. Training is carried out in a well-ventilated area with plenty of free space. It is better to increase the pace of exercises, and the average number of approaches is 4-5 times. The break between them is minimal or should be absent altogether.
CrossFit for the ectomorph
When creating a program, whether you do it yourself or under the supervision of a trainer, you should focus on basic exercises. Isolated movements aimed at improving specific muscle groups, unfortunately, are ineffective in terms of weight gain. That is why during exercise you should include all muscle groups, distribute the load evenly across all types of muscles, thereby creating comfortable conditions for the ectomorph to gain weight.
Cardio training can be eliminated almost completely, as it will greatly slow down the process. In addition, strength training should be done at least three times a week, without allowing the muscles to fully recover.
At the same time, the body should not be overloaded, everything is good in moderation, for just beginning athletes you can train twice a week, this will help avoid overwork and unnecessary injuries.
As for the duration of the workout, this is standard for everyone; 90 minutes including warm-up and cool-down will be quite enough.
The main difference in training ectomorphs is that they work not on the number of repetitions, but on increasing the weight. Work with your own weight can be kept to a minimum and used only as a warm-up to warm up the muscles.
The best results can be achieved by bench press, deadlift, and squats with weights in the form of a barbell. The most effective types of loads, however, should be performed with great care. You must work only with insurance, depending on how much experience you already have. Do not rush to switch to extreme weights, remember that technique and sequence of execution are a priority over heaviness. Only with an understanding of these basics can you practice various types of presses.
You need to start shaping your figure from the back and only after the “frame” has been built, you can move on to the arms, back, neck, legs and other areas of the body that should be brought into proper shape. At this stage, do not neglect cardio, since now there is time to increase the quality and performance of the body.
We have prepared a detailed training program for beginners; find a detailed description of the classes in the article “Training program for an ectomorph in CrossFit.”
What is crossfit training
In a short time, this system of physical training improves your figure and health. It is suitable not only for professional athletes, but also for overweight beginners.
It includes sprint loads, elements from gymnastics, athletics, and weightlifting. Includes the latest program of 3 types of exercises:
- cardio exercises (running, swimming, rowing, jumping rope, cycling);
- a set of exercises with your own weight and part of gymnastics;
- strength training (with a barbell, weighted dumbbells, kettlebells).
CrossFit athletes are able to withstand any strength load. The main thing that this special area of fitness develops is flexibility, coordination, balance, endurance and muscle tone.
It provides for minimal rest breaks - just a few minutes. The CrossFit program includes the following basic types of exercises:
- squats;
- deadlift;
- tremors;
- jerks;
- push ups.
Such exercises involve almost all muscle tissues. Cardio training is necessary to normalize the functioning of the lungs, heart, and hormonal systems. Gymnastic elements help shape your figure.
To perform them, rings, turnstiles, bars, and crossbars are required. Strength training mainly develops general endurance and builds strong muscle mass. The daily complex usually includes 5-6 basic approaches for coordination, fat burning and endurance.
Where to study, in the gym, on the street or at home?
CrossFit can be practiced both in the gym and on the street, and even with a minimum amount of equipment at home. The main thing is the desire and motivation to achieve the desired result.
In this matter, the main advantage will be the company; working in a group makes it much easier to perform heavy physical activity. Competitors always unintentionally create a competitive principle, which helps maintain constant motivation. But if you have a friendly team with common goals, then training on the street will be in no way inferior to the gym.
But let’s start in order, first by discussing training in specialized CrossFit gyms. The fundamental point is respite. The intervals between approaches and changes in activities should be sufficient for virtually complete rest. Only when your thoughts and body have returned to normal can you continue to load other muscle groups. No excessive speeds or timers, forget about self-torture. Exercise for a short time, with the optimal weight and number of repetitions. Be sure to include jumping jacks in your workout routine as it is a great workout for your buttocks, calves, and thighs. The exercise is suitable for both men and girls.
Regardless of gender, it is better to work in the presence of a qualified trainer. A specialist who will not only tell you how to exercise properly, but also give recommendations on changing your diet is worth his weight in gold today. Find a reliable trainer and be prepared to spend money if you want to gain weight with minimal harm to your health.
Indeed, great attention should be paid to nutrition, since the effectiveness of gaining muscle mass directly depends on the number of calories. Please note that fast food will not help in any way, since such food simply settles in the sides, adding unnecessary flabbiness to the figure. You will have to eat a lot of meat, vegetables, bread and fish. We wrote more about the ideal nutrition for an ectomorph who wants to increase weight in the article “How to gain muscle mass for a beginning athlete.”
Outdoor training, in fact, like any other type of exercise, should begin with a good warm-up. But in the case of working outdoors, you can diversify the warm-up and replace classic squats with, say, running. A kilometer at a comfortable pace will prepare your breathing, warm up all muscle groups and put your thoughts in a sports mood.
After this, you should go to the horizontal bars, do crunches that will develop the abdominal muscles, and also do pull-ups. The latter strengthen the arms, develop the chest and help even a pronounced ectomorph gain weight effectively.
Don't neglect ring exercises that just look scary. In fact, it is the rings that tone the body and help develop a sculpted torso. As always, we pay attention to the technical side of the classes. Pay close attention to the position of your hands; your hands should tightly clasp the projectile. Try to minimize the swing, since the legs are not involved in the work on pull-ups.
Home workouts are the most common choice for beginners and a great first step into CrossFit. Ectomorphs will have to increase their daily calorie intake to 3000-3500 kcal. Gaining quality mass is guaranteed by proper, balanced nutrition with enough water, as well as high-quality general training.
Do push-ups, do air squats, use burpees. If you have a home horizontal bar or parallel bars, you are very lucky, because with light weighting this equipment will significantly diversify your workouts, develop useful skills and help you gain weight. Don't be surprised if training first removes all the excess water and subcutaneous fat and thereby reduces body weight.
After this, it is important to continue proper, plentiful and varied nutrition, as well as sports activities. The ideal technique is strengthened by sufficient sleep, since only a rested and calm body will find the strength to increase muscle mass. A positive attitude is also extremely important. You need to praise yourself for your achievements, confidently move towards your goal and not be afraid of the difficulties that will certainly arise on your thorny path.
Can you look like a bodybuilder by doing CrossFit?
Is it possible to gain weight by doing CrossFit? The simplest answer is yes, you can. How could it be otherwise? Strength training at high intensity and focusing on heavy barbell movements? But the real question people want answered is, can you look like a bodybuilder by doing CrossFit?
Hypertrophy and CrossFit are not enemies.
People watch the CrossFit Games on ESPN and see men and women who look very ripped. Rich Froning, Jason Calipa, Sam Briggs, the list goes on. All of them can perform at the amateur level in Men's Physique.
People want to divide everything into black and white. The claim that you can train separately for aesthetics, strength or functionality is not true. In fact, all types of training can complement each other perfectly. In my opinion, if you spend enough time in the gym, you should at least look the part for your weight.
Before the haters flood my email, I will point out that if your only goal is to compete in bodybuilding or physique, then following a traditional periodized hypertrophy program will be your best bet. But for those of you who want to look good and step up like an athlete, here's how it's done.
Part 1: Nutrition
The most important part of building muscle and bodybuilder shape through CrossFit training is nutrition. The purpose of this article is to focus on building muscles. In my opinion, this is the biggest obstacle for a person who wants to be an aesthetic CrossFitter.
If you want to build muscle, you must create a caloric surplus. What I have to say may be a little unpopular in the CrossFit community, but that's okay. The Paleo diet is not the best approach for a CrossFit athlete who also wants to gain mass (or even for someone who wants to perform at their best, but that's a different article). Getting the majority of your calories from protein and fat will not be enough to build muscle.
So, your first step is to find out how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight and go from there. Remember, at the end of the day, the calories you eat and the calories you burn will determine your physique. If you want to build muscle, you need to eat a lot.
To find our calorie intake, we first need to figure out our basal metabolic rate (BMR).
BMR is the total amount of energy (calories) your body requires to maintain its normal daily functions: digestion, circulation, respiration, thermoregulation, cell construction and other processes. BMR is all the energy that is used for basic body functions at rest. This doesn't include physical activity, so it's not something that applies to our daily lives, but it's a starting point.
How to Find BMR and Calorie Intake.
There are a hundred different formulas for determining basal metabolic rate, but through experience I came to the conclusion that simply using the numbers below, you can get a result with an error of 5% from any formula. I'm all for simplicity.
Men: BMR = (body weight in pounds x 8-10)
Women: BMR = (body weight in pounds x 7-9)
The next step is to use the activity multiplier. It takes into account your daily activities to determine the calorie intake we're looking for. Again, there are many formulas for activity multiplier, but here's what works in the gym.
Activity Multiplier:
- BMR x 1.3-1.4: Light activity (workout 1-3 days a week)
- BMR x 1.5-1.6: Moderately active (most people, exercise 3-5 days a week and active lifestyle)
- BMR x 1.7-1.8: Increased activity (training for a specific sport, training 5-6 hours per week, may be heavy physical work)
- BMR x 1.9-2.2: Extreme activity (endurance training, an athlete who spends 10 or more hours in the gym per week and/or is very active outside of training may even require more calories depending on metabolic potential)
Now we just take that number and add calories to create a surplus. Start with a little excess. Add about 250-500 calories and see how your body reacts. If you are not gaining weight or very little gain (less than 1/2 pound per week), add more calories; if you are gaining too much weight (more than 2 pounds per week), reduce calories.
Here's how I recommend breaking down your calorie intake by macronutrient:
- Protein: Eat 0.8 g - 1.2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight.
- Fat: Get 20-35% of your total calories from fat. The number of calories will depend on how many carbohydrates you prefer.
- Carbohydrates: Fill the rest of your calories with carbohydrates. Make sure you get 25 - 45 grams of fiber per day.
Part 2: Training
Training for function and muscles seems much more difficult than it actually is. For the CrossFit athlete who wants to focus on muscle, aerobic conditioning will need to take a backseat for a while. The days of four or five metcons a week and running three miles a day are over—for now.
You can focus on bulking for a certain period of time and then return to a more balanced program later, but with muscle gains. If this is starting to sound like periodization, don't be alarmed. Periodization is simply a word for planning. The plan now is to build muscle while maintaining other aspects of your fitness.
Gaining muscle will require several changes compared to a typical CrossFit program:
- Shorter Metcons: When the goal is muscle, you should perform shorter, high-intensity workouts. Anything longer than fifteen minutes will work against the goal. You can still do metcons to stay in shape, just keep them short.
- Planning: Random training will have to be limited. Switch to a strength program. It doesn't matter what, as long as there is progress.
- Add Assistance Exercises: The best hypertrophy program will be built around compound exercises with additional work in different planes and angles to ensure maximum stimulation of all muscle fibers.
Conclusion
Gaining mass in CrossFit may not be as difficult as it initially seems. Ditch the Paleo diet and start eating to build muscle. Add more strength work and limit long metcons. With a few small changes to your diet and exercise routine, you'll be on your way to looking great in no time.
Original article: https://breakingmuscle.com/crossfit/can-you-look-like-a-bodybuilder-by-doing-crossfit
How much on average is needed to increase weight to an acceptable level?
Much depends, of course, on individual characteristics, pace and quality of classes. You should also take into account recommendations for proper nutrition. However, the common denominator under which even typical ectomorphs can be classified is one month. Productive workouts, good sleep and nutritious food will make themselves felt on average on the 30th day of a new lifestyle aimed at increasing muscle mass. After this period, the results should be assessed. Step on the scale and measure your own weight. If you are satisfied with the indicator, continue and do not stop there until you get the body of your dreams. Otherwise, you should change your approach to your lifestyle and, if you haven’t found one yet, find yourself an experienced trainer.
Simple CrossFit workout routines for beginners
To start training, it is better to prepare the heart and blood vessels. It is worth running at a low speed for short distances every day for several weeks. Further, in order to avoid severe muscle strain and injury, you need to perform exercises for no more than an hour in the initial period.
Before them, a light warm-up is done. Your heart rate should be measured with a heart rate monitor to determine when it is best to rest.
For beginners, the CrossFit training program includes the following exercises:
- Twisting – forms sculpted abs.
- Push-ups train your arms.
- Deadlifts strengthen your legs, back and buttocks.
- Pull-ups train your shoulders, back, and arms.
They move on to standard training when the easy initial course has been completely mastered.
Thruster with a barbell (barbell push)
This general strengthening exercise works almost every muscle group in your body and helps reduce body fat due to the increased energy required to perform it.
Much of the workload of doing the thruster falls on your core, helping you achieve your desired six-pack abs, while of course not excluding the role of diet and extra cardio.
A good effect from performing this exercise (which also works with dumbbells) can be obtained by doing 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
Performance:
Load the barbell with whatever weight you think is appropriate and place it on the supports in the squat rack at shoulder level. Now grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, remove the bar from the racks so that it is on your shoulders and take a position - your feet are shoulder-width apart, your elbows are brought forward, your lower back is tense and slightly arched.
Keeping your chest straight and your gaze straight ahead, move your pelvis back and perform a deep squat (hips below parallel to the floor). From the bottom position, quickly return to the starting position and press the barbell overhead. Without pausing at the top, lower the barbell back to the front rack position and repeat the movement. This exercise is designed to be done at a fast pace, so practice your technique with an empty bar before doing this.
