Getting a ripped body requires knowledge and familiarity with exercising, weight lifting, dieting, and food nutrition. Many people working out do not appear ripped because of the body fats covering the muscles. Increasing lean muscles mass and decreasing body fat will give the body the definition it requires to be ripped.
Lose Fat First
Fats are the soft tissues under the skin that have numerous functions, including insulation and as an energy source. Having more fats than necessary, while being a major health risk, is also not very pleasing to look at for most people. One of the reasons why many people who keep working out do not appear ripped is because the fats are covering the muscle cuts. Cardiovascular workouts are the preferred exercises to effectively burn body fats. Less fat means more visibility for ripped abs or biceps. Moderate intensity of cardiovascular workouts for 30 minutes at 2 to 3 times a week works best especially if coupled with strength training. This ensures that your body still gets the rest it needs.
Lift Weights
Muscles work by contracting itself. When muscles are trained and worked out, they grow in size and bulk and increase in strength. A ripped body is not only defined by less amount of fat but also by an increased size of the muscles. Weight training is as important as cardio workout in getting a ripped body. To maximize the energy and strength used, exercises such as squat, bench press and abdominal workouts are advisable instead of focusing only on a certain muscle group. These exercises target several areas by recruiting other muscle groups.
Keep It Intense but Short
There are different ways to exercise muscles depending on the purpose. Intense but brief periods of workouts can help in getting a ripped body. Maintaining the intensity of the exercise maintains the muscle strength but the sets and repetitions must not be too much that it would drain energy, especially if dieting is included in the program. The key is just to keep the muscles work intensely for a short period of time with only a minute of rest between sets. Besides maintaining muscle strength, intense and short weightlifting can also increase the heart rate which can help burn more fats.
Maintain Discipline
The goal of getting a ripped body should be a motivation good enough to keep anyone going. However, there are times when skipping a day or two from working becomes very appealing. It is important to follow a specific program and strive to reach the goal. Monitoring the progress by keeping logs or sharing results with friends is also a good way to feel good about the program. Additionally, positive reinforcement is effective in keeping things going.
References
1. President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition: Exercise and Weight Control
2. Ask Men: How to Get Ripped
3. Body Building: 4 Principles That Will Get You Ripped
Resources
1. Ripped Muscle: Discover Secrets in Getting Fast Ripped Muscle
