Many women mistakenly believe that only by performing aerobic exercise on an elliptical machine, treadmill, or ladder machine can they build a more toned body. In fact, they who love beauty ignore that only by increasing the number of body muscles can they truly strengthen and improve their basal metabolism, thereby maintaining a slim and toned figure.

Ashley Hoffmann, a professional bodybuilder signed by American Neon, would like to remind you that building muscle groups is a necessary process for improving your physique. Her plans and advice can help you get off the treadmill, pick up the dumbbells, and let's hit the iron together!

Even if you have the habit of pressing barbells and clearly understand the importance of strengthening your body to increase your basic metabolism, you still may need a comprehensive exercise plan. Many women don't make progress as quickly as they could because they don't build muscle the right way.

So, no matter your ability level, here are some of Ashley's effective tips for increasing strength and building muscle for a fit and beautiful body. Forget the treadmill for a moment, it’s time for some strength and muscle-toning training!

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Suggestion 1: Warm-up group training

One of the worst mistakes you can make during training is to start pushing heavy barbells and heavy ropes without first doing a few light sets.

"Do some warm-up sets before pressing a heavier barbell," advises Ashley. "Although you shouldn't do too many warm-up sets because you don't want to fatigue yourself before your strength sets. Do at least two setsIt's important to do warm-up exercises to ensure your body is warmed up and your muscles are ready.

Lifting heavy weights without warming up can increase the risk of injury and even affect your performance. So before you actually get into the heavyweight press, make sure your muscles and joints are ready. +

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Suggestion 2: Pay attention to your rest time between sets

If you've been on a fat-burning program for a long time and still haven't improved your physique, it may be because your rest periods are too short.

When you are building muscle and training strength, your rest intervals need to be longer. "Because the weight of the press is heavy, you need enough time to rest. Get sufficient recovery time between each set." Ashley advises.

When your goal in training is to increase strength, make sure you're giving your body everything it needs to build muscle. Rest intervals of 1-2 minutes are better for those who want to increase strength and build muscle. If you shorten your rest periods, you won't have the energy to do other different weight-set exercises.

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Suggestion 3: Heavy weight and fewer reps; light weight and more reps!

Depending on your rep range, your rep range goals will change. "When I work out with heavy, compound movements, I generally do 1-5 reps per set. I think that's the ideal safe rep range," Ashley explains. "During multiple reps, muscles that are plateauing tend to become weak just before the most important lift.Exhausted. When this happens, it's likely because you're pressing the barbell incorrectly and can easily injure yourself. ”

In the workout below, you'll notice that some presses have higher set and rep ranges than others. In weighted squats, Ashley presses heavier weights and requires fewer reps. For leg extensions and leg curls, she uses lighter weights and more repetitions.

Ashley made these adjustments because she wanted to use heavy weights to increase strength and muscle mass. Light weights for more reps can better maintain muscle lines.

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Suggestion 4: Standardize your actions first

At no time should movement discipline be sacrificed for strength. No amount of Tsundere weight is worth putting yourself at risk of injury. "Having a personal trainer or training partner can help you identify when you're in an incorrect position and ensure your safety," says Ashley.

If you're not sure what the barbell press should look like, you can consult a coach or collect some action instructions, which have a lot of step-by-step analysis on the press.

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Tip 5: Enjoy your days off

Pay attention to your recovery phase. When you work hard with weights, your body needs time to repair the damage and prepare for your next workout.

Remember, you don’t gain strength and muscle while you press; you build strength and muscle while you rest. So skip the gym for at least two days a week and enjoy yourGym. The muscles in the same part generally need 48-72 hours to recover, which is why you should not exercise one muscle continuously.

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Suggestion 6: Don’t worry about turning into the Hulk

If you want to build muscle and strength, abandon your previously held beliefs about what strength training means for women. "It's impossible for women to build muscle to the same extent that men do because our bodies only produce 1/10 of the testosterone of the average male," explains Ashley. Testosterone levels determine how much mass you can build.

Most women are lucky to gain 1/2-1 pound of muscle a month. You can expect less. So, remember, building muscle doesn’t happen overnight.

The changes are very gradual and you can maintain control over how much muscle you want to gain. Once you feel you've built enough muscle, you can transition to a phase of maintaining or reducing training volume.

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Below is Ashley’s professional exercise plan for you, you can refer to it!

ASHLEYProfessional exercise plan

Upper body exercise---1-2 minutes rest between sets