What is "hidden muscle"? Is it okay not to train too hard? 10 fitness myths to help you solve

What is hidden muscle?

To put it simply, it means "looking thin when dressed and showing off your muscles when undressed." Modern people's aesthetic preferences are increasingly inclined towards wearing clothes that look good and comfortable, and taking off clothes to show off muscles that will amaze everyone, so the term "hidden muscles" came into being.

To achieve this effect, whole-body muscle training is necessary. When I first started training, I thought that I could improve my overall body shape by training my chest muscles, but it turned out to be not that simple. Although the front of the body has become better looking, I have neglected the sides and back, and the center of gravity is not right, which will lead to the embarrassing situation where I almost hunched over before. You should wear clothes with an upright posture, and never ignore the back and shoulder muscles. This is very important!

The three main areas of focus to look good in clothes are: chest muscles, back muscles, and shoulders (deltoid muscles). What about the biceps and triceps in your arms? In fact, it is also very important. However, when training the chest muscles and back muscles, the arms will also help out, so they will be trained indirectly. Therefore, the training frequency does not need to be as high as the upper body (the three main muscle groups: chest muscles, back muscles, shoulders).

And most importantly, the buttocks and leg muscles. If you wear fitted pants and want to have a nice butt and leg lines, you must not ignore the training of your lower body! There are many benefits to training the lower body. In addition to increasing the muscle lines of the buttocks and legs, it can also consume a lot of calories, increase bone density, and help the upper body muscles grow during training. There are many benefits! Therefore, if you want to achieve the "hidden muscle" type of body shape, every muscle in the body cannot be ignored and must be developed in a balanced manner.

Another key point of "hidden muscle" body shape is body fat. Generally, it is recommended that men have a body fat percentage below 13-15%, and women have a body fat percentage below 20-22%, and in addition, increase muscle mass throughout the body to achieve a well-proportioned body shape.

Exercise is not just about going to the gym─Magic dumbbells

In fact, you can use dumbbells to train muscles all over your body. Whether you are a novice who wants to improve, or a fitness veteran, you can use dumbbells to train muscles all over your body at home. Of course, you can also use other items instead of dumbbells, such as a backpack, a kettle filled with water, or a bag filled with items, etc. As long as the movement pattern is the same and the hand can hold it and it is safe, it can be used.

The choice of weight should be adjusted according to current muscle strength. It is recommended to use a weight that can allow eight to twelve reps per set. If you can't do eight reps, it means the weight is too heavy and you should reduce it. On the contrary, if you can do more than twelve reps, it means it is too light and it is recommended to increase the weight. Generally speaking, heavier weights are used for large muscle groups (e.g. chest, back, legs), while lighter weights are used for small muscle groups (biceps, triceps).

quantity.

Muscles don't know what equipment you use, they only know how much stimulation you give them. Don't be limited by equipment. If you have a strong goal and determination to change, know how to use your muscles and the correct training methods, anywhere can be a gym. So get moving!

Top 10 Fitness Myths Explained

Q1/Are you afraid of getting too strong?

Many people want to have well-proportioned body lines, but they are also worried that fitness will cause them to develop lumps of muscle. In fact, it is not easy to gain muscle. Even with solid fitness training and precise diet control, you can only gain about 1 kilogram of muscle mass per month at most. Especially since women have lower testosterone than men, it will be more difficult for them to build muscle.

Q2／Is it possible to lose weight locally? Can I train any part of my body to lose weight?

Fat is distributed throughout the body, so you can't just exercise where you want to lose weight. For example, if you want to lose belly fat, you can’t just do sit-ups all the time. Although the abdominal muscles may become firmer, the amount of fat that sit-ups can burn is very low. If your fat is not reduced, even the most beautiful abdominal muscles will be blocked by fat. Therefore, it is recommended to start training the large muscle groups throughout the body first, such as the chest, back, and legs.

Q3/Is it necessary to supplement high protein?

The recommended daily protein intake is 1.6 to 2.2 times your body weight. For a 50-kilogram person, the recommended daily protein intake is 80 to 110 grams. The advantage of high protein is that it is convenient and quick to obtain, but if the protein intake in your normal diet meets the standard, there is no need to supplement high protein. If you have special diseases or kidney disease, please ask your doctor for advice before using high protein.

Q4／Do I have to go to the gym?

As mentioned before, muscles don’t know what equipment you use, they only know how much stimulation you give them, so as long as you have the right exercise method and goal, you don’t necessarily have to go to the gym.

Q5／Why don’t I lose weight if I run every day?

Your body has become accustomed to the things you repeat every day, so it will naturally not make any progress. At this time, you can slowly increase the difficulty, such as running longer and faster than usual, or trying different exercises, such as fitness, swimming, cycling, etc. These are all good choices, don't let your body get used to it. The most important thing is to do fitness to increase your body's metabolism, so that you can develop a physique that is easy to lose weight and not easy to gain weight again.

Q6／I have been exercising seriously for a long time, but my weight is not decreasing

Many people feel frustrated because their weight has not changed after exercising for a period of time. They think that there is no effect and want to give up. In fact, weight is just a reference number. Two people with the same weight and height can give people very different feelings. The key lies in the ratio of muscle to body fat. Therefore, it is normal to gain weight after exercising. The key is to "look" thin, not "measure" thin!

Q7／What should I do if I don’t have the motivation to exercise?

You can change the way you exercise, for example: find friends to exercise together to increase motivation, go outdoors for training or challenge yourself to long-distance running, etc. These are all good ways to change your mood. Calm down and think about the original reason why you started exercising, and relax yourself. In fact, it is not easy to develop muscles. On the contrary, you will not regress too much if you don’t exercise for a few days. After your body and mind have adjusted, set goals and start again!

Q8/Chest muscles are so important. Is it okay if I only want to train my chest?

In the early days of fitness, I trained my chest every day. My chest did grow bigger, but my body looked unbalanced, and I even had a hunchback because of the enlarged pectoral muscles. It looks good from the front, but when the body turns to the side or back, it is immediately exposed that there is no muscle mass at all. It is recommended to develop the whole body in a balanced way, rather than focusing on single-part training. For example, in the beginning, since I only trained my chest, I had to train my back, which was my weak point, more strongly so that I could slowly adjust as a whole.

Q9/Do I have to train fitness exercises to exhaustion?

"Exhaustion" means that you are completely exhausted after each set and cannot lift the ball even once. It is not recommended for fitness novices to work themselves to exhaustion, because the risk of injury is higher if one is completely exhausted. Also, if the soreness is too severe the next day, it affects one's work or life, causing fear and a desire not to work out again, then that would be putting the cart before the horse. Increase the difficulty of your workout gradually rather than doing it all at once. On the contrary, if you have been doing fitness for a while and have good muscle control and movements, then it is a good choice to challenge yourself occasionally and work yourself to exhaustion.

Q10/Do muscles have to be sore the day after training for it to be effective?

No pain does not mean no effect. The most important thing is to focus on the current training, and it is more important to feel the control and contraction of the muscles. If your muscles are sore, it is recommended that you rest first or train other parts of your body. It is more efficient to rest for at least 48 hours after training the same part of your body to allow the sore muscles to repair and grow. Don't rush.

This article is excerpted from the book "Hidden Muscle Awakening: Dumbbell Training Techniques to Look Thin When Dressed and Fierce When Undressed" published by Sharp Point Publishing