It is known that the strength of a chain is determined by the strength of its weakest link. Human skeletal muscles can also be compared to a chain that has a weak link: this is the stabilizing muscles of the middle of the body. If this area lags behind in its development, the athlete cannot avoid injuries.
Problems with the lower back, sprains and tears in the abdominal muscles when working with heavy (and sometimes not very heavy) weights - all this, unfortunately, is common for those who do not pay enough attention to training the core muscles, which will be discussed in this article.
Reasons for weight loss
Before increasing weight, you should find out the reason for thinness.
Most often, the “culprits” for lack of muscle mass are:
- eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, serious mental disorder);
- problems with the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism can cause increased metabolism and, as a result, weight loss;
- Celiac disease is the most severe form of gluten intolerance;
- diabetes mellitus – uncontrolled diabetes (mostly type 1) can lead to significant weight loss;
- oncological diseases - malignant tumors often “eat up” a large number of calories;
- infectious diseases - for example, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS.
How to gain body weight for a man
Weight is considered underweight if the body mass index is less than 18.5. About 1% of men have a BMI below this figure. You should know that the existing scale takes into account only weight and height, not muscle mass.
Thinness is in fashion these days, but being underweight can cause health problems:
- According to the latest study, weight loss is associated with the risk of early death in men (140%) and women (100%). By comparison, obesity has a 50% risk of early death. Therefore, the question of how to quickly gain weight for an ectomorph guy (a person with a low level of physical strength and volume) is more relevant from a medical point of view than the question of how to lose extra pounds for an endomorph (a plump person).
- Being underweight leads to decreased immunity and anemia.
- People who are extremely thin are more likely to be diagnosed with osteoporosis and fractures. They may experience brittle nails and excessive hair loss.
- Fertility problems are more common in patients with a low BMI.
- People who are underweight are much more likely to develop sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss).
- People with a low BMI are at greater risk of developing dementia (dementia).
How to gain body weight for a man? First of all, you should contact an endocrinologist to find out the cause of weight loss. If no pathologies are identified, you should consult a nutritionist who will recommend effective ways to quickly gain weight without harm to health.
Nutrition for gaining muscle mass - main points:
- eat healthy foods;
- consume more calories than the body normally needs;
- for slow weight gain, 300-500 “excess” calories per day are enough, for fast weight gain – about 700-1000.
Additional functional tests for CORE
Specific tests are used to assess core muscle function; some of them may not be suitable for some patients. For example, the transversus and multifidus tests cannot be used to assess core muscle endurance. Core muscle endurance tests can assess function in injured and healthy athletes, but some patients will be unable to assume the test position due to acute symptoms. The plank and back bridge tests (Figures 6 and 7) can be used as a means of choice in assessing muscle function in the lumbar region (26). Athletes without back pain can hold the plank for 72.5 ± 32.6 s, while those with back pain can only hold the plank for 28.3 ± 26.8 s (26). The “supine bridge” position is normally maintained for 170.4 ± 42.5 s, whereas for back pain it is only 76.7 ± 48.9 s (22).
Rice. 6.
Plank test (face down bridge)
Rice. 7.
Test "Bridge on the back" (half bridge)
Training program for gaining muscle mass
The main conditions for gaining muscle mass are a high-calorie diet and special exercises. To prevent workouts from leading to the opposite result and burning additional calories, it is advisable to consult a trainer.
A training program for gaining muscle mass includes training in the gym 2-4 times a week. In this case, you should remember to gradually increase the load. Exercises for gaining muscle mass for beginners should be selected by a qualified trainer. Before starting training, you should consult your doctor and, if necessary, undergo an examination.
Proper gain of muscle mass for thin girls lies not only in a high-calorie diet, but also in performing special exercises. Push-ups, squats with dumbbells, sumo deadlifts with a kettlebell are the main elements of a set of exercises for gaining muscle mass.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORE MUSCLES
The core (from the English “core” - core, center) is a complex of several muscles in the middle part of the human body (vertebral and hip sections). Among them there are visible ones, such as the abdominals, but most of the muscles that make up the core have a deep location. In fact, the core musculature is the center of muscle activity in the body.
The core, through its stabilizing work, correctly distributes the load directly between the muscles worked in heavy exercises. We can say that any movement begins with core work. Only when it starts working, the force is transmitted further through the muscles of the body and limbs to the sports equipment (or to the opponent’s body, if we are talking about martial arts).
If the core muscles are not developed enough and cannot effectively transfer force to the limbs, then the burden of strength work falls primarily on them, and the target muscles are weakly loaded. This leads to low training results and rather unpleasant injuries (most often to the lumbar spine), which take the athlete out of the sports rut for a long time.
The core muscles do not move the bones relative to each other; their task is to provide stability. The core is a kind of “reference point” and “force transmitter” when performing heavy strength exercises: squats, deadlifts, standing presses, etc.
It should be noted that not only the strength of the various core muscles individually is important, but also the strength balance between them, as well as their “ability” to work in harmony. That’s why those who are keen on pumping up the abdominal muscles separately and, in pursuit of beautiful “cubes,” completely forget about training the rest of the core muscles, are fundamentally wrong.
WHAT MUSCLES COMPOSE THE CORE?
It is common to include the following muscles in the core:
- The rectus abdominis muscle is the “abdominal press” or those same coveted “cubes” that inexperienced athletes vigorously pump and do not pay enough attention to the rest of the core muscles.
- Oblique abdominal muscles.
- Transverse abdominis muscle.
- Gluteus minimus and gluteus medius - everyone knows about the gluteus maximus, but not everyone knows that there are two more small muscles hidden underneath it.
- The adductor muscles are a group on the inner surface of the thigh, consisting of three muscles: long, short and large.
- The muscles of the hamstrings, this group includes the well-known biceps femoris, as well as the semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles.
- The infraspinatus muscle, located in the area of the scapula.
- Coracobrachialis muscle.
- Back extensors, which play a leading role when performing deadlifts.
The list of core muscles may vary somewhat in different sources, somewhere a larger number is indicated, somewhere smaller, i.e. the exact composition of the core has not yet been formulated (for example, some physiologists consider the diaphragm and the flexors of the legs to be part of the core). One way or another, most of these muscles are hidden completely or partially, but there are also visible ones: back extensors, abs, hamstrings. The core, as a collection of muscles, can move and transmit force in all three planes.
WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CORE MUSCLES?
So, the core acts as a stabilizer during heavy power loads and protects against injury. However, the role of the core muscles in the body is not limited to this. Among other important functions of this muscle group, it is worth noting the following:
- Provides beautiful posture and chest shape (“wheel chest”), which are directly related to proper and balanced core function.
- Improves balance and flexibility of the body.
- Promotes the health of the circulatory, excretory, digestive and genitourinary systems (the core is also extremely important for the “female” organs and kidneys).
- Improves the appearance of the abs and buttocks (the gluteus maximus muscle is also sometimes classified as a core muscle).
- Maintains a stable position of internal organs, protects them from “unauthorized” displacement.
- In addition to regular strength, developed core muscles also provide dynamic “explosive” strength in jumping, punching and plyometric exercises.
- Ensures correct spine position and joint health.
HOW TO CHECK IF YOUR CORE MUSCLES ARE WELL DEVELOPED?
There is a relatively simple way to test how developed an athlete's core muscles are. It consists of several stages:
1. Trunk stability test with push-ups
It will require a gymnastic stick of sufficient length or a lightweight PVC pipe. Starting position: you just need to lie on the floor, as before a regular push-up, resting your palms on the floor approximately shoulder-width apart and your toes. From this position, you need to perform a full push-up, trying to keep your body as straight as possible. A tube or stick lying on your back along the spine will help you control yourself. When doing push-ups, you should lift your chest and stomach off the floor at the same time. If the push-up can be performed correctly, keeping the body straight, the stability test has been passed.
2. Static strength test with strips
The static strength test will help you pass an exercise well known to supporters of functional training: straight and side planks. The straight plank on your hands and forearms must be held for 90 seconds (again, you can use a stick or tube for control); and side plank – 60 seconds on each arm. The spine must remain straight in both cases for a specified time; if the athlete succeeds, he has passed the static test.
3. Dynamic strength test with exercises on the horizontal bar
Dynamic strength is tested using exercises on the horizontal bar. You can perform five knee-to-chest raises (this will be a satisfactory result) or five leg raises (this will be “excellent”). All repetitions must be performed in strict form with fully controlled movement throughout the entire amplitude, without jerking, swinging, etc.
WHY DO YOU NEED TO WORK ON YOUR CORE MUSCLES?
We have looked at the main functions of the core muscles; now we can easily formulate what advantages working on the totality of these muscles gives:
- Core training will give a beautiful, harmonious appearance of the human body: straight posture, correct shape of the abdomen and chest.
- Sports results: the importance of the core in strength disciplines, various martial arts, and team sports is enormous. Strength (including dynamic), speed, and coordination of movements depend on it.
- Preservation of health and protection from injury: stabilization of the spinal column, the position of internal organs, normal functioning of various body systems, improvement of blood circulation and prevention of diseases of the pelvic organs.
To avoid confusion, let's clarify the terminology a little. As mentioned above, there is no single list of muscles that make up the core that is correct for everyone. Data from different sources vary somewhat.
In popular language, the core is a group of muscles that combine the movements of the upper and lower parts of the human body, a kind of muscular “layer” between the legs and torso. The following concepts should not be equated with each other: core muscles, abdominal muscles, abdominal muscles and core muscles.
- The abdominal muscles are basically just one rectus abdominis muscle with tendon bridges that visually form “cubes”. Sometimes the transverse abdominal muscle is also referred to as the abs (less commonly).
- The abdominal muscles are the part of the core located in front and partly on the sides of the lower half of the torso; in fact, these are three main muscles: the oblique abdominal muscles (which in turn are divided into external and internal), the transverse abdominal muscle, the rectus abdominis muscle (the same “abs”).
- The core muscles are nothing more than the entire musculature of the torso (remember that the torso is the central part of the body, not including the head, neck and limbs). This is a concept that partially overlaps with the core: some muscles are simultaneously part of both the core and the core (example: obliques, back extensors, etc.)
How to eat to gain weight
One of the most important nutrients for increasing muscle mass is protein. Research shows that a high protein diet helps build muscle. However, it should be borne in mind that the predominance of meat, fish, and legumes in the diet is a double-edged sword. Because high-protein foods quickly suppress hunger, it can prevent you from getting enough calories.
The diet for weight gain should consist of meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, nuts, cereals, potatoes, rice, pasta, avocado. To stimulate appetite, dishes should be seasoned with spices and hot sauces.
It is advisable to include a sufficient amount of liquid in the diet menu for gaining muscle mass, as well as fresh fruits and dried fruits.
Specially selected nutrition and work in the gym are the main components of gaining muscle mass. Additionally, you can take special nutritional supplements. Creatine helps increase muscle strength, fish oil provides the necessary balance of omega-3/omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin D stimulates the synthesis of steroid hormones, whey protein helps reduce the frequency of meals, probiotics improve nutrient absorption. But it should be remembered that all nutritional supplements are effective only in combination with training and high-calorie nutrition. Read more about nutritional supplements on our website.
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