Author: MuscleReview

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Fat Loss and Muscle Gain: weight can be deceptive

Here’s a replica of 5 lb. of fat and muscle.  As you can see, the muscle tissue is more dense than the fat.

Fat vs Muscle (5 lb.)

This is one reason I tell trainees (especially women) not to get too obsessed with weight–it can be deceiving. Adding some muscle is a good thing, but it may mean a less drastic change in one’s weight (especially in the first few weeks of training).  In other words, gaining a few pounds of muscle and losing a few pounds of fat is progress, even when the number on the scale hasn’t changed very much.

A good program will include resistance training to build the muscle and help you lose fat (see: Weight Training and Weight Loss).  Both goals are very important for transforming your body.

Arnold Press for Shoulders

Lately I’ve been doing a variation of military/overhead press known as the Arnold press (yes, named after Schwarzenegger himself).  You begin this movement with your palms facing towards you, then rotate your wrists as you push the weight up.

Arnold described the benefits of this exercise:

“To develop the front and side heads of the deltoids. This is the very best deltoid exercise I know, and I always include it my shoulder routine. By using dumbbells in this manner – lowering them well down in front – you get a tremendous range of motion.”

I’ve noticed that it this subtle variation seems to put more emphasis on the shoulders and less on the triceps compared with a standard overhead press.  It also simply adds variety to training, a benefit which should not be overlooked–mixing things up and keeping them interesting is always good.

You may want to add this exercise to your shoulder training.  Be sure to use a weight that allows you to focus on the correct form and execution.