There are many ways on how to lose muscle and the progress of the goal is up to your routine, commitment, and of course, diet. Some would like to lose weight and gain more muscles, while some would like to get on a little bit more weight and build fats. The million-dollar question now is why would someone want to lose muscle? Isn’t muscle a sign of optimum health? Well, according to health and professional experts, that’s just an iceberg of the whole story. We know that there are people who consistently go to the gym, do their work out, run, do marathons, and do extreme stuff. Because of these routines, some have mastered the art of improving their muscle mass but sometimes, things could go out of hand and it becomes excessive.
Muscle growth happens when the synthesis of protein muscle is greater than the protein muscle breakdown rate. While it is true that some do all that they could do to lose weight, others would exercise and diet to lose muscle mass. If you are one of those people who would like to lose some mass because your biceps are just too much for your sleeves, or your legs are building more muscles than you need, this read is for you. The question now is how to lose muscle without being deprived of strength?
Muscles and All There Is To Know
The main functions of muscles include supporting the movement that includes giving bother or lifting weights. It is also responsible for the pumping of blood and it works through either relaxing so that movement could be caused or contracting. Muscles are either involuntary or those that are moving without us knowing and the second one is voluntary or with our conscious knowledge.
The carbohydrates that we eat from our diets produce glucose which is important for muscle building and it to work properly, certain nutrients such as electrolytes, minerals, calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium are needed. If there is a lack of these nutrients, muscle disorders like pain, weakness, and paralysis may occur.
The body has three types of muscles:
- Skeletal Muscle. Some are attached to our bones which gives us the ability to move. It is also grouped in opposing pairs like the back and front arm, and the triceps and biceps. This type of muscle is a voluntary muscle because we can control it. These are the muscles that we can grow, build, and develop.
- Cardiac Muscle. It’s a special muscle for the heart alone. It’s an involuntary muscle since the heart relaxes and contracts without us knowing.
- Smooth Muscle. This is an involuntary muscle that structures the blood vessels and arteries, uterus, and the digestive tract.
As mentioned above, nerve fibers and muscles are important because it allows our bodies to move, it gives our heart and internal organs to function properly and it does most of the work. It’s amazing to note as well that almost 40% of our body structure is composed of muscles. How to lose muscle without losing strength may be a bit of a challenge but it can be done with proper guidance and advice.
How to Lose Muscle Without Losing Strength
To improve health and physique, the goal is to have more muscle mass but some people do not want to get it in excess. This is called losing mass and getting toned. It’s also important to know that you cannot lose mass without losing overall strength. That’s why here are tips on how you can do it correctly.
1. Decrease Intake of Calories
You can start by focusing on what you eat. Cut your calorie intake by 500 per day so that by the end of the week, you can lose roughly a pound. You can opt for these foods and add them to your meal plan to decrease excessive mass: apples, berries, broccoli, and carrots. Watch your carbohydrate and protein intake, too.
2. Try lighter weight lifting
When you use so much force, your muscles contract and are slowly building up. Make sure that when you lift weights. It is not more than 10 lbs. You can also do strength training in 12 up to 15 repetitions in a set. Perform training in weights only twice a week only to maintain your muscle tone and prevent more muscle growth.
3. Do Cardio
Step up in your cardio routine and slowly observe that your excess muscles are fading away.
4. Slow Down
If you are leading a very active routine, training, and exercise, you might consider slowing down. According to the research at the University of Arkansas, there is a reduction of the synthesis of muscle protein which is needed for muscle growth when you are inactive or slowing down.
How to lose muscle without losing strength is not as simple as it may seem but with the right balance of diet, exercise, and proper workout routine, it can be achieved.
How To Lose Muscles In Target Body Parts
Can you picture out individuals that train and workout but do not have excessive muscles, who can you imagine? Of course, they are Olympic runners. They have toned muscles and do not look that bulky at all. The key to how to lose muscles without losing strength and maintain being toned is to run and increase cardio exercises. Here are some tips on how you can lose muscles in target body parts like the arms and legs.
Leg Muscles
Avoid anything that would create a pump in your legs. The best way is to avoid bicycles and stick to treadmills.
- Do only 3-5 repetitions
- Try to lift something a bit heavy
- Rest for at least 2-3 in between your sets. (Or until you are fully recovered)
Arm Muscles
Do not lift anything heavier than you can carry or lift. Simple science.
According to a famous muscle and health guru Brad Pilon, you have the option to put a cast in your arm and you will be amazed to see that the muscles will shrink faster. It’s like the expensive shirt shrinking in your dryer.
How to lose muscles without losing strength is not as easy as it looks as you may watch what you do and eat to achieve the goal but remember that without commitment, there would be no fruit of labor. Everything worth having never comes easy!