“In my opinion, fat loss and muscle tone
go hand in hand. The more muscle you have,
the more fat you are going to burn at rest,”
says Sharpe, with muscle thought to burn
anywhere from six to 50 calories per half
kilogram of body weight compared to fat’s
measly two.
Muscle hypertrophy and fat loss both rely
on a set of internal conditions that can be
manipulated by lifestyle factors, including
nutrition and training. By changing what
you put in your mouth, and the types and
frequency of your training, your metabolism
(the sum of all chemical reactions in the
body) and your hormonal profiles can be
improved, helping you to lean out.
“The biggest contributor to our
metabolism is our muscle mass. Sixty-six per
cent of all the food we eat goes directly to
building and maintaining our muscle mass,”
says trainer and director of MP Studio Luke
Archer (mpstudio.com.au).
“Other daily influencers on your
metabolism include exercise (17 per
cent), what we eat (12 per cent) and body
temperature (five per cent). So you can see
why training and nutrition is so important to
burning fat and building muscle.”
MUSCLE MASS: MAINTAIN OR GAIN
Building skeletal muscle involves stressing
them to the point of creating micro-tears
to the tissue, forcing the cells to adapt and
increase in size.
“The biggest contributor to gaining
muscle mass (hypertrophy) will be the force
that you put through them or the increase
in weight through full range of motion,”
says Archer.
“The heavier the load on the muscles, the
harder the muscle has to work to move the
load. Having a program that progressively
overloads the muscles will ensure you see
improvements in strength and your amount
of muscle mass.”
While any weight-bearing activity will
see improvements, muscle hypertrophy
protocols rely on an increase in volume of
training (i.e. the number of reps or sets) and
intensity of training (i.e load) over time to see
improvements. Endurance rep ranges with a
medium load are the most efficient and safe
for beginners.
“I usually stick to a rep range of 12 to 20
reps. When you use higher rep ranges you are
able to grow the surface area of the muscle,
which is what we are after,” says Sharpe.
“I stick to compound movements that
utilise more than one joint and I focus
on efficient movement patterns with
good form – so your deadlift, lunge and
squats. Getting stronger in these areas
not only promotes muscle hypertrophy,
they also build confidence, which in turn
increases motivation.”
Sharpe suggests incorporating strength
sessions using heavier loads and rep ranges
of five to eight, once or twice a week asyou become more advanced, to ensure
against plateau.
Supporting protein synthesis will also
affect the rate at which muscle hypertrophy
can occur. Once your approximate 500
grams of stored muscle glycogen is depleted
through a heavy weights session, your body
turns to the proteins found in muscle mass
for fuel – wreaking havoc for our lean muscle
mass. Nutrient type and timing is paramount.
“The biggest contributors to a loss of
muscle mass is overtraining and a condition
called sarcopenia,” says Archer.
“This is why you see marathon runners
and elite athletes sipping on Gatorade or
sucking on energy sachets. This is also
why it’s incredibly important to replenish
glycogen in the form of carbohydrates once
you have finished exercising.”
Contrary to popular belief, muscles are
actually broken down during your weight
training and ‘built’ during your recovery
sessions. With protein a major component
of muscular cells, its intake is vital post-
workout to aid hypertrophy. According
to research published by Sports Medicine
journal, protein consumed directly before
and after heavy lifts or high-intensity training
supports protein synthesis while at rest,
optimising lean muscle growth and recovery.
Aim for approximately 25 grams of protein
and 80 g of carbohydrate, for 60kg females,
within 30 minutes of your weights session for
optimal results.PLAN ARCHER
BURN FAT AND BUILD MUSCLE WITH LUKE ARCHER’S LEAN SCENE WEEKLY PLAN.» MONDAY:
LESS-INTENSE ACTIVITY (LIA):
Walk 30–45 minutes.
» TUESDAY:
FOCUSED INTENSE-
RESISTANCE EXERCISE
(FIRE). UPPER BODY
WORKOUT:- Lat pull-down/chin-up
10–12 reps x 2 sets. - Bench press 10–12 reps
x 2 sets. - Seated row 10–12 reps x 2
sets. - Skull crushers 10–12 reps x 2 sets.
- Plank with arms on a Swiss ball
- hold until form is lost.
» WEDNESDAY:
INTENSE CARDIO EXERCISE
(ICE).
No longer than 25–30 minutes.
This could include circuit
training, boxing, or high-
intensity interval training.
» THURSDAY:
FIRE – LOWER
BODY WORKOUT. - Deadlifts 10–12 reps x 2 sets.
- Split squats 10–12 reps x 2 sets.
- Stiff-leg deadlifts 10–12 reps x
2 sets. - Leg raises 2 x 12
» FRIDAY:
Stretch/mobility session
» SATURDAY:
ICE – NO LONGER THAN 25–30
MINUTES.
This could include circuit
training, boxing, or high-
intensity interval training.
» SUNDAY:
REST
*CONSULT
YOUR GP BEFORE
BEGINNING ANY
EXERCISE PROGRAM,
AND WORK WITH A
TRAINER TO ENSURE
CORRECT FORM AND
TECHNIQUE AT ALL
TIMES.