If you’re a regular Aussie bloke looking to get in shape, we’ve got good news.
When it comes to shifting fat and gaining muscle, it seems men have won the lottery. Thanks to their physiological make-up, men (the lucky buggers) can do both quicker and with less effort than women.
This is largely due to the fact that women tend to store fat on their hips and thighs, while men more commonly put it on their middles.
A little padding around the butt and thigh area might not be the stuff dreams are made of, but it’s entirely natural. Women are designed (physically speaking) to bear children and that means they need to store a little excess fat to support a child if needed. Men have no physiological need to store excess fat. Accordingly they are able to shed it easier.
“It’s a scientific fact that a beer belly is easier to get rid of than thigh or bottom fat,” says Professor Stephan Rossner, director of the Obesity Research Program at Luddinge Hospital, Stockholm.
“A beer belly is easier to mobilise and responds more quickly. Women don’t have the ability to shift weight like men do. That’s just the way it is.”
thinking it through
Studies have also shown that men are one step ahead of women when it comes to sticking with a diet or exercise program. Why? Because once they decide to shed fat and gain muscle, they do it.
There’s also the fact that men have often been raised on exercise.
“Men are encouraged to get involved in sport when they’re young,” says Katy Try, head trainer at Golds Gym in Sydney.
“If people exercise when young it’s much easier to reactivate that when older. If you have had no exercise history it’s harder to get started.”
Unfortunately it seems that many Australian men (women too, but we’re not focusing on them today) are finding it very hard to get started. At this point in time about 65 per cent of men (and yes, 55 per cent of women) are considered overweight. If you’re a bloke, and you’re part of that group and would like not to be, don’t panic – there are ways and means. As we said earlier, being a man means losing weight and gaining muscle shouldn’t be that hard for you. If it does get tough you can comfort yourself with this thought – it’s harder for women!
making a move
Of course, even men need to do it right. That means watching what you eat and getting plenty of exercise. By exercise we mean cardiovascular workouts (think walking, jogging or playing footy) and resistance training such as lifting weights. If you can, you should get some cardiovascular exercise every day. Weights can be performed anywhere from three to five times a week.
But don’t get too caught up with exactly how much weight you’re lifting, says Try.
“Correct technique helps build the muscle, not just the actual weight,” she says. And for those blokes who worry only about the “mirror muscles” it’s time to rethink your workout. Your exercises should be more balanced. “Many men tend to worry about the muscles they can see and forget about the others, but that’s not a good idea,” says Try.
Kelly Baker is a fully qualified personal trainer.
hey fellas
10 reasons why men should be working out
- It will help lower your blood pressure.
- It will decrease your chances of coronary heart disease.
- Your energy levels will go through the roof.
- You can greatly ease lower back pain.
- Your body will be a lean, mean fighting machine (or closer to it anyway).
- Stress levels will drop.
- You’ll lose fat.
- You’ll build strong bones.
- You will rev up your metabolism, meaning you can get away with eating more.
- It’s fun. Really.
- Dumb-bell shoulder press.
Hold a dumb-bell in each hand and sit on a fitball or bench. Plant your feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Once you’re comfortable, push your weights up over your head until they almost touch. Slowly lower to about ear level and then repeat. Ensure you don’t lock your elbows at the top of this movement and keep steady. Form counts!
Gives you: sensational shoulders. - Triceps kickback
Rest your left lower leg on a weight bench. Grasp a dumb-bell in your right hand. Lean forward at the hips and place your left palm on the bench. Bend your right elbow so your upper arm is parallel to the floor, palm facing in. Straighten your arm out behind you. Slowly return to the starting position and then repeat. Don’t forget your left arm!
Gives you: buff backs of arms - One-arm dumb-bell row
Stand with your right lower leg resting on a weight bench. Grasp a dumb-bell in your left hand. Lean forward at the hips and place your right palm on the bench. Drop your left hand down. Then pull your left arm up until your upper arm is parallel to the floor and your dumb-bell is near your waist. Gently lower and repeat. Both arms please!
Gives you: Gorgeous upper back. - Dumb-bell chest
Press Lie on the bench with your feet flat. Push your weights up so that your arms are directly above your shoulders. Lower the dumb-bells until your elbows are just below your shoulders. Then, push the weights back up. Move with control and don’t allow your elbows to lock or your shoulder blades to come off the bench.
Gives you: an amazing chest. - Ball crunch
To get in position, rest your back (all the way from shoulder blades to tail bone) on the round curve of the ball. Ensure your head, neck and also shoulders are above the ball. Your knees should be bent and feet flat on the floor, roughly hip-width apart. Once you’re ready to get going, cross your hands across your chest. Then, curl up and forward. Hold for a second at the top of the movement and then gently lower.
Gives you: killer abs.