Body Recomposition for Bodybuilding - How to Achieve Your Best Physique
Body recomposition comes down to a complete lifestyle change.
Fine tuning your diet and following a strict workout regime will best facilitate body recomposition.
Here are some tips on how you can go about the whole process safely and effectively:
Eat Enough Protein
When it comes to your diet, a focus on protein is arguably the best way forward. There are various body recomposition macros, but protein definitely tops the list – and for good reason too. Protein will help you lose fat while gaining muscle at the same time.
If you want an effective body recomposition process, you need to eat enough protein. One recent study discovered that a diet high in protein helps athletes to maintain or gain muscle whilst they lost fat during a period of calorie restriction (1).
Lift More Weights
Lifting weights will definitely help your muscle grow, however you need to be careful about how and when you lift.
You need to ensure that you give your muscles time to rest and recover, as going at it too hard and fast may end up being counterproductive.
When you are lifting weights, calorie cycling also helps. Y9ou should be alternating between eating more and a few calories after lifting weights. Ideally, you’ll have to take breaks between your sessions to achieve this.
To make sure your weightlifting is as effective as possible, focus on a high training frequency. Try to vary your exercises between upper-lower split and full-body exercises.
HIIT Training
HIIT workout routines are a great way to enhance your body recomposition journey.
Following HIIT workout routines including max effort sprints has many benefits, and will help you to burn more fun as your metabolic rate will be elevated for over 24 hours. Studies show that it was also a highly effective way to preserve muscle mass compared to regular cardio activities (1).
Start Calorie Cycling
We’ve mentioned this before in other blogs, but calorie cycling is essentially alternating between consuming more and fewer calories. You should aim to take a small caloric surplus for a while after your workouts, followed by fewer calories (also known as a deficit) for the rest of the week.
You might be asking, why?
Well, put simply, following a workout your muscles are more susceptible to growth meaning they will grow better and more effectively during this period.
How Long Does Body Recomposition Take?
The body recomposition process is different for everybody. But on average, it should take anywhere between 8-12 weeks (2).
During this period, you should be able to notice visible changes to your body and you’ll be well on your way to your dream physique!
So, how should I get started?
There are 3 main components to when it comes to growing your muscle mass.
. Volume
. Intensity
. Frequency
When you want to lose fat, many people turn straight to cardio. However, this should not be the case. We first should be prioritizing training that builds muscle mass, even when you are cutting. This is because it boasts afaster metabolism, increasing the rate that your body will burn calories.
The Frequency aspect comes down to how many times per week you train your muscles.
Some studies have shown that training muscles 2-3 times per week is the best way to build muscle, but because your goal is to build muscle whilst also burning fat, upping this frequency will be beneficial. I would suggest targeting each muscle group around 3-4 times per week for optimal results.
This means that you will constantly be sending an anabolic signal to every muscle in your body, promoting more muscle growth and more activation. The best way to put it is… if you’re not growing, you’re getting smaller.
Who can achieve body recomposition?
Most people can achieve body recomposition if they have the right mindset and lifestyle changes, however, it will prove very difficult for somebody who is a lean beginners tp.
The types of body groups who will most likely have the best experience are those carrying excessive body fat, or those who have already been in good shape and let themselves go for a few months.
