How do power increase fitness and muscle size? During week six of my muscle gain journey, this is a question I must answer. I am done with my strength and endurance training. To look athletic, you must be athletic, and to be athletic, do athletic things. By increasing your strength and power, you can build more muscle. There is a correlation between strength and muscle size. A guy will never curl 50 pounds with small arms or squat 500 pounds with little legs.
I continued to focus on my diet and sleep to create more anabolic activities. Focusing on a high protein diet with low carbs and sugar can increase your strength and power. It is important to understand why strength and power improve fitness and muscle size.
At night I started taking melatonin to increase my deep sleep time. I am a problematic sleeper despite sleeping in the complete dark, with the air conditioner on, taking a warm bath before sleep, and eating my last meal at 5 pm. Consequently, I needed an extra edge if I could take my workouts to the next level.
I did not take measurements this week. Sometimes it’s best to focus on behaviors without letting the measurements get in the way. Also, I am at the halfway mark of my journey. I will revisit my measurement during week twelve.
Demographics: Age 52, Height 5-5, Weight 181 lbs
Tuesday Workout:
| Lift and Weight | Sets and Reps |
| Deadlift 390 | 8,6,4 |
| Bench Press 295 | 8,6,4 |
| Barbell, Squat 330. | 8,6,4 |
| Incline Bench 245 | 8,8,4 |
| Shoulder Press 175 | 7,5,3 |
| Machine Row 240 | 8,6,4 |
Thursday Workout:
| Lift and Weight | Sets and Reps |
| Pushups | 78, 30, 20 |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 45, 20, 20 |
| Dips | 25, 12, 12 |
| Pull Up | 12,8,4 |
| Bicep Curl 70 | 10,10,10 |
| Leg Raise 260 | 10,10,10 |
| Hamstring Curl 130 | 10,10,6 |
Saturday Measurements:
| Lift and Weight | Sets and Reps |
| Deadlift 430 | 6 |
| Bench Press 305 | 6 |
| Barbell Squat 350 | 6 |
| Shoulder Press 200 | 6 |
| Machine Row 255. | 8 |
| Hammer Leg Extension 75 | 10,10,10,10,10,10 |
| Leg Curls 80 | 10,10,10,10,10,10 |
| Bicep Curls 70 | 10,10,10,10,10,10 |
| Chest Fly 135 | 10,10,10,10,10,10 |
In summary, power increases muscle size by increasing volume
Now that I have built up my power next week, I will focus on using my power to increase my fitness and muscle size. This will require less weight, more reps and sets, and the correct form. You should see some noticeable gains in the first few weeks after increasing your power because you will access a different energy pathway.
After focusing on the ATP-CP energy pathway to increase your power and strength, use the glycolytic energy pathway to increase your muscle size. By focusing on your strength and power during the first half of your journey, you improve your athleticism, increasing muscle size. The second half of the journey is about using the right form during each lift.
Next week, I will begin a 7-day workout plan. There will be three days of legs/back and four days of chest/arms/shoulders. I prefer to work the legs and back together because lifts like the deadlift and squat incorporate both. I also like to keep the chest, arms, and shoulders together because the bench press, overhead press, and dip machine incorporate all three. Next week, I plan to lift 70% of my one-rep max for five sets of ten reps.
