How does 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. Understanding why strength and power improve fitness and muscle size is essential.
At night I started taking melatonin to increase my deep sleep time. Despite sleeping in the complete dark, I am a hard sleeper 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 to 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 sizes get in the way. Also, I am at the halfway mark of my journey. Therefore, 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 the volume
Now that I have built up my power next week, I will focus on improving my fitness and muscle size. This will require less weight, more reps and sets, and the correct form. You should see 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 journey’s second half is about using the proper 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 include all three. Next week, I plan to lift 70% of my one-rep max for five sets of ten reps.
