The Ritz Herald
Zhizhuo Zhang

Fitness Tips From Arnold Classic Amateur ClassC Winner, Zhizhuo Zhang


Published on April 04, 2022

Train different muscle groups when going to the gym. Too few or too many workouts of different parts of the body are not helpful and you can barely see the result. Focus on one muscle group each time would maximize one’s training effectiveness since it not only maximizes the stimulation of one particular muscle group, but also enables the muscle to rebuild before the next training of the same part. For example, it is recommended for beginners to have one workout for the upper body and one for the lower body, if they plan to exercise twice a week. In the meanwhile, always regularly increase the intensity of your workout based on your own training pace.

Eat properly rather than eat less

A healthy diet should always be eating properly rather than eating less. Building a healthier body means to have a personalized recipe in regards to what the goal is. One of the reasons why it’s easier for people in the West to gain muscles is their eating habits. Asians tend to eat more carbohydrates such as rice and noodles on a daily basis while Europeans and Americans eat a lot of protein such as eggs and meat. Protein intake is crucial when it comes to bodybuilding which is why beginners are expected to increase the proportion of protein in the food they consume.

Know what your body is sensitive to. Some people eat lots of carbs but don’t gain weight while others get fat very easily. This is because everybody is different when dealing with carbs. People can easily lose weight if they are sensitive to carbon, but gaining muscles is another story. Different people should consume different proportions of carbohydrates and protein. But it’s always essential to eat more protein regardless of whether you intend to lose weight or gain muscles. Try different food combinations and see how your body responds to find your best diet and adjust flexibly.

Fitness Tips from Arnold Classic Amateur ClassC Winner, Zhizhuo Zhang

Pay more attention to your body fat rate instead of the number on the scale

Body fat rate is critical whether one wants to lose weight or gain more muscles. For those who want to lose weight—what they actually want to lose is “fat” not “weight” so pay more attention to body fat rate not the number on the scale. This is because muscles are heavier than fat but they make people look great and tight in terms of body shape. Weight training plus cardio is usually the best way to help people with a big weight base to lose fat. For the small weight base group, they would be able to see very ideal results if they can insist on regular weight training to lower body fat rate and consume a reasonable diet.

Lifestyle Editor