Monica Morris

Monica Morris is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of fitness training experience, Monica started her own physical training practice and gained her ACE Certification in 2017. Her workouts emphasize proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching techniques.

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Forum Comments (12)

How do I bulk up as a skinny guy?
My favorite protein powders that I highly recommend are as follows:
Arbonne (pea protein) - vanilla
Global Formulas (whey protein)
*You can add more ingredients, but definitely add water, ice, and banana for texture.

For protein bars, I like:
Barbell protein bars – chocolate caramel
Power Crunch – chocolate wafer
Quest – blueberry muffin
Built – churro

Always remember that you want to look for a third-party tested protein and watch out for too many unwanted added ingredients. Also, pure protein sources found in fresh foods are preferred over protein supplements . The body digests them better, and often, these protein bars are packed with sugars, but they are better than a low protein intake.
How do you increase your bench press?
To increase the amount you bench press, begin with a one rep max test . Be sure to have a spotter (someone who can help you if the weight is too heavy to return back to the starting position). Slowly add weight, resting about one minute or more in between, until you reach the maximum load you can press.

Over the course of the next 1-2 months , work between 75-85% of that number for your regular chest workouts. Slowly edging closer and closer to 85% of your 1 rep max number.

During these months, also continue to develop core, triceps, shoulders, back, and bicep muscles , since all are synergists or antagonists of the chest muscles.

When you have increased your baseline numbers for regular workouts, retest your one rep max . Don’t expect a huge increase. Your one rep max may increase by only 5–10 pounds every 2 to 3 months .
Do squats make your butt bigger?
Squats can increase the size of your glutes, especially if you are pushing your limitations with the added resistance . The deeper you go into a squat (of course, without rotating your hips as you get lower), the more your glutes are targeted, as well as your quadriceps and other supportive muscles.

As always, with any squat, be sure that your hips are driving backwards , and you should still see the tips of your toes as you descend down and return back up.

Another queue is to push through your heels as you return up so the glutes get the majority of the building/engagement, being sure not to lock out your knees at the top, keeping tension on the glutes .
What exercises burn the most calories?
Simply put, the key to burning more calories is an increased heart rate . The closer you get to your max heart rate (220 - your age = max heart rate), the more calories will be burnt.

The exercises that increase heart rate most effectively require jump training otherwise known as plyometrics (I.e. jump squats, jump lunges, burpees, skaters, butt kicks). If jumping isn’t your thing, boxing also increases the heart rate close to what it would be while doing plyometrics training.
Realistically, how much weight can I safely lose in one month?
If you would like to lose 50 pounds in five months, start by making the goal smaller:
50 divided by 5 = 10 (making the loss 10 pounds per month)
10lbs divided by 4 weeks = about 2.5 pounds per week
(1lb = 3,500 calories) 3500 x 2.5 = 8,750 calories less per week
That would be 1250 cal less than your standard diet per day to lose 2.5 pounds per week, 10 pounds per month, and 50 pounds in five months.

At 1250 cal less per day , that can be a deficit from your regular food caloric intake, but what’s better is to make it a mix of energy output (calories burned) as well as fewer calories in.

Depending on age and genetics, consistency and determination, 10 pounds might be a bit aggressive, but aiming for it for one month is a more manageable plan than shooting for 50 pounds in five months.
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