Little things that make a big difference in your workouts
Having a plan. Having a plan is number one, it gives you direction and prevents you from going to the gym looking lost/not doing anything/just fucking around.
Drinking water. Water is always on all of my lists because it is the answer to everything y'all. But really, proper hydration before, during, and after your workout will ensure pique performance.
Breathing. When exercise gets hard, the best way to cope is to breathe. Long slow steady rhythmic breathing is the best, it’ll calm your nervous system and provide your body with the oxygen it needs to succeed.
Stretching. And yoga. And foam rolling. All of these things help your muscles recover, as well as ensure you stay loose and limber. This makes your exercises easier and more effective. Don’t do static stretching before your work out though, this can cause injury and injury is no good.
Using a sauna. Swear my life changed after I started using a sauna. 15 minutes after a long workout feels amazing and helps my muscles recover so I have less delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). If you have access to one I highly recommend checking it out.
Eating protein. When I started working out, I doubled my protein intake and my body responded really well. I always make sure to have 30 g 30 minutes after my workout as this is optimum for muscle growth and repairment and makes sure your body doesn’t go in to muscle cannibalism after a workout (yikes).
Eating before a workout. I used to be really in to fasted cardio and I definitely still do it if my session is <10 min. But eating protein before lifting is really important and helps ensure you’re building muscle instead of burning it for energy.
Also caffeine. My workouts can’t happen without a cup of matcha or green tea before hand. Studies show that ingesting caffeine before working out can help you work out harder and burn more calories. Stick to natural sources and avoid caffeine pills or “fat burning” pills (aka lots of caffeine) as these are often too abrasive for the system.
Pyramid sets. This is a trick I picked up from a personal trainer. Start with 12 reps of a weight, say 50 kg squats. Then do 10 reps of 60 kg, 8 reps of 70 kg, 6 reps of 80 etc. Your last weight should be your max…this is an awesome way to build strength and stamina at the same time, and I do this for most of my compound exercises. Remember, the only way to keep building muscle is to keep adding weight!!!!
Setting goals. Even if it’s just to look good naked, goals work my friends. They keep us focused, motivated, and on track, plus gives you a sense of purpose during your workout.
Burn outs. A burn out is pretty much just a circuit or a couple exercises you do at the end of your workout to take your muscles to fatigue. Muscle fatigue is said to enhance and speed up muscle growth. Plus, pushing your body to its limits lets you know what you are really capable of.
Supersets. Super setting is completing one exercise after another with no rest in between them. I superset all of my exercises, it’s an awesome way to increase your workout load without feeling like you’re doing too much. Try resistance band training between heavy lifting, it’s not too hard and it makes quite a difference in gains.
HIIT cardio. I do HIIT 20 minutes a week and that’s it because that’s all you need!!! HIIT is more effective than long steady cardio at burning fat, boosting your metabolism, and preventing muscle loss. Perfect for people who hate cardio like me.
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