Have you ever heard the saying “You’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders”? Well, you can safely build muscle and get stronger without carrying the weight of the world in the gym. Getting fit isn’t just as simple as hitting the Gyms in Hamilton a couple times a week. In order to see maximum results, targeting your workout to meet your fitness goals is very important. Whether you want to drop ten pounds, tone your abs, or build some serious muscle mass — when it comes to fitness, the goal is train smarter not harder. To see results, while saving time, follow these top tips to train smarter and not harder.
Mix It Up
You might think that your exercise routine is rock solid, but the truth is, mixing up your gym routine is crucial in order to evenly tone your body, and stay safe while exercising. Doing the same moves day after day can over-develop certain muscles, while not engaging others. Having muscle groups that are uneven in strength can lead to compensation, muscle strain, or injury, so focus on staying well rounded.
If you love lifting weights, try adding some yoga into your workout routine to stay limber. If you love cycling, add some upper body strength training into your schedule. If running is more of your style, sign up for a Cardio Core class to mix things up.
High Intensity Interval Training
HIIT is the best bang for your buck. It gets your heart rate going faster which means burning more calories, and strength training can be worked into it. HIIT is commonly known for being the best way to burn fat, and it reduces your risk for Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease.
High Intensity Interval Training pushes your body hard for short period of time, and repeats the same circuit several times, with a minute break between circuits.
Focus on your Form
We can’t stress enough how important form is when working out. You aren’t getting the most of your workout when you perform your exercises with improper form. It’s important to correctly perform the exercises in order to engage the correct muscles and not injure yourself. By focusing on your form, you’ll get a better workout and meet your goals faster. If you aren’t sure about your form, talk to a Momentum Fitness Coach today.
Fuel Up
Your nutrition is one of the most important parts of reaching your fitness goals. It’s important to eat well before and after your workouts in order to reap the benefits of your hard work. By eating the right things at the right times, you’ll fuel your body and help to provide yourself with the energy you need before a workout. By eating the right things after a workout, you’ll also help your body repair your muscles and recover. Check out our post, Fueling your Fitness: Pre & Post Workout Nutrients for more details on what to eat, and when.
Drop Sets
Drop sets are performed when you start with a heavier weight and reduce the weight with each set. The reason why drop sets work is that in any given set you are only recruiting a certain amount of muscle fibers. By reducing the weight down and going lighter you recruit different muscle fibers, which should help the muscles achieve growth that couldn’t be achieved by sticking with the same weight.
Daily Fitness Habits
You need to turn your life goals into daily habits. A routine is something you do every day without fail, so that eventually, like brushing your teeth or putting on your seatbelt, you do it without conscious thought. Habits can be tricky to create, but not if you use the Compound Effect. The compound effect is the principle of reaping huge rewards from a series of small, smart choices. You’ll find success in the moment to moment decisions that alone, make no visible difference whatsoever. But as you accumulate those habits by starting small and building off of them, the compounding effect is profound.
