7 proven ways to maximize your training
1. Set realistic goals
The first way to improve your results is to decide what you want from your workout.
Do you want to lose weight, build muscle, or stay in shape?
To lose weight, decide precisely how many pounds you want to lose and then set a well-defined time limit.
Make sure your goals are realistic, achievable, and time-bound. Write down what you want to achieve, set up a schedule, and stick to your plan. Be ambitious but realistic. Aim or concrete goals will increase your motivation and chances of success.
2. Have a plan
It would be best if you also decided how to reach your goals. Come up with a realistic workout schedule that fits your lifestyle. If you have a stressful schedule, you may not have time to exercise six times a week, but you probably have time for three or four sessions that give equally good results.
Depending on your preferences, you can either train one or two muscle groups per workout or full-body workout. Most athletes and gym visitors train one or a few muscle groups at a time, such as the back and biceps, chest and triceps, shoulders and arms, or legs and abs. You can divide your workouts into the upper and lower body, followed by HIIT.
Before you go to the gym, make sure you know what exercises, sets, and a number of reps you will be doing and what muscles you want to train.
3. Train smart
Whether you want to lose weight or build muscle, focus on basic exercises that use multiple joints. Basi exercises such as bench press, deadlift, squat, military press, and push-ups activate almost all muscles in the body and increase your metabolism.
Ideally, the basic exercises should correspond to at least 70 percent of your training routine. If you are not already in top shape, there is no need to focus on isolation exercises. Build a solid foundation first. It's the best investment of your time.
Basic exercises also help you get in shape in more ways than one. They not only increase your metabolism but also strengthen your torso and increase the production of building hormones. This makes it easier to burn fat and build muscle. In addition, they consistently make you stronger and improve your functional condition.
4. Lift heavy
Contrary to many people's beliefs, lifting heavy weights will not make you overly muscular overnight. If you eat a lot of calories and take anabolic steroids, there is a risk that you would be bigger than desired, but for the rest of us, it is incredibly unrealistic.
If it were that easy to build muscle, more people would look like professional bodybuilders. The truth is that it takes many years of strict diet and hard training to build muscle. Strength training with heavy weights is the best way to shape your muscles, burn fat and improve body composition.
If you only stick to low weights, you will flatten out and stop making progress. To get results, you must constantly challenge your body by lifting heavier, doing new exercises, or increasing the number of repetitions and sets. In fitness, this is called progressive overload and means that you place increased demands on the body to make continuous progress. Start with low weights and add more weight continuously. Also, keep an eye on the performance to prevent injuries and get the most out of your training.
5. Replace cardio with HIIT
HIIT is much more time-efficient than regular cardio when you want to burn fat. Also known as high-intensity interval training, HIIT means switching between short, intense training and periods of rest or low-intensity activity. It burns more calories than any other form of exercise while saving muscle. Steady-state cardio, on the other hand, burns both fat and muscle. It also makes you more tired, reduces your metabolism, and affects your results.
With high-intensity interval training, you get better results in less time. HIIT also improves cardiovascular fitness, burns glycogen stores, and keeps your body in an anabolic state that promotes fat burning and muscle growth.
By using HIIT, you will burn calories both during and after your workout. You need three sessions a week of 10-20 minutes each. If you are overweight, you can do another session of 10-15 minutes to maximize fat burning.
6. Eat for your goals
Your eating habits have a direct impact on your training and overall results. If you eat too little, you lose muscle and lack energy for intense exercise. If you overeat, you will gain weight. Eat right for your goals and focus on the macronutrients when shopping in the grocery store - protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Stay away from foods that contain empty calories.
Fill your plate with lean protein, such as chicken, beef, eggs, and cottage cheese. Get your fat from salmon, tuna, avocado, sardines, mackerel, and unrefined vegetable oils. Recharge with good carbohydrates before and after exercise. These include whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables, and low-sugar fruits. To lose weight, reduce your daily calories and eat more protein and fewer carbohydrates. To build muscle, you should increase your protein and carbohydrate intake and consume more calories than you burn.
If you want to lose weight, a fat burner can help keep your energy levels up and sugar cravings down when you are on a calorie deficit.
If you do not have the strength to go to the gym or feel that you want to take the training to the next level, a PWO can help you get the most out of the training.
Do not forget that the best workout is the one you do and is consistent with your workout.
Follow your plan and train hard, which will give you the desired results!
