To gain a big reward, you will have to change a major factor in your training, not just a small detail like going from 6 reps to 8 reps per set.
Ways To Instantly Power Up Your Workouts
Below are 12 ways to do just that. Some of these things you may know well and already have in place, while others may be new to you and cause you to raise an eyebrow or flip a switch. You may be reminded of something you know you should be doing but aren't. Apply some of the following to your next workout to improve your training.
Have a plan
The first and most important tip is to start your workouts by planning them out. Most people who go to the gym don't know how to work out or what to do. Many people find that after retirement, they either continue doing the same things they always have or spend a lot of time trying to figure out what to do with their newfound free time. You will not get the results you want if you do either of these things, and it will also decrease your motivation to work out regularly.
Create the following plan before your next workout:
- When is it going to take place
- Where is it going to take place
- What exercises are you going to complete and in what order?
Set a workout time limit
Most workouts are ineffective because they either take too long or don't involve enough work. People often find that they spend more time talking or checking their phones than actually working out when they start their workout. This makes it hard to both stay motivated and exercise hard enough to see real results. You will make a mistake if you do not set a time limit on your workout. This will keep you both motivated and moving efficiently. Keep your workouts between 35 and 50 minutes. If you do more than is necessary, it is a waste of time.
Warm-up
One more error that people commonly commit is not performing a warm-up before starting their workout routine. If you start your workout when your body is already cold, it will affect how well you perform, and increase your risk of injury. It can also make it harder to stay motivated.
Instead of spending a lot of time on a warm-up, just do a full-body warm-up for 5 minutes before your next workout. This warm-up will help you loosen stiff muscles and joints, increase your body temperature, increase energy, improve workout performance, delay fatigue, and increase both motivation and focus.
Time your rest periods
The amount of time you spend resting between sets is one of the most important, but often ignored, aspects of working out. A lot of people know that you should take a break of one to three minutes between sets when working out, but not many people actually do it. Do you find yourself typing on your phone or scrolling through your favorite tracks?
Technology is great but it has its place. I think you should leave your cell phone at home when you go to the gym. I would not only constantly fear dropping and crushing my phone, but I also honestly do not feel the need to text or check it every 10 seconds as it would prevent me from being completely engaged in my workout. It’s a major distraction so ditch it. To start timing your sets. If you need to, wear a watch or check the gym clock between sets. Resting at specific intervals will help you stay focused on the task at hand.
Try some explosive exercises
Do you feel like you're stuck doing the same exercises with the same number of repetitions at the same speed? You may want to try using some power moves. Adding power to your training will help improve your performance in other lifts, as well as add a new element to your routine.
Exercises like cleans, hang cleans, clean and presses, box jumps, and kettlebell swings help you develop strength throughout your entire body. Being able to generate a lot of power to quickly move a lot of weight will also give you a lot of satisfaction. The purpose of power training is not just to develop strength and explosive power in your muscles, but also to help prevent fatigue. Adhering to protocols regarding speed, form, and technique is important for lifting safely.
Increase your training frequency
Try some explosive exercises
If you feel like you're stuck doing the same exercises with the same number of repetitions at the same speed, there are a few things you can do to mix things up. It might be time to try some more powerful moves. Adding power training to your workout regimen will improve your lifts and add a new dimension to your workouts.
Interpretation: Exercises that target multiple muscle groups at once, like cleans, hang cleans, clean and presses, box jumps and kettlebell swings, can help you feel stronger overall. Being able to generate a lot of power and quickly move a lot of weight will give you a great sense of accomplishment. Whilst fatigue power training is not always used for the purpose of developing strength and explosive power, it is a method that can be harnessed to achieve this goal. All lifting protocols should be followed for speed, form, and technique to be safe.
Add more reps per set
I constantly meet trainers who can't get specific body parts to grow as much as the rest of their bodies. If we look at the story of someone trying unsuccessfully to build muscle on their legs, we can see that this is a difficult task. Are you often finding that you need to increase the weight you're squatting with for low reps in order to see results? If you experience pain in your back, hips, or knees, this may not be the best activity for you.
If you want to become skilled at something, you need to practice regularly. For example, let’s take the squat. If you want to build strong legs by squatting, you need to practice a lot. Sets of five or six reps won’t cut it. For a certain period of time, increase the number of repetitions you do. A good rule to follow for working out is to do around 20 reps per set. This grueling challenge will test your leg strength and endurance by forcing you to maintain the correct amount of stress on your legs without weakening your hips or knees.
This technique can be used for other lifts to improve performance on compound movements. A high rep range will help you grow new muscle and also stimulate hormone surges for a better anabolic reaction and a fired-up metabolism.
Fuel Up
Never start a workout on an empty stomach. Studies reveal that exercising while fasted does not lead to any reduction in fat and may only lower your energy levels, intensity, and ability to work out. It is important to eat the right foods and drink plenty of fluids before working out in order to boost your energy levels. Think of it like gas in your car. Without fuel in the tank, you aren't going anywhere. You will die without fuel from food and water. If you follow this recipe, you will not get the results that you want.
eaten 30 minutes to an hour before working out.
This snack should be a 50/50 blend of carbs and protein in order to provide energy and muscle building/repair.
Here are some great options:
- 1 slice of toast with 1 tablespoon of nut butter
- 1 apple with 1 tablespoon of nut butter
- 1 small Greek yogurt with .5 cups of blueberries
- Protein and fruit smoothie
- High-quality protein bar: Aim for 20-30 grams of carbohydrates, 10-20 grams of protein, and 5-10 grams of fat in your protein bar
It's important to drink plenty of fluids every day, and starting off your day with a glass of water is a great way to make sure you're getting enough. If you wait until you start working out to drink water, you will already be dehydrated.
Keep a water bottle with you at all times during the day and keep drinking from it!
Eat your pre-workout snack with 12-20oz of water.
Be lightly caffeinated
Caffeine is known to improve workouts based on many studies. How? Caffeine has been shown to improve mental focus and drive, as well as total-body strength, power, intensity, and delay fatigue. Replenishing our muscles after a workout can help improve our rate of muscle gain. This is an great way to improve your performance and results.
How much caffeine should you consume? This will be different for everyone. You should exercise caution when consuming this so you don't take in too much, which can cause people to feel dizzy or nauseous. You don't want your sleep to be negatively affected. If you drink a lot of caffeine before going to bed, you may not sleep as well. Caffeine will work best if you drink it 25-30 minutes before working out.
A few great sources of caffeine to utilize before your next workout:
- Coffee (95mg/cup)
- Espresso (64mg/oz)
- Green tea (28mg/cup)
- Pre-workout supplements (vary)
The recommended amount of caffeine per day is 350-400mg. Exceeding this amount can lead to problems such as lack of sleep, anxiety, and loss of appetite. Reaching the recommended dosage of caffeine is easy to do when using pre-workout supplements in an incorrect way. For the best pre-workout results, choose a product with a caffeine level below 300 mg. You should also avoid pre-bottled or canned products as they often contain additional chemicals. Powdered pre-workout supplements are the best option as you can control how much you take. We should aim to use the smallest amount possible to get the desired results. Most people can perform better when they consume 200mg of caffeine or less. Start with 1/2 or 1 full scoop, depending on your preference.
Log the details of your workout and focus on progressive overload
Now that you have a plan for your workouts, we will use this information to help you see progress (big or small) in every single workout. This progress is what adds up to incredible change.
The majority of people tend to either switch up their workout routine frequently, making it difficult to measure and see any progress, or they stick to the same routine but never change the intensity. This leads to a quick plateau.
We want to ensure that we are making progress every week. We do this with what's known as progressive overload.
Increasing the amount of weight you're lifting over time is the most important thing you can do for long-term success in your workouts. This means that you will increase the amount of work you do during your workouts over time.
Progressive overload simply ensures you're making consistent improvements. Small, consistent improvements eventually lead to incredible results!
To make sure you are progressing in your workouts, start keeping a record of the exercises you do during your sessions. You should keep a record of the exercises you do, including the order you do them in, the number of sets and reps you complete, and the weight you use. Then pick 1-2 of the 7 progressive overload examples above and apply them to your next workout.
Cut back and grow
Although this may seem to go against what you would expect, reducing your training and/or intensity could lead to greater muscle growth. Many trainers believe that they need to train with a lot of volume in order to see results, but this is not always the case. On Monday's it is easy to observe chest workouts with a lot of sets. Intensity techniques such as strip sets, forced reps and singles are commonly used by people who want to increase their intensity.
The body can only be pushed so far before it needs rest. You will not gain anything by pulverizing your body with high-intensity tricks. Muscle cannot be forced to grow. Instead, it should be gradually challenged and coaxed to adapt to your workouts. Your workouts should be able to be done without a high risk of burnout.
If you're not reaching your potential, try some of the techniques listed above to take your gains to a whole new level.
