Exercise is good for gaining muscle, losing weight and getting healthier. Everyone knows that. But what few people know is that changing very small aspects of your exercise can have a huge impact. Making these small changes to your workouts can help ensure you get the absolute best from your workout every time. So without further ado, here are your tips!
ABDOMINAL & WEIGHT TRAINING TIPS
- When reaching the top movement of a crunch, exhale forcefully. This will force your muscles to work harder.
- Between sets of exercises, stretch the muscle you were working for about 30 seconds before moving on. This will actually help build up your strength.
- The day after a hard workout, lightly exercise the muscles used. This will help them recover without putting too much strain on them.
- Balance your sets of abdominal exercises with lower back exercises. If you only focus on training your abs it can cause lower-back pain and bad posture.
- Make sure all abdominal exercises are performed with the right technique to get maximum results and avoid injury.
CARDIO TIPS
- Go hard, then easy when doing cardio exercises such as running. Make yourself run faster for a while, then slow down. This will work your muscles harder than if you just ran at a medium pace all the time.
- Find some hills and go up them. Going uphill will make your muscles work at a different intensity. When running uphill, keep your head and eyes facing upwards. This will open your airways to help your breathing, and will also keep your body straight and balanced.
GENERAL TIPS
- Limit your workouts to 30-40 minutes, or an hour at most. After that your body will be too tired and you won’t be getting the most out of your workout.
- Eat protein, such as meats, after workouts. Protein gives you energy and helps with the healing process in your body, and is very useful if you are wanting to gain more muscle.
- Stay hydrated throughout exercise. As you sweat, you lose fluid, and you need to drink up to maintain hydration.
- Take a day’s rest between workouts to let your muscles recover fully. If you overwork yourself, you could cause injury or burnout. Do high intensity workouts 2-3 times a week, leaving time between to let your body rest and get ready for more work.
Hope this helps with your training, and good luck!
