How to Take Your Workouts to the Next Level
Sticking with the same training program for a long time is a sure shot way of hitting a plateau and stalling your gains. To get the most out of your workouts, your training techniques should develop and advance with you.
Improving your physique with every passing year is a constant quest for which you’ll have to work hard. Shocking your muscles is the only way to make them grow. If you follow the same training program in every workout, your muscles can get used to them and will refuse to grow.
Advanced Training Techniques
Advanced training techniques like the super, drop, giant, rest-pause sets, forces, cheat, 21 reps are a great way to shock your muscles and force them into growing. As you get advanced, you’ll have to be on the lookout for how to make your workouts harder.
Bodybuilders are always chasing the pump and you should be willing to leave your comfort zone and try new things. Changing the rep tempos and increasing the time under tension can do wonders for your muscle growth.
New Training Equipment
Use of new training equipment can be instrumental in sparking new muscle growth. Using an arm blaster, fat grips for your arm workouts, elastic bands for supersets or adding resistance, or using assistance tools like slingshots, knee, elbow sleeves can take your workouts to a whole new level.
If you have been working out at the same gym for a year or two, your body might get familiar with the machines. Changing gyms can help ignite muscle gains as the ergonomics of the machines will be new for your body.
Change Training Splits
Switching up your training days can be a good idea. If you train your chest on the international chest day, i.e. Monday, move it to the end of the week. Doing this can keep your muscles guessing.
You could also train two muscles groups in a single workout. Training two muscles in a single day allow you to train one muscle group twice a week which is a great way of bringing up lagging muscles.
Start a New Training Program
You’ll know your body is adapting to your training program when you stop getting a pump and see no positive changes in your muscles. Every training program intends to develop your muscles by following certain principles.
You can’t follow the same training program for building muscle, losing fat or toning your muscles and expect to see results. Make sure you don’t jump the gun and start an advanced program if you’re a beginner.
Time
As you advance in your training, the time you spend in the gym shouldn’t increase. Most people think spending more time training will get them better results. Your muscles don’t grow while you’re working out, they develop when you’re resting and are following a diet.
Incorporate advanced training techniques and make your workouts more intense so you can get a lot done in one hour at the gym. After the one hour mark, the time you spend in the gym will be inversely proportional to the effectiveness of your workout. Most people will do better by keeping their workouts short, intense and explosive.
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