Are you bored with your exercise routine? Or frustrated by diminished results? You are likely experiencing a fitness plateau. The best way to break through it is to challenge your body in new and different ways.
To start, here are three effective methods for elevating your workouts.
1) Add Some Squeeze: You can intensify almost any exercise just by adding some squeeze. Try it during your next set of biceps curls by stopping near the top of each rep and squeezing the biceps for about three seconds. This is also highly effective with triceps exercises. These are “Isometric Contractions,” meaning your muscles does not change length during the squeeze. Even with moderate weight, they can help you get a much better workout.
Isometric contractions are most effective when performed within full-range exercises, as described above, but can also be performed individually by working against your own forces. For example, target your chest by pressing the palms together or isolate your back by grabbing each wrist and pulling the arms apart. Use as much force as you comfortably can and hold for up to ten seconds. After two or three sets, you should feel blood flowing to your muscles.
2) Go High Rep: Another way to spice up your workouts is to experiment with very high repetitions. It is common, especially among men, to perform only 8 to 12 repetitions per set for each exercise. Initially, this is a great way to build muscle. But your body adapts quickly that rep range. Try this, instead: on your last set of each exercise, perform a set of 30 to 35 repetitions at a lighter weight. This is a great way to build muscle endurance, and you will likely ‘feel’ your muscles much more the next day, a reminder you worked a little harder than normal.
There’s no reason to stop there. Once you have done 35 repetitions for a few workouts, if you are feeling up to it, try going all the way to 50 for a very intense challenge! At this rep level, most exercises develop a cardiovascular component, as well. So be sure to start slowly at a low weight and to progress comfortably.
3) Try “Strip Sets”: One of the most effective methods for stimulating additional muscle growth is a system called “Strip Sets.” With this method, you increase the repetitions and decrease the weight for each of at least three sets. For example, if performing a classic bench press, after warming up, start with a heavy weight that allows you to complete only four to six repetitions, then move to a weight that allows you to complete eight to ten repetitions, and finish with a weight that allows you to complete 12-15 repetitions. It is always great to have a workout partner help adjust the weights, but this can also be done on your own.
The strip set system is a great challenge because it utilizes both heavy and light weights to target both fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. But it is definitely not easy to perform continuous strip sets, especially for beginners. So don’t try it unless you have already been exercising regularly for some time.
Also, be sure to consult your physician before starting any new fitness program and to always progress your exercises at a steady, comfortable pace.
If you think you may benefit from working with a personal trainer in the Lower Mainland to challenge you to break through a personal fitness plateau, contact us today!
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Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer. For further information, call the office at 604-420-7800 or visit KarpFitness.com.