For lean muscle development or strength training, no matter how good progress is initially, eventually it will slow down. Sometimes it will seem to go nowhere at all. By keeping the following tips in mind, you will be on track to keep the gains going, and overcome sticking points.
1) Make the basic weight training exercises the foundation of your workouts. Focus your efforts in your training on the tried and proven 'Compound Exercises': Squats, Bench Press, Deadlifts, Shoulder Press, Rows, Dips etc. These are the exercises that will exert the most stimulation on your body for strength and lean muscle, as well as tap into the most calories for burning. If you are spending more time using muscle isolation type exercises instead, then you will be holding back your potential.
2) Keep exercises balanced. We all have favourite exercises we like to do and favourite body parts we like to train. For healthiest progress, building muscle symmetry and balanced strength is another area to focus your efforts on. What are your weak spots or lagging muscles? These areas should be worked on with the goal to bring them up to the same level as your strengths. As much as you possibly can. Working towards this will help build a more balanced body, and strong posture. This will help protect you from injury too.
3) Include regular variation. To keep your muscle and strength gains progressing, it's important to introduce variation from time to time. If you've been falling into repeating the same workout over and over, then introduce some changes. This can be as simple as slightly increasing the weights used at each workout, shuffling days around, or swapping in new movements. You should still keep the basic foundation exercises in there, but work on ways to make things more challenging overall.
4) Maximise rest and recuperation. Your plan should allow time for recovery of the different muscles you are hitting at each workout. This is very important for lean muscle and strength goals. Take a look at how you can structure your workouts so you aren't overworking particular muscle groups by hitting them too often. For example, if you were to train Shoulders one day, and Chest the following day, then your Shoulders will be getting two workouts in a row, and so will your Triceps. Overlaps like this can put the brakes on progress and lead to injury.
5) Learn correct form and focus on it. When it comes to 'moving weights', form is the most important factor for your workout longevity, and how far you can go with your body. Form needs to be highest priority. It is possible to get away with less than ideal form for a while, but eventually it will be a wall you cannot overcome. Really focus on tidy movements that protect your joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The more skilled you are with your exercise form, the more advanced levels you will be able to reach with your goals.
Close (esc)
Be A VIP > Enjoy Up to 50% Off!
Please drop your email here to get my VIP news. I'll show you what to do and how to save now ;) Talk soon, Mike
Age verification
By clicking enter you are verifying that you are old enough to consume alcohol.