Day #5 – Give 3 Tips to Improve Your Workout

Thanks everyone for joining in on the November Blogger Challenge!  I love reading your posts 🙂  Sorry I was a little late on the weekend posts – my bodybuilding show required my full attention.  But now I’m back in the blogger game!

3 Tips to Improve Your Strength Workout

1. Tighten the muscle group you are going to work before starting the exercise.  Claire from my church’s Crossfit class gave me that little trick.  The reason to do this is to increase blood flow to that muscle group as well as to focus your mind so you really contract during the exercise and not just mentally wander off in the middle of your reps.

2. Go fast up, then slower down.  According to a new study by the University of Alabama, “The best increases in strength are achieved by doing the up phase as rapidly as possible,” says Gary Hunter, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., the lead study author. “Lower the weight more slowly and under control.” There’s greater potential for growth during the lowering phase, and when you lower with control, there’s less chance of injury.  (Source: Men’s Health)

3. Mix things up.  My trainer, Daniel Rufini, says your body is constantly trying to adapt, so you have to find ways to trick your muscles to work harder.  Try different exercises for each muscle group.  Change up the tempo, increase and decrease the weights and the reps, and try new things entirely from time to time.  For example, he suggested to me instead of doing treadmill for my cardio, I should try a kick-boxing class.  (You mean I get to kick and punch and no one will kick and punch me back?  Yes!)

How about you?  What are your little fitness tricks?

Lisa

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