Whether your life in San Antonio, TX, is hectic or laid back and relaxed, you probably want to make your workouts more effective. It saves time and produces better results. Not all exercises are equal in effectiveness. Some are better for getting quicker results or being just as beneficial in less time. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard or can do them once and see results immediately. There are no magic shortcuts.
Compound exercises work many muscle groups at once.
Some exercises only exercise one muscle group. They are isolation exercises like the barbell bicep curl. They only work one joint and muscle group. Compound exercises, like burpees, work several muscle groups at once, so you get more of a workout in a shorter time frame. There’s a place for both types of exercise when you workout, but if you want a quicker and more effective workout, using compound exercises helps.
Have a cup of coffee before you workout.
While you’re sipping coffee, have a pre-workout snack. The caffeine in the coffee stimulates the central nervous system to give a boost to your performance. A pre-workout snack composed of carbs and protein provides the energy to help you maximize your workout without hitting the wall mid-session. When the workout ends, top it off with a post-workout snack also composed of protein. It helps recovery and stimulates the muscle-building process.
High intensity interval training—HIIT—burns tons of calories in less time.
If you’re trying to lose weight, burning extra calories sounds enticing. So what is this miracle exercise? It’s not an exercise at all, but a way of doing all types of exercise. You start with a few minutes at peak intensity and then a few minutes at a recovery pace, returning to peak intensity when that’s complete. You rotate intensity throughout your workout. It’s perfect for building endurance and works faster than steady-state exercises. You can also use it with strength-building workouts.
- You’ll get a full-body workout when you use kettlebells. It also boosts several types of fitness, strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance. You’ll also burn more calories when you do kettlebell routines.
- Sip on water throughout your workout to keep your body working at full capacity. Even mild dehydration can sap your energy and make your workout less productive.
- Reduce your rest time between sets, repetitions, and exercises. If your workout is intense, you can take longer between exercises than you would if you’re working at a moderate pace. Cutting out distractions, like phone calls, gets you out of the gym faster.
- Add weights to your workout. Whether you’re walking, running, or doing bodyweight workouts, adding weights can increase the challenge. Holding weights while doing squats makes the workout more difficult.
For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio