Are you done with the holidays? Is all the junk food from holiday parties and events gone? Most of all, are you ready to go back to the gym and start working on your body? We really hope you are because the sooner you begin, the better. And with everything new in 2018, we’d like to show you some great new tips you could use to improve your training.
Cardio 2.0
As we’ve mentioned, you’ve probably stuffed yourself a bit with junk food lately and that is perfectly fine. The holiday spirit is to blame for that. But, you probably want to burn that extra fat on your belly quickly and efficiently , right? Well, it is common knowledge that cardio is the best way to do that. In order to maximize the effect of a cardio workout, we strongly advise you to alter the traditional way of doing it. You have to kick your heart rate up, but also slow down in short intervals of time. That way you’ll burn calories like hell. So start hard and kick up the intensity and then slow down and recover. More sweat means a bigger calorie burn.
Focus on your core
We can’t emphasize enough how important your core is. The core is a system of muscles that wraps around your torso and stabilizes and protects your spine from injury. Activate the core muscles before each exercise to make sure that your back is safe because, if you fail to do so, you will mess up your balance and body position, which is awful. On top of that, isn’t your six pack something you want everyone to see? Those muscles in the middle have to be taken care of properly. Therefore, put in some extra work on your core because it will be well worth it!
Free weights instead of machines
The main problem with machines is that they are designed with a specific path the weight has to travel. Unfortunately, that path isn’t so perfect. Every human on this planet is unique and if you are too tall or too short, that fixed path simply won’t fit your physiology. And with that comes the increased chance of getting injured. So instead of hitting the machines, you should go for dumbbells, barbells and medicine balls to build strength in ways more appropriate for your body. On top of that, you’ll activate those smaller stabilizing muscles that machines miss.
Spice it up
Are you getting bored by the same old training routine? Is weight lifting becoming annoying and dreadful? If so, we recommend that you try something new. It is perfectly normal that some routines become boring over the time and the new year is the perfect time to spice things up a bit. Instead of machines, you should try kettlebells. Throw them around, lift them and have some fun. Your workouts should be dynamic. Have you tried CrossFit or Tabata workout? We hear that Australians are big on these. Did we mention that men’s fitness in Australia these days heavily revolves around the 300 (movie) workout?
Push-ups and why you shouldn’t forget them
A simple pushup is one of the best exercises in the world. A pushup is awesome for increasing strength and engaging the core and lower body. You can do it anywhere you want since it is a bodyweight exercise. Do them properly and you’ll strengthen your chest, abs and back. Due to the core engagement, it will also aid your balance and stability, which is great. With proper pushups, you’ll improve muscle density, core strength and the whole upper body. Push-ups require the involvement of your arms, abs and your lower body, all at the same time. Your muscles will work together and become stronger.
Further improvement of ourselves should be the main goal this year. But, in order to achieve that, we have to work on every single segment of our lives. Becoming stronger mentally is equally important as becoming stronger physically. With our tips, we are sure that you’ll improve your training routine and therefore better your gym progress.