Train in a new way
Here are eight tips to get more out of your workout.
1. Write down your goals
Studies show that people who write down goals are more likely to achieve them, no matter how unlikely they might seem. Define and write down your fitness goals, and focus on them on a daily basis. Develop a plan of attack. At the end of each day, try to ask yourself, "Did I make progress today toward my goals?" Some days, you may make more progress than other days, but try to inch a little closer each day.
2. Improve pillar strength
Your pillar consists of all the muscles from your hips to your shoulders. This is where all movement originates. Give it the attention it deserves. Everyone - not just competitive athletes - needs to improve posture and pillar strength.
3. Challenge your body
Lifting and chopping movements force you to rotate, challenging your body to move within all three planes of motion. Traditional bodybuilding exercises just work on one plane, which generally diminishes your flexibility, balance, and elasticity as you get stronger.
4. Be proactive, not reactive
We all lead busy lives, but what is more important than our health? Often we don't think about our body until it lets us down. Try incorporating pre-hab exercises into your workout routine to keep your body from breaking down into a cumulative injury cycle. Think of this as a form of investment. Invest in your body proactively and you will achieve a healthier and more productive lifestyle.
5. Think about your posture wherever you are
When you sit at your computer at work or home, avoid letting your shoulders roll forward and tighten, which will happen when you're hunched over. This puts undue stress on your lower back and will lead to injuries and terrible posture as you age.
6. Recruit more muscles
By doing exercises likes the one-arm, one-leg dumbbell row, as opposed to the familiar dumbbell-row exercise, you will recruit more muscles in your body and improve their coordination. This certainly increases the size of your muscles, but also challenges your balance, flexibility, and joint stability.
7. Take it easy
The repair of muscles and cells through active rest is critical to getting the results you want. Make sure you follow the 'regeneration' section of your training programme - such as self-massage and active isolated stretching - as diligently as you follow the workout sections.
8. Forget traditional 'cardio'
Your Energy System Development (ESD) programme components will help you develop three different energy systems. First, there is your body's lactate threshold, its capacity to do high-intensity work for up to three minutes. Interval training, alternating intense exercise with less strenuous periods, can accomplish this. Second, there is alactate power, your body's ability to do high-level work for periods of up to 12 seconds. Elasticity exercises focus on this. Third, there is your aerobic system, the ability to work beyond three minutes and enhance your recovery from intense bursts of energy.
Warm up & cool down
One of the keys to an effective fitness session is to warm up before hand and cool down afterwards. Here are some tips.
The art of the warm-up
Taking the time to perform an effective warm up is perhaps the easiest way to make noticeable performance improvements while preventing those pesky injuries that are so common in sport and life. The purpose of a warm up is to properly prepare the body to move.
It's a good idea to conduct an active series of warm up exercises that will effectively increase your core temperature; lengthen, strengthen, stabilize, and balance your muscles; and prepare your body for the upcoming movement. Not only will this 'movement preparation' ensure that your muscles are turned on and engaged for the upcoming workout or competition, but with just five to ten minutes each day, you will see more flexibility, mobility, and stability gains than you have ever seen.
Often, as part of a warm up you will see people incorporate long static stretches to 'loosen up' before training. But by holding long static stretches right before a training session, you are effectively shutting off the muscles when you need them the most, making the upcoming physical demands harder on the body. Active, dynamic stretches are more suitable for a warm up.
Cool down and recover
Most people think that when your workout's over, your work is done. But muscle grows during rest and you need to give both your mind and body time to improve. A simple way to get started on 'active recovery', as opposed to sitting on a couch, is with self massage techniques using a foam roll.
Foam roll exercises act as a deep massage, using deep compression to release muscle spasms that develop over time. The only piece of equipment required is an 18 inch long roll of tightly packed foam 5 inches in diameter (if you don't have access to a foam roll, you can use an old football).
You'll probably enjoy the foam roll routine; however, there will be some uncomfortable moments, as there are with a professional massage. After a few weeks it will become much easier and more comfortable. The foam roll is a great barometer of the quality of your muscle and connective tissue. The better it feels, and the less it hurts, the better the quality of your tissue.
Feel free to use the foam roll anywhere you feel tight and in need of a massage. Simply glide your body over the foam, holding on any sore spots you find for 30-60 seconds to release the tissue.
Stretch yourself
Stretching is an important part of any cool-down. It is vital for injury prevention, muscle recovery, optimizing muscle gains, and increasing flexibility. It's important to understand how, and when, to use different types of stretching.
How it works
Static stretching (the traditional stretch-and-hold you're used to) works by sending a message to the muscle saying, 'shut this tightness off', ultimately forcing the muscle to release and relax. By holding long static stretches right before a practice or game you are effectively shutting off the muscles when you need them the most, making the upcoming physical demands harder on the body. It's not that static stretching is a bad idea, it can be a great tool when done correctly and at the appropriate time.
When it works
Static stretching is best used post-workout or at the end of the day to elongate the muscle and connective tissue, while turning off the nervous system (your brain and the nerves running to and from your muscles). It is also effective on pure recovery days, as long static holds help to produce long-term changes in the fascia (the band of elastic tissue that envelops the body, beneath the skin), ultimately improving muscle balance and flexibility. So in the future try to refrain from holding long static stretches before any training and save it for after your workout or games.