Take your workout to the next level

Maintaining a consistent and effective workout regimen is crucial for achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, sticking to the same workout routine day after day can become monotonous and lead to a lack of motivation. Fortunately, there are several ways to uplift your workout regime, breathe new life into your fitness routine, and make exercising more enjoyable.

In this article, we’ll explore some practical tips and tricks to help you revamp your workout regime and get back on track toward your fitness goals.

Hire a trainer

If you’re a fitness enthusiast, hiring a trainer can be one of the best investments you can make in yourself. A trainer can provide you with another set of eyes to check your form, an extra boost of motivation to help you push through that last rep, and an educated brain to help you achieve your fitness goals.

When selecting a trainer, it’s important to research and asks the right questions. Look for accredited certifications, such as a kinesiology or exercise science degree or a CSCS (certified strength and conditioning specialist) from the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association). Ensure the trainer’s certification is current, and they can explain the reasoning behind the exercises they have you doing. If a trainer does not meet these requirements, it’s best to keep looking. You can find an experienced trainer at reputable fitness centers, such as Northern Fitness.

Get intense

Although some individuals may indeed overtrain, leading to a negative impact on their progress, the reality is that many lifters actually undertrain. As a result, they often fail to push themselves hard enough to create the necessary stress on their bodies to trigger hypertrophy, which is the process of building muscle. To combat this, incorporating intensity techniques like forced reps, drop sets, super sets, rest-pause sets, forced negatives, and others into your workouts can be extremely beneficial. Doing so can break through plateaus and significantly gain strength and muscle mass.

If you have an incline treadmill, you can perform tough exercises like lateral walking, hill ladder workouts, progression runs, etc.

Improve your baseline conditioning.

Baseline fitness levels are a good benchmark to gauge health and fitness improvement. Your baseline fitness involves your baseline activities and going above and beyond. Baseline activities are light-intensity activities you do every day, like walking, standing, and lifting objects. Increasing your baseline activities through exercise conditioning is crucial to taking your workout to the next level.

Having good baseline conditioning is key to maximizing the benefits of your workouts. And a crucial element of good conditioning has a well-developed aerobic system.

The aerobic energy system requires oxygen for the combustion of fats and carbohydrates. It depends on the circulatory system to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an energy-carrying molecule, to generate energy. Moreover, the aerobic system gives energy for low- to medium-intensity activities and sports with repeated rallies, shifts, or sustained exercise.

Your aerobic system is what powers your body, even during high-intensity exercise. So after you push yourself to your anaerobic limit, your body needs to return to your aerobic state to recover and replenish itself.

To improve your aerobic conditioning, try incorporating 20–40 minute steady-state cardio workouts into your routine 2–3 times per week. This can include activities like jogging, cycling, or swimming, which can help improve your endurance and build a stronger foundation for your overall fitness.

Supersets/Tri Sets/Giant Sets

Supersets, tri-sets, and giant sets are great time-saving techniques for those who want to increase their training volume. The idea is to perform two or more exercises back-to-back, with little or no rest in between.

These advanced training methods involve performing two to four exercises in succession, forcing the muscles to work longer and perform more sets in a short time. It comes with a 10-second resting period between exercises.

For supersets, combine two exercises that work opposing muscle groups, such as biceps and triceps, or the same muscle group to intensify your workout. For example, seated rows and lat pulldowns can be combined for back exercises. In addition, Tri Sets involve performing three exercises in succession, while giant sets require doing four or more exercises in a row.

A good example of Tri Sets includes T-bar rows, wide grip pulldowns, and seal rows. Performing three exercises in succession for a muscle group causes more metabolic stress and muscle damage to help build muscular hypertrophy. On the other hand, recovery is difficult in giant sets, but they’re great for muscle building and eliminating body fat.

Rest-pause exercises

For those focused on building power, rest-pause training can effectively push more weight and increase your rep count. Here’s how it works:

Let’s say you’re doing a bench press with 275 pounds on the bar. After completing five reps, count to 10 or 15 seconds instead of taking your normal rest, and then get right back to work. You might be able to push out an additional 2 or 3 reps before reaching failure again. While this might not seem like much, it can add up over time and lead to significant gains in strength.

A more prolonged version of rest-pause training is called cluster sets. These involve taking a slightly longer rest period of 20-30 seconds before doing more reps and then repeating this cycle for a total of three “clusters” to constitute one set. This method is great for compound movements like squats or deadlifts, where you can challenge yourself with heavier weights and push past plateaus.

Taking your fitness training to the next level can be a challenging but rewarding experience. By incorporating new techniques, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and working with experienced trainers, you can achieve your fitness goals and elevate your overall health and wellness. Remember that fitness is a journey, and by committing to continuous improvement, you can positively impact your body, mind, and quality of life.