Did you know that at one point, people believed they could use a vibrating belt to shake fat away?
Fitness fads come and go, and many end up in the graveyard of history. After all, everyone wants to achieve optimal health, even if it involves doing something silly to get there. But at the end of the day, there are certain principles of health and well-being that never change.
2023 is here, and with it, we’re likely to see another wave of fads from the fitness industry. So to keep you current, we have some workout tips to maximize your physical fitness at the gym.
Keep reading for all the latest ways to build the muscle protrusion you desire in 2023.
The Most Important of All Workout Tips: Eat Well
You can pump iron all day at the gym. But all of that effort is ruined if you wash it down with a Coke and a Big Mac. Nutrition is key for any diet or exercise regimen.
There’s no need to go with extreme diets that require tons of meal prep. You can keep things simple. A few tips that everyone should keep in mind for their diet:
- Cut out as much sugar as you possibly can
- Limit processed foods
- Use portion control for every meal
- Have healthy snacks
- Prioritize lean meats, chicken, and fish over red meat
What you choose to eat is up to you. Have a healthy balance of vegetables, fruits, and grains. Adapt your diet over time if you are struggling to make any headway with it.
Try supplements, too. Something like deer antler spray might make a noticeable change in your workout.
Keep a Record of Your Progress
Goals are important because they allow you to see where you’re at so you can improve. If you don’t know how many sets you were doing last week, you won’t improve this week.
The problem with doing a mental tally is that your body is lazy. You might only do as many sets as you can tolerate, and then rest. But your body sees this number and underperforms to keep the rep number stagnant.
So learn how to trick your body by having a workout journal. Track your sets so you can see how many you’re doing week after week. If you’re not doing more sets–or more weight–then you’re not making progress.
You can do this with a phone app, too. Use your rest between sets to punch in the number and then continue on as planned.
Don’t Neglect Cardio
Cardio, cardio, cardio. It’s the one thing that all personal trainers recommend at some point. Humans are cardio machines, after all, given how we can run farther than most animals.
Don’t make the mistake of never doing cardio. You don’t have to do it every day, though. Many either do a small amount at the end of their workout or dedicate a day to it.
It’s entirely up to you how you do the cardio, though. There’s nothing wrong with hitting the standing bike or the treadmill for thirty minutes. But if you prefer some fresh air, go for a jog around the block.
The important thing is to stress your muscles and work up a sweat. For many, a brisk walk is not enough. Do something that gets your heart pumping and your pores sweating.
Choose What Body Type You’re Going for and Stick With it
Some people want to get stacked and have muscles on their muscles. Others want a pair of six-pack abs hard enough to use as a washboard. Some just want to trim their pandemic fat.
Whatever your goals, find the workouts that help you achieve them. If you want to build muscle, then stick with heavier weights and fewer reps. Focus on increasing that weight week after week and maxing out your sets with a spotter.
If lean is more of your style, then reps are your friend. Light weights and tons of repetitions will give you that lean, tight muscle you desire.
If you have no specific goal in mind, then try everything and stick with what you like. But no matter what your goals are, ALWAYS have a balance. As the saying goes, you shouldn’t skip leg day.
Divide Up Your Workouts and Take Rest Days
It’s generally a good idea to focus on one to three muscle groups during the same day. This keeps you in the same general area of the gym and pushes your muscles to the limit. You want to tire yourself out to give your muscles the microtears they need to grow.
Space out your workouts. Don’t work out the same muscle for more than two days in a row. It needs adequate time to heal before you put it under the gun again.
Most importantly, take rest days. Rest is the body’s method of recharging and healing. Exercising is a form of injuring your body in microscopic ways, and without proper rest, you’re heading for injury territory.
On that note, take all injuries very seriously–whether you’re 20 or 120. If your arm hurts in the wrong way while benching, lay off the bench for a few weeks. Listen to what your body tells you.
Build a Workout Routine in 2023
There are a lot of new workout tips every year, but most of them boil down to the same general concepts. Have strong nutrition, keep goals, and fit in a bit of cardio at the end. Rest well and make sure you’re working out every muscle group–but no more than it can handle.
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