Train with a purpose: keep intensity high and total workout time short
Work your largest muscles structures first in you workout. Hips, thighs then upper torso (chest back, shoulders), then arms, abs and low back. The smaller muscles of the neck and forearms can be worked last. If playing a sport such as football, train the neck first.
Use an underhand, close grip for upper back exercises. This will allow the stronger bicep muscles to work harder and push your Lats deeper. Remember on most back exercises, the biceps and the forearms are the limiting factor
Train with a meaningful resistance. Heavy enough to fatigue the muscles within 70-90 seconds, but not to heavy where form goes astray.
Always squeeze or contract muscle when you can. Example the end position in a leg curl, or the top position in bicep curl. This intensifies the muscular contraction.
Muscle fiber is not recruited based on speed of contraction, but rather on total force required. That is by moving fast in the weight room you DO NOT recruit more fast -twitch muscle fiber. If anything, being that the total force is less, you recruit less.
Try keeping it simple designing a workout plan. Remember, as exercise volume increases, the exercise intensity always decreases. Less exercise performed very intensely is always more productive than the total volume of exercise.
It takes just 60 seconds to fatigue a muscle. Period. Not three sets of 10, 4 sets of 15, or any other crazy format.
Running, cycling or traditional forms of exercise are NOT the best way to build your cardiovascular system. High intensity strength training is. Most people cannot and will not allow themselves to believe that, but try it and you might be suprised.
Remember rest is just as important as the stimulus that you give it during your workout. As one gets stronger the rest intervals will have to increase.
Compound movements (squat, chest press, shoulder press, etc) give you the most bang for your buck. They also tend to require the most energy as well.
Progression, Progression, Progression
To intensify the workout, provide a greater cardiovascular benefit and increase overall work capacity; move quickly from exercise to exercise. The less the total time between exercises the greater the overall stimulus.
Moving a weight slower is not only harder , but it is also much more productive. It recruits more muscle fibers, provides a greater inroad into the sub-systems of the body, and is tremendously safer. Keep it slow and controlled and you will quickly understand and feel the benefits.
You can train hard or you can train long.. but you cannot train Hard and long .. Keep workouts brief and efficient.
When performing the triceps extension exercise with a high pulley, make sure the elbows stay glued to the sides. This will keep the arms from moving away from the body and help stimulate the triceps muscle harder. The farther the arms sway or move forward, the easier the exercise
The faster one moves throughout the workout - the greater the workout intensity and overall systemic effect. To maximize cardiovascular stimulation, take no break between exercises.
Focus on squeezing out repetitions rather than pulling or pushing weights. By doing this the contraction to the muscle is greater which can lead to better strength gains
A great arm cycle would be to perform a set of negatives chins followed immediately by a set of bicep curls followed by a set of negative only dips followed by a set of triceps extension. Try to take no breaks between the exercises.
Allow for adequate recovery between workouts, at least 48 hours. For advanced trainees 96-120 hours of rest should be sufficient.
When performing barbell rows, utilize an underhand grip. This places your biceps in stronger position and allows you to work your latissimus dorsi muscles harder. Always pause in the top position and try to pinch your shoulder blades together.
Weekly training tips to help you get the most out of your workouts:
Genetics play the largest part in your overall response to exercise. Train hard, eat right, and rest, and let your natural ability take over.
Training with a partner is a great way to stay motivated and get more out of your workouts.
Mix it up from time to time - a little variety in the weight room can go a long way, but too much variety can halt progression
Try a push -pull time format in your workouts. A pushing movement such as a press immediately into a pulling movement such as a Leg curl, and alternate. This type workout - with no rest, will stimulate your cardiovascular system as well as your muscles.
Try some negatives in your workouts from time to time. The negative exercise will be extremely demanding, and will work the body harder than a basic set of exercises. Don't overdo it though, as a little really goes a long way here.
Keep in mind when training - less can be more if intensity is increased. It is not about how much our bodies can tolerate rather its' really about how much --or how little our bodies need to stimulate the growth process.
Forget reps and sets and focus more on quality of movement. Controlled movements are provide more a greater stimulus to the muscle.
Every workout cannot be a PR -or a personal best. Track progression over time Growth and results take time.
The best way to lose bodyfat or reduce bodyfat levels is to increase muscle mass. Aerobic exercise helps create a greater caloric deficit, but adding muscle is the key to long term fat loss.