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.
STIMULATE
