8 Ways to Crank Up Your Workouts

We all experience sticking points in our training, which may let us feel that we are not making any progress. Here are some training tips that will crank up your workouts and propel you forward:

Emphasize the negative when moving weight

In other words, Count 4-6 seconds on the negative (eccentric) portion on each rep.

This works well on machine and barbell based exercises, and it really makes bodyweight exercises more challenging.

Add an isometric hold into your exercise

Either at the end of the set or at one or two positions in the range of motion of each rep, perform an isometric contraction.

This is a type of contraction where you simply hold the weight and not move, yet the muscle is working hard.

Do this for several seconds, motionless, before finishing the movement.

This works great on shoulder raises, bicep curls, and bodyweight squats (word of warning though – be careful on the squat exercise.)

Reinforce stricter form

Lets be honest here – who doesn’t  sometimes cheat and use momentum to lift the weight?

Instead, use very strict form to make the weight feel more challenging.

This works well on bicep curls, push-ups, lat pull-downs, and rows.

This seems obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many people overlook form as a way to benefit their workout results.

Implement a full range of motion

Oftentimes people get in the habit of shortening the range of motion to make the exercise a bit easier.

It’s human nature to do this.

If the weight seems light, perform the full range of motion of the exercise while keeping safety and biomechanics in mind.

This works well on pull-ups, bench press, flys, curls, lunges, and squats.

Add manual resistance

If the weight is light, you can add in your own resistance. instead of helping ease the weight off, you’re applying more.

Apply some extra weight to the bar, the dumbbell, your body, or the limb that’s moving.

If you have never done this before, you’ll be surprised by how much this will change the feel and the difficulty of the exercise.

This works well on machines, barbell, and bodyweight exercises.

Stand on one leg or narrow your base of support

If it is a standing exercise, put your feet together, or even stand on one leg to challenge your stability.

(Of course, keep safety in mind too, as well as the overall goal of the exercise.)

At the same time, don’t make it just about balance.

If your goal is to build strength or increase muscular size with an exercise, but you make the lift so unstable it becomes a challenge just to balance, then you are being counterproductive.

Perform one and one-quarter reps

This technique works particularly well with exercises that have a longer range of motion, such as squats, leg presses, and bench presses.

To incorporate this technique, perform the eccentric phase and lift the weight just a quarter of the range of motion.

Then return to the starting position and perform the full range of motion on the concentric exercise.

For example, if you squat down all the way, squat up just one quarter of the way, squat back down again, then stand all the way up.

A set of 10 of these reps is considerably tougher than a traditional set of 10 reps.

Perform partials at the end

Once you have finished the normal set, perform partial reps during the part of the movement where you think you need improvement.

For example – bench pressing – when you can’t push out any more full repetitions, lower the bar from a straight-arm position to just above half-way down.

(Warning though, have a spotter to help you just in case you ‘become too enthusiastic’).

You can even vary this range of motion a little bit by moving your hands to slightly different positions with each set. This way, you keep your muscles guessing what’s next.

If you would like my guidance to ensure you are taking the right action to help you reach your goals simply click on the link where you’ll find out more about having the right plan in place and taking action on that plan.

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