Weight Lifting Routinely? Here's Some Advice...
Lifting weights but not getting the results that you want? Feeling “stuck”?
If you answered “yes” to either question above, then this article is for you.
You hit the gym consistently, yet you feel you’re just not quite attaining your goals.
You are conscious about your diet, yet you can’t hit that goal weight.
You would love to look like a bodybuilder, but don’t have the time to spend hours in the gym multiple times a day.
Although the fitness battle is ultimately won or lost in the kitchen, it might be your lifting routine that is keeping your potential at bay.
For most lifters, the routines follow the same, mundane themes; Monday’s are “International Chest and Triceps Day,'“ Tuesdays are Back and Biceps, Wednesdays Shoulders and Abs, Thursdays are for legs (maybe), Friday maybe more arms and core, Saturday is all cardio, and Sunday’s might be a rest day.
While this might not actually be 100% true (leg day seems to be optional most lifting routines), and cardio doesn’t always coincide with people’s “beliefs,” the general idea behind the routine is widely accepted. Now if you have the time and energy to be in the gym twice a day, every day, you will be Arnold Schwarzenegger in no time. In the real world though, we don’t necessarily have those resources, so I want to share with you a piece of advice I received not long ago that helped me accelerate my progress and add the size and strength I was looking for.
Stop constantly isolating your major muscle groups!
Start cycling in workouts that allow you to access the biggest muscle groups in the body - chest, back, and legs. Once these begin to grow and become stronger, they will assist in the secondary muscles you are also looking to grow.
Switch up your routine to train at least one of these three muscle groups at the beginning of every lifting session. These muscles are large enough to recover in between sessions, so you do not put yourself at any greater risk of injury, as long as you’re continuing to lift smart. They will also allow you to gain the most strength as they are the major muscles involved in all the traditional power lifts.
Naturally, we know that variation is also an essential part of fitness. So, going back to isolation workouts and working through cycles of 6 to 8 weeks can be beneficial, depending on your goals. But I believe this advice of mixing up your routines will make you more feel more efficient in the gym, help you build strength, and keep the mental grind of monotony from consuming you and demotivating you from your goals.
Lifting is a passion of mine, and as I learn, I want to share. If you read this blog and you’re interested in learning more or diving into the topic in a session, all you have to do is reach out.