1. Cardio Gets a Bad Reputation
Cardio has an overwhelming amount of data that supports the health benefits you get. Regardless if you’re doing high-intensity or low-impact, you’ll still receive the benefits. However, it often gets a bad reputation and many actually skip cardio. But cardio itself isn’t bad to add to your routine if you’re a guy or someone who typically skips it. Why? Because it enhances muscle building. If you’ve ever done cardio then tried lifting, you know it doesn’t end well. By the time you try to lift, your whole body has given up. However, if you want to get the benefits of cardio, squeeze it in after your lift session.
2. Indulge in Protein Before Bed
You often hear people following a diet where they stop food consumption after a certain time, swearing it takes off the extra pounds. While this is true in theory (calories in vs calories out), it’s not exactly healthy. When you work out hard, your body needs time and adequate nutrients to recover properly. Protein helps rebuild muscles and is one of those essential food items you want to make sure you’re eating enough of. A study from the Netherlands showed that consuming food rich in casein before bed keeps your amino acid and protein synthesis going while you’re asleep.
3. Sleep Well
Everyone knows that a quality night’s rest is essential for daily functioning. However, it’s crucial for your workouts, too. A lack of sleep hinders your performance, your caloric burn, and makes it harder for you to do better in your next session. Why? Sleep helps your muscles and body recover from sessions, so not sleeping much can cause overtraining symptoms or plateaus.
4. Get a Massage
A massage seems more like a treat than something you should receive daily, but it’s actually beneficial to your workouts. Research conducted by McMaster University in Canada found that massages help muscles decrease inflammation and increase mitochondria.[14] What does this mean? You get more power in your workouts and recover faster.
5. Don’t Skip Out on Weights
Here’s a workout tip some people don’t want to hear: don’t skip out on weight. We all know that one person who swears by cardio only routine. While it might work great for the short term, it’s not beneficial in the long run. Your routine does need to include some type of lifting program. Why? Your metabolism slows making it harder to lose weight.6. Never Skip a Warm-Up
You often hear fitness experts emphasizing warmups or stretches before and after a workout. While it’s a solid idea and should be done, some don’t feel it’s necessary. Whether it’s a lack of time or they just don’t feel like it, many skip the warmups. But research shows that you shouldn’t. Not only do stretches have benefits for your workout, but dynamic warmups do too. A study from Austin State University found that people who warmed up lightly with leg extensions and squats were able to put more power into their squats.
7. Switch Things Up Now and Then
Another important workout tip is to switch things up now and then. One major complaint people have is they get bored. For some, a routine keeps them in check and helps them stay on track. Others struggle or dread doing the same activities over and over again. There are dozens of exercises you can do like yoga, Pilates, HIIT, weightlifting, cardio, you get the idea. Even variants of the exercises you do help with your muscle gains.
8. Go Outside
When you were a child, your parents probably told you to go play outside. As you get older, outdoor activities become less frequent when work and real-life takes over. However, the great outdoors just might be what you need. A study found that people who did workouts outdoors were more energetic, rejuvenated, and less angry. They compared this to those who only worked out indoors.
9. Interval Training: Short but Sweet
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has become a more popular workout and for very good reasons. Interval training has greater cardiovascular and fat loss compared to other workouts. A study found that just a quick 20-minute workout burned twice as many calories during a long run.[9] While you don’t want to completely stick with only interval training, it’s a great addition for when you’re short on time or a more relaxed day.
10. Add an Incline
There’s surprisingly a lot of benefits to adding an incline when you walk or use a treadmill. One study found that it improves your hamstring, glute, hip, knee, and ankle activity compared to walking without an incline. Another study found that it reduces stress on your extremities and joints.[8] It also improves your lung function, and there’s the widely known notion that it increases the number of calories you burn per hour.