10 Things Only Fit People Know
What do fit people know? A lot more than you do when it comes to what to do at the gym and what to whip up in the kitchen to look great in front of a mirror. (Photo: Stocksy)
We’ve got the scoop on 10 of the most important things only fit people know right here — you’ll be an expert in no time!
1. Lift Heavy
“For building muscle, there’s no substitute for lifting heavy,” says Micah LaCerte, owner of HitchFit. The key is to push to failure on your last set and use a weight that is about 20 pounds heavier than your previous sets. Muscle and power gains follow.
2. Lift Light
“Lifting light strengthens your joints, improves your flexibility and provides the building blocks to a great, lean physique,” LaCerte told us. Go light on your first set. It brings blood into the area you’re targeting and can even act as your warm up.
Related: This Is Everything That’s Wrong With Fitness Maniacs Today
3. Get Your Six Meals A Day
The old adage that you can’t outwork a bad diet is actually true. “Plan your food like your workouts,” says London-based nutritionist Keith Cormican, RD. Cormican added: “Eat six small meals a day, time your protein around your training and stay diligent.” Get about 30 grams of protein about an hour before you train and another 30 grams within 30 minutes of your workout.
4. Eat Some Fat
Bacon isn’t the enemy (unless you’re eating more bacon than anything else). “Every diet has to have fat in it,” says Cormican. According to Cormican, “It’s important to pick healthy fats like avocados, eggs and nuts to help your diet fuel your body and your mind.”
Related: 10 Pre And Post Training Recipes To Fuel Your Body
5. Don’t Grunt
This one’s self-explanatory. If you’re grunting in the gym or in any part of your life, stop. Really.
6. Do Negative Reps
“The negative part of a rep is where muscle and strength are truly gained,” says LaCerte. Get more out of your negatives with a partner and just do the descending portion of a rep with a weight a little more than you can bring up and you’ll see just how much more you can get out of your muscles.
Related: 10 Ways To Build A Workout That Will Change Your Life
7. Go Slow
Nobody wins at life by rushing through the important steps. This is true in the boardroom, bedroom and the gym. Focus your attention on your form and be meticulous so each rep has a steady rhythm.
8. Speed Up
“People waste way too much time between sets,” says celebrity strength coach Jay Cardiello, host at RadioMD and iHeartRadio. Unless you just moved the weight of a small car, it’s time to shorten your rest periods and keep your heart rate up throughout your workout.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Boosting Work Productivity Through Diet & Exercise
9. Go Easy On The Supplements
Overdoing it at the GNC only impresses their sales staff. Pick your supplements wisely: High quality protein powders for shakes (skip the high calorie bars), CLA, caffeine and green tea extract for a boost in the fat loss department and dabble in creatine, arginine, glutamine and branch chain aminos when you’re ready to kick up your program a notch. But remember, most people really don’t need to take too many supplements at all — they’re called supplements because they’re supposed to fill gaps in your nutrition if you haven’t been paying attention.
10. Sip Your Water
Guzzling more water than your stomach can contain in a matter of minutes helps nobody — unless you like looking like you have a prostate problem. Drink water throughout the day. Sip, don’t gulp. Also, curb your cravings by including some lemon.
This article was written by Michael De Medeiros and previously published on AskMen: Things Only Fit Men Know.
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