how to make sure your workouts get you results in 2024
Nothings worse than busting your a*** in the gym , or on your Peloton or home gym.. day after day after day.. and not seeing ANY progress. You’re doing what you were told to do. Exercise.
But your weights the same. Your body’s the same. You just don’t feel like the juice is worth the squeeze.
But that’s because JUST working out isn’t enough. Any movement is better than no movement, but HOW you work out is just as important, if you actually want to drop body fat, build muscle, improve strength & etc.
My client Shaun had been working out daily with his trainer, and not seeing any real results from it. So when we started working together, we figured out what his body responded to best, and it helped him drop 40lbs & add 8lbs of lean muscle over 6 months.
Here’s what you need to focus on if you’re ready to get the body & health you want in 2024:
1. Prioritize Progressive Overload:
Progressive overload is the cornerstone of muscle growth. This principle stresses the need for a systematic increase in training stimuli to force muscular adaptation. When you lift weights or engage in resistance training, your muscles undergo microscopic damage. As they repair and adapt, they grow stronger and more resilient. Progressive overload ensures a continuous challenge, preventing your muscles from plateauing.
Here’s how to consistently progressively overload.
Gradually increase resistance: Add weight to your exercises over time, ensuring a gradual but consistent challenge.
Manipulate variables: Adjust sets, reps, or intensity to keep your workouts progressive and stimulating.
Listen to your body: Pay attention to fatigue levels, soreness, and recovery to strike the right balance for sustainable progression.
2. Stay Around 70-80% of Your Max Effort:
Training within the 70-80% intensity range optimally stimulates muscle fibers without inducing excessive fatigue. This zone corresponds to the sweet spot between high-intensity, low-repetition strength training, and lower-intensity, higher-repetition endurance training. This range activates both fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers, promoting overall muscular development.
Chances are, you’re probably training at 50-60% effort most days, which is NOT enough to promote muscle growth & change in your body.
Practical Application:
Calculate your max effort: Understand your one-repetition maximum for a specific exercise (1RM) to determine the 70-80% intensity range.
Maintain proper form: Focus on impeccable form to maximize muscle engagement and minimize the risk of injury.
Periodize your training: Incorporate phases of higher and lower intensity to avoid overtraining and promote recovery.
3. Aim to Get STRONGER in Your Workouts, Not Burn Fat:
Strength training not only builds muscle but also has a profound impact on metabolism. As you increase muscle mass, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) rises, contributing to long-term fat loss. Additionally, the neuromuscular adaptations from strength training enhance motor unit recruitment, leading to more efficient and powerful movements.
THIS is what you should be focused on in your workouts.
Not sweating more.
Not getting a super high heart rate.
And definitely not burning more calories on your inaccurate Apple Watch. Let your diet burn fat for you. When you work out, you’re looking to build your body up, not tear it down.
Practical Application:
Progressive resistance: Continuously challenge your muscles by increasing resistance or difficulty.
Compound movements: Prioritize multi-joint exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bench press for maximal muscle activation.
Monitor strength gains: Keep track of your lifting progress to ensure you're consistently pushing your strength limits.
I don’t want you spinning your wheels anymore. If you spent all of 2023 trying to figure it out on your own & it just didn’t work, maybe it’s time to give something else a shot.
I know what I just talked about may be kind of complex. If you want help actually applying these principles to your own workouts, so that you can tone up, drop fat & get healthier, take our Transformation Quiz & we’ll help you get it done.
