Ten Workout TipsUse the following simple workout tips to get the best fitness results possible for the time you invest in exercise. Keep proper form. One of the most common exercise mistakes is not maintaining the right form during the workout. Bad form can lead to muscle pain and stiffness and can also prevent you from burning as many calories as you normally would. This workout tip is to maintain good posture during exercise and you’ll build more muscle faster! Take giant steps. During your cardio workout, take deep, wide steps to shape up your thighs and buttocks. By taking a larger step than usual, you require more effort from your muscles – more effort equals more strength and shapeliness. Short, shallow steps don’t work the muscle enough to produce fast results, but when you use bigger movements, you start to see more muscle taking shape. Listen to your breath. Double up your workouts. Add weights to your cardio routine (or vice versa) and you can start to see results within three weeks. Get the best of both worlds by using interval training. Interval training is highly effective because you introduce your body to a new challenge every five minutes or so. Traditional cardiovascular exercises focus on building aerobic capacity while weightlifting concentrates on increasing muscle strength. Combining the two into one interval training workout means you get benefits from both! Add variety. The fastest way to become disillusioned with your workout is to do the same thing over and over again, plus your body becomes conditioned to the movements, so they become less effective. Use this workout tip to surprise your body with new and different challenges at least once every couple of weeks. If you typically run several times during the week, try hiking at a nearby park. If you’re a spinning devotee, take a Pilates class instead. The ultimate switch-up for most exercisers is swimming: an exercise that requires much more aerobic and muscle strength than imagined. Challenge yourself. Set a goal for yourself every week that is beyond your normal effort. For example, increase the weight you are lifting or walk three miles daily rather than two. These small goals are easily attainable and can make big changes in the results you see from your workout. Stretching is key to getting more out of your workout. Stretching assists in muscle recovery from strenuous workouts and can prevent soreness that might stop you from working out. Your entire body feels more comfortable when you have strong, flexible muscles. Spending a few minutes when you wake up and again before and after your workout really add up in terms of flexibility. Don’t exercise on an empty stomach. It may seem efficient to work out when you haven’t eaten in hours but it’s a bad idea. When your body’s fuel supply is low, you start feeling sluggish and slow – definitely not the ideal mood for a productive workout. An empty stomach does not equal more calories burned. Snacks, not meals, provide the best fuel. Exercising on a full stomach can lead to cramps, upset stomach, and/or diarrhea because your body is trying to digest the meal and also provide you with energy at the same time. The best way to fuel your body without unpleasant side effects is to have a small snack 15 to 30 minutes before you exercise. Drink plenty of water. Although this tip may not seem like a workout tip, being dehydrated negatively affects your body's ablility to function. Water fills your stomach to help stop hunger pangs and also keeps you alert throughout the day. When you become dehydrated, your entire body slows down and works much less efficiently. Working out causes you to lose water through sweat, so it’s important to replace lost water after a workout.
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