Take it Fast or Go Slow?

When it comes to getting the most out of your workouts, variety and consistency is what it is all about. Under these two variables, they both work in synergistic fashion.  Meaning they complement each well to achieve the main goal, which is more muscle. Who wouldn't want more muscle? More muscle looks good, feels great and fires your metabolism more than anything else in your body. When we talk about variety, we mean changing it up as much as humanly possible.

                Over time your muscle tissue grows stagnant after the same routines. Just like you get bored watching the same movie over and over again, then you leave it alone and after some time, you watch that same movie and it’s awesome all over again. The best way to avoid this, “Training plateau “is to add this variety. One way to achieve this is the speed or tempo of your exercise. Lighten up the weight and lift it slow throughout the movement while focusing on the muscle you’re working and keep that in your head while working it. This is that Mind to Muscle connection that you hear the old school lifters talk about. You can also press or pull the movement in an “explosive” fashion to develop power throughout the movement. This is a great way to recruit a good amount of muscle fiber while developing power through the lift and “shock” the muscles into a growth mode.

                You can change your routines as often as you life, there is no single way to exercise. The more variety you put your muscles through, the better result you will get out of it. Variety doesn’t always have to come in the training part; it can also be applied to the diet portion. Diet is 80% of the game, when it comes to your health and fitness. Think about this, you’re working out anywhere from 30mins – 2 hours. What are you doing with the other 23.5-22 hours? You should be in recovery. You don’t grow in the gym; you’re tearing your muscle tissue down and putting the body through stress. Your time out of the gym is when you begin to grow. Eating a variety of foods can make a difference in your physique as well.

                You hear a lot about “Fast carbs and slow carbs” currently in the fitness world along with many other new things trending today. The one thing you need to keep in mind is what you fitness goals are. If you’re trying to lose weight, then you shouldn’t be eating a lot of carbs. If you’re training for a marathon or some other endurance event, carbs are your best friend. You can utilize both to your advantage, but you have to take the timing of these foods into account. Carbs after a workout is a must, as long as you keep in check the amount of carbs you’re taking in. Remember, there can be too much of a good thing. Too many carbs will make you fat.  Protein is something that can be ingested throughout the day , but make it work for you. Fast proteins (Whey) should be utilized either first thing in the morning or right after a workout, while a slower protein (Casein) can be utilized through the day or before bed.

                So next time you walk in the gym to get your workout started, think about how long you’ve done this current workout and think about how you can change it on the fly. Your body won’t know what hit it and it will respond with some awesome gains. Variety and Consistency are your best friends. Consistent variety is also.