Tips to Tone-up Fast!
There are many important strategies to remember in order to see fast results. I’ve taken the liberty to compile a quick summary of some of the strategies I feel are most important to tone or build muscle fast. These should be obvious to most people, but I find that most people I see at the gym still haven’t mastered these critical basics. To tone-up fast, you MUST master this list!
1. Use a variety of exercises. No single exercise works 100% of a muscle’s fibers. It’s important to work muscles from different angles and” positions to work a muscle completely. For most muscles, there is at least 15 different exercises you can do.
2. Split your workout over 2 or 3 days. The more exercises you perform or body parts you work in one workout, the more likely you will fatigue and not put your full energy into it. If you just work your lower body on one day and your upper body on another day, you will be amazed at how much more energy you have available. Try one of these splits:
2-day split – Day 1: lower body, Day 2: upper body, Day 3: rest, then repeat.
3-day split – Day 1: lower body, Day 2: chest, shoulders and triceps, Day 3: back, biceps and abs, Day 4: rest.
3. Work each muscle twice a week. A muscle needs at least 2 days to recuperate from a typical workout and up to 5 days after a very intense workout. Don’t work the same muscle 2 days in a row. If a muscle is sore, take another day off, but don’t wait more than 5 days to work that muscle again or it will begin to atrophy.
4. Mickey Mouse weights give Mickey Mouse results! If you only use 5 Ibs. dumbbells your body will look like one that can only lift 5 Ibs. dumbbells. To increase muscle size, strength, or tone – YOU MUST CHALLENGE YOUR MUSCLESI You can challenge your muscles by adding reps., adding weight, increasing the time under tension, or shortening your rest intervals.
5. Train to failure. You must lift a weight until you can’t lift it anymore! Most people stop their set just as the muscle starts to burn. That is the point when the exercise is just starting to become effective! If you normally stop at 10 reps., then next time do 15 reps., with that same weight. If you can do more than 15 reps., then add more weight!
6. Eat protein at least 4 times a day. Your body needs protein -when you exercise hard. For best results, make sure you have a little bit of protein at each meal and consume a protein and carbohydrate shake immediately after your workout.
7. Hire an expert trainer. If you are really interested in improving your physique or performance, forget what you know – it’s already been applied. Find out what tricks you don’t know from an experienced trainer. With just a few sessions you will probably learn things that can really speed your progress that will be worth far more than what you paid.