6 Ways to Level up Your Lifting Game
Are you dreading your workouts? Have you hit a plateau? Thankfully, there are things you can do to start seeing progress again. Enhance your lifting with the following: stretching (dynamic vs. static), isometric movements, connecting to your breath, accessory movements, rest days and sticking to a program.
Stretching: Dynamic vs. Static
Stretching can totally transform your lifting. It does a lot more for your body than improve flexibility. You want to perform dynamic stretches as your warm up and static stretches as your cool down.
Dynamic stretches are controlled, active movements that prep your muscles, ligaments and joints for exercise. They are not held for a certain amount of time. The goal is to move your joints through their full range of motion.
Take about 5-10 minutes before jumping into your workout to stretch dynamically. If you have spare time, dedicate five minutes before dynamic stretching to walking on the treadmill. This wakes the body up and gets your blood moving.
Examples of dynamic stretches:
Leg swings (side to side and front to back)
Arm circles (forward and backward)
Lateral arm swings
Walkouts
Walking lunges
Around the worlds with a dowel rod
Shoulder rolls (forward and backward)
Leg scoops
Static stretches are probably what you think of when it comes to stretching. This is when you focus on a single muscle group, stretch to about its (or your) furthest point and hold it there for some time. These should be saved for after your workout to help prevent injury.
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds and no longer. Anything more actually isn’t beneficial for lifting. Holding poses in yoga or stretches for flexibility is different and calls for longer periods of time.
Examples of static stretches:
Posterior capsule stretch
Seated forward fold
Pigeon pose
Quad stretch
Seated spinal twist
Isometric Movements
These are hands down one of the best things you can do to become stronger. An isometric movement is a static contraction of a muscle or muscle group. When you think about moving day to day, your body is only using the minimal amount of muscle fibers it needs. The same goes for lifting.
Isometric movements wake up your muscles so that you can ultimately lift more. These should be performed after your warm up and before your main lift. When you overload your muscles (with weight), you’re recruiting 100 percent of your muscle fibers trying to move something you can’t.
Perform these 2-3 times for 30-45 seconds each depending on your fitness level. The goal is to engage the muscles so much that you’re shaking. Give one of these a try the next time you lift!
Examples of isometric movements:
Isometric squats: Lower the bar so when under it, you’re toward the bottom of the movement. Then, load the bar up with a weight you know you cannot move. Get under the bar and attempt to lift up as if you’re about to derack. Focus on driving your feet into the floor, activating your quads and squeezing your glutes.
Isometric bench: Similar to the isometric squat, lower the bar so that you’re about at the bottom of the movement. Load it up with a weight you will not be able to lift. Get into position acting as if you are going to bench and drive your palms into the bar pushing upward. Tune into your chest and focus on squeezing those muscles.
Isometric overhead press: This can be done with a medicine ball or a plate before a chest or shoulder day. Raise it above your head and hold it there. Engage those muscles by focusing on mind muscle connection.
Connecting to Your Breath
Your breath is SO important – it’s the first and last thing you’ll ever do. When exercising, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. The key is to exhale during the exertion. Breathing properly allows your body to ease into the movement.
If you’re performing a squat, take a slow, long inhale on the way down and a complete, quick exhale on the way up. When you hold your breath while working out (or any time really), you’re telling your body that it’s okay to stay tense. Breathing through discomfort signals to your brain and body to relax.
Accessory Movements
Accessory movements are supplemental exercises that are performed after your main exercises. They help strengthen weak areas of the muscles so that you can improve your main exercises. They are to be completed at a lighter weight for higher reps. Aim to include 2-3 accessory movements after each workout that correspond to the muscle group you were hitting.
Examples of accessory movements:
Banded leg work
Chin ups
Dumbbell flys / reverse flys
Pull ups
Dips
Shoulder taps
Push ups
Rest Days
Our. Bodies. Need. Rest.
Rest days allow your muscles to get a break. Our muscles actually recover and get stronger during rest. Additionally, you decrease the chance of injuries while also avoiding overtraining, fatigue or hitting a plateau.
Taking breaks not only allows your body to rest, but your mind as well. Can’t fathom the idea of taking a rest day? Make it an active rest day by going on a walk or doing some light yoga.
Sticking to a Program
Following and STICKING to a program is the absolute key. Sticking to a program for at least 6-8 weeks allows your body to adjust, progress and improve. This may sound boring and sometimes it can be, but that’s where progressive overload comes into play.
Progressive overload means slowly increasing the weight, reps or time under tension of each exercise. Aiming to increase weight or hitting a few extra reps, and actually achieving it, is the best feeling. It’s an awesome way of showing yourself that you’re getting stronger.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t do the fun exercises or workouts you enjoy. Make them a part of your program too. It takes time to find what works for you but when you do, it makes all the difference.