Don’t be confused by the title of this article. No undercover espionage going on here. No, you’re not going to get in trouble with the law if you incorporate these “tricks” into your next week of workouts. You WILL get better results though. And most importantly….we’re not talking about temporary results, but rather REAL, LONG-TERM, muscle growth and size by making just 5 instant alterations to your workout routine.
Sound good? Sound too good to be true? Perfect. Time to back up what I’m saying.
The first sneaky trick relates to your bench press and it is…..
1. Raise your head and upper back off the bench slightly as you lower the bar to your chest!
This pseudo-sit up position has the effect of loading your upper body like a spring so you can push with more force. As soon as the bar touches your chest, forcefully and simultaneously push the bar away from you and your upper back and shoulders down into the bench. Don’t be surprised if you can add 10 pounds to your bench instantly with this one tip alone.
The second relates to helping you crank out more crunches without fatiguing…
2. Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth behind your teeth while you crunch!
By placing the tongue in this position you are actually stabilizing the neck and creating a better lever arm with the head and upper torso working against the abs. This improved leverage allows you to crank out the crunches much easier on your way to your killer six pack!
The third relates to setting the stage for a better workout long before the workout….
3. Starting 4 hours before your workout, make sure you drink 0.1 ounce of water for every pound of bodyweight!
If you’re a 200lb guy this would equate to 20 ounces of water. Repeat this every hour leading up to your workout. The theory behind this is that a dehydrated muscle (even the slightest bit) will not contract like a hydrated muscle (compromising the amount of weight you can lift) and will not release testosterone in the same way (limiting your post workout growth). Plain and simple….drink well and grow well!
The fourth involves making your pullups not only easier…but more effective!
4. When doing your pullups, make sure you look up towards the ceiling the entire time!
When you look either straight ahead or down when doing pullups your body tends to be in the wrong position and you engage the wrong muscles…most often just the arms. Many guys can’t seem to get the infamous “V” shape to their lats because they’re simply not training them the right way. Start looking up and you’ll notice that you’ll be pulling your chest to the bar instead of your head. This will instantly activate the lats more and finally let you get more from these “what you thought were” stubborn muscles!
Finally, the fifth tip has to do with the time of the day you work out for better results!
5. The results are in…if you can, the best time to workout for maximum muscle growth is IN THE MORNING!
Here’s why. In the morning your body’s core temperature is slightly lower than in the evening. As soon as your core temperature rises too high, your body kicks in its natural regulator that makes exercising much more difficult so that you can begin to cool down and prevent overheating. If you’re attempting a high intensity muscle building workout at a time when you’re already a bit warm on the body temp scale…chances are you are going to take yourself over the limit fairly quickly and will see your intensity drop off quickly and just when you need it the most. Take advantage of that extra leeway you have in the morning to really be able to push yourself to all new gains!
So there you have it. The top 5 instant fixes that you can start incorporating into your workout routines to start getting more out of them in just days from now. Nothing complicated or impossible….just practical, doable and resultsable (you know what I mean!).
Stay strong,
Jeff
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