Looking to take your training to the next level? Here are some tips for removing that fear you may have in the gym that is holding you back!
Use A Spotter
Any time you want to train to your absolute utmost potential, you are going to be training with weight that is extremely heavy and can become tough to control during the final phases of each lift. This is why the use of a spotter is imperative if you want to train with more intensity than ever. When in doubt, two spotters is always better than one. You can position a spotter on either side of the barbell on bench press or squats, and obtain much safer coverage than you would see with a single lifter standing next to you.
Back Brace
Some lifters swear that the back brace in the gym is only a crutch. Others will only use it on the heaviest sets of the most dangerous exercises, such as squats, deadlifts or barbell rows. Still others use it as armor, and keep it on while doing everything from cardio to wrist curls. It’s a personal preference, but a back belt is a piece of equipment that should always be present in the gym with you, should you need it.
Gloves & Chalk
Your grip is everything when it comes to forcing out an extra repetition. Very often, our hands will fail before our muscles – which means that the muscle groups are then certainly NOT being trained to their utmost capacity. Wrap up your hands in gloves, or use the chalk. Keep that bar tight until muscular failure is achieved – and muscular growth will follow!
First Aid Kit
Aspirin should always be on hand in case you or anyone else in the gym experiences a cardiac episode in the gym. Remember, you are pushing the body to the extreme, whether you’re in the weight room or completing cardio. Aspirin can save your life 50% of the time in case of heart attack, if chewed 2 to 4 minutes after heart attack begins.
Drop Sets
Knock out any set of any exercise to the point of failure. Move the pin or slide some weight off the bar, and complete 3 to 5 more repetitions. Repeat again, puling 20% more off of the bar. You will have reached muscular failure three times – in the same set! This will give your muscles some serious motivation to grow.
Stimulants
When used in moderation, stimulants such as caffeine and the wide assortment of nitrous products can give your workouts an incredible boost. Keep their use cycles so that you never become completely dependent upon them to obtain the kind of intensity you need to lift. Also you should never use them on non-lifting days.
Get Lost
Travel to a new gym and lose yourself in a new variety of equipment, machines and motivation that you’ve never experienced before. New machines, new angles, new people – these things might just deliver some new muscular growth!
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