It is almost too easy to get tired and stuck in a pattern with your strength and cardio workouts, doing the same exercises at the same pace day after day. But it’s likewise very simple to spice up your workouts while burning more calories and strengthening your endurance.
Most people who work out regularly require changes in their sets, timings, and intensities. These people love a good challenge and take great pride in achieving their fitness goals. Intensity boosters (that increase workout tension) help in adding resistance and pushing the body to deliver more than earlier. With an improvement in intensity and resistance training, it is possible to increase the amounts of calories burnt per session, make dramatic changes in toning the body, and look fitter and toned. It can also help in breaking weight loss plateaus.
Here are 4 foolproof ways of increasing your workout intensity.
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Maintain the Pose
Isometric extensions or static holds help increase the endurance and strength of the muscles during training. Isometric extensions can be done by clenching the primary muscles being worked upon and holding them for a few measured counts. Isotonic exercises (constant motion) do not benefit large muscles all the time.
The perfect way to check the endurance of the muscles in the thighs is to do a stability ball wall squat for 40 seconds to 1 minute. This trial will be able to give you an understanding of the approximate time that you can maintain a pose without losing strength in your muscles. Gradually, as you increase the isometric extensions of your body, increase the time taken for each hold to increase the intensity and see more significant results.
Pack the Resistance
Ideally, lifting weights should be a part of your weekly workout regime. However, for people wishing to increase their workout intensity, lifting weights more often is a good idea. The trick is to increase the weight-bearing capacity of the muscles without causing fatigue. Gradually increase the size of the weights with each consecutive week. One of the most suitable ways to do this is to start workouts with ankle weights. These weights automatically increase the resistance for cardio and weighted workouts and yield higher results.
Exhausting your muscles will help only initially since the muscles might tear with too much resistance. Draining your muscles with smaller increments in the weights will help increase the strength and enhance the look and feel of your muscles. You could also increase the repetitions and work harder in lesser time. This technique would definitely increase workout intensity.
Combine Cardio and Strength Training
Strength training and cardio workouts can be done together. Add cardio intervals like 30-second skips, and 15-second sprints to your strength training circuit to increase metabolism. Timed intervals or rest periods between loops can help the body recuperate faster while increasing the intensity of the workout. Weight loss is faster when combined with techniques like jumping ropes, on-the-spot jumps, twists, and so on. Running, calisthenics and body-weight exercises help increase the intensity of the workout and build core strength.
Another great way to increase your metabolic rate and shed weight is to invest in a waist trimmer. These trimmers help in spot reduction for people wishing to lose weight only on the belly. It also works excellently on people with posture problems that need additional back and waist support while exercising. Getting extra support helps straighten and strengthen the spine and protects the muscles in the back.
Avoid Machines
While machines and weight trainers are great ways to start off your strength training journey, after a while, you should consciously get off the exercise equipment. Concentrating on user-friendly free weights will add to the resistance and build additional stamina and endurance as you slowly and steadily increase the intensity of the weights and your workout. Increase the time spent on larger muscle groups for each circuit while adding to the weights during each round of repetition to see faster and more effective results. Some machines like rowing machines can be great since there is a full body motion, a sit-up bench is also great equipment to use with your free weights.
Greater emphasis on body weight and core exercises helps improve stability and balance in the body. Body weight workouts also help keep the body lean and toned without falling prey to the addiction to machines. They also help enhance internal body health and reduce the risk of diabetes, heart diseases, depression, and help improve moods and maintain cognitive function.
Closing Thoughts.
There you have it, 4 distinct ways to increase your workout intensity without putting in a single pound to your lifts. Give them a try and let me know what you feel!