Your time is valuable. It’s only natural that you want to get the most out of it. Whether you enjoy working out or not, it probably takes up a good chunk of your week.
And who wouldn’t want to see the fruits of their labor as soon as possible anyway? If you’ve hit a plateau in your workout journey and want to see some results ASAP, there are a few things you can do. Read on to find out.
Add More Compound Exercises to Your Routine
Compound exercises are exercises that work out several muscle groups simultaneously. For example, a squat engages your glutes, calves, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, and core. You get significantly more bang for your buck.
Compound exercises usually mimic common movement patterns that you’re probably familiar with. They allow you to get a full workout in less time. Some compound exercises are squats, lunges, deadlifts, bench presses, push-ups, pull-ups, burpees, etc.
Consider Taking Creatine
Creatine is one of the most popular supplements that people use to improve their performance at the gym. It’s one of the world’s most tested supplements, so it’s very safe to consume. According to information found on orlandomagazine.com, creatine produces energy in your body rapidly. This is why it’s most commonly taken about 30 minutes before working out.
Creatine helps you keep up your strength during your workout. If you lift more weights at the gym, you create more micro-tears in your muscles. Then your body can take over and rebuild those muscles stronger than they were.
This is why creatine and protein work well together. You can’t replace one with the other. Creatine gives you energy during your workout, and protein helps repair your muscles after it.
Take Some Protein Right Before Bed
Everyone knows protein is essential for muscle growth. Whether you try to get your protein in through your diet or a shake, protein helps our muscles grow while we sleep. Another thing that happens during sleep is the increased release of growth hormone, a hormone that boosts muscle growth.
Studies show that if you consume a good amount of protein right before going to sleep, your intake of protein coincides with a spike in growth hormone. This maximizes muscle gain.
But how much protein should you take? Well, you should probably aim for around 10 to 20 grams of protein before bed. This doesn’t mean you should only consume 20 grams of protein for the entire day; only that you should consume this much before going to sleep. Good sources of protein are fish, poultry, legumes, eggs, tofu, and many more.
Nobody goes to the gym to not see any improvement. It’s natural that you want to get the most out of your time and effort. Use that as motivation, and do your best at the gym. Try some of these strategies for a few weeks, and watch yourself hit all your workout goals. No matter what, keep hitting the gym and be proud of yourself for your efforts. Your drive to improve means you’re already halfway there.
