8. PRE-ACTIVATION TECHNIQUE
This technique ties well with warming up! The pre-activation technique is where you are ‘switching on’ your targeted muscle with specific exercises prior to the main lift or activity you are doing. So for example, when you do big exercises like squats you want to switch on your glutes (targeted muscle) by doing specific glute exercises like banded-bridges or banded-crab walks. In general, a lot of muscles become lazy and shut down (the glutes, the lats, abdominals, etc.) so when you do big exercises like squats they may not switch on as much if you haven’t targeted them prior. That leaves other muscles to try and become the ‘hero’ and over-activate and take control. It’s really important to activate the intended muscles prior to those big lifts. For pull-ups, it’s important to activate the lats with a seated row or a lat-pulldown. Activate those targeted muscles prior to those big lifts just so they are switched on even more and are working effectively.
9. WORKOUT ROUTINE
Do you remember when you went for your first drive? You weren’t holding the steering wheel; you were strangling it. Your arms were super stiff while driving. And you were looking right, left, up and ahead a million times in one second. It’s because driving was a new activity that the body wasn’t accustomed to, and it was learning so much. You place your body under stress, and it adapts and learns. Simple. That’s the same thing with the gym – initially, the body isn’t accustomed to this exercise routine so you’re struggling, your movements are feeling very new and awkward, you’re not lifting as much as you usually do and the amount of pain you feel after a couple of days is unimaginable. Let’s go back to driving! Fast forward to 2 years, you’re driving with one hand, the backrest is pulled so far back you may as well sleep and you’re looking at your friends in the car while they’re speaking. You’ve learnt how to drive so your brain and body doesn’t need to focus as much. The same thing happens when you’re at the gym! Research shows, that you get your best muscle growth in the first 4-6 weeks! After that, your body gets too accustomed to it and you don’t grow as much. Change your exercise routine every 4-6 weeks to keep your body guessing and growing!
Okay, now that you know all that implement those changes to your exercise program! This is not just for the gym, by the way, this is for any form of exercise! Good luck!! 🙂
