Whether you're new to exercise or a seasoned gym veteran, these simple changes to any workout can help you reach your goals faster, beat plateaus, and build more muscle. All techniques are scientifically backed.
Best of all, many of these moves will rev up your sluggish metabolism so you can continue to burn calories throughout the day, even while you sleep. Go ahead and do it now.
1: Swing your arms
Turn your walking into a calorie-burning workout by bending your elbows at 90 degrees and swinging your arms back and forth as you walk. Not only will it automatically increase your pace, but you can burn up to 15% more calories each time you work out.
To properly swing your arms back and forth: Draw an arc from your waist toward your chest. When your elbows go back, your thumbs should almost touch your waist. Also, keep your elbows splayed out at all times and your hands never crossed in front of your chest (in front of your sternum). If you move too far left or right, your pace will slow down.
2: Put on your headphones
Listening to music fights the depletion of energy. Working out to your favorite fitness playlist can help you stay up to 20% longer and burn more calories, Brunel University in West London has found.
Music blocks fatigue, makes you feel energized, and helps you keep pace by synchronizing your movements, says study author Costa Carageorgis, PhD, PhD.
Related StoryWhy it's best to work out after 6pm3: Add more weight Size. In total, people who lifted heavier dumbbells burned 25% more calories at the end of the same volume (e.g., 10 lbs 10 reps or 20 lbs 5 reps).
"Heavier weights break down more muscle protein, which requires more energy to repair and recover. That's how you build lean muscle fibers." says Furman University researcher Anthony Caterisano, PhD.
Bonus points: Heavy weights can increase your sleep metabolic rate (the number of calories you burn while you sleep) by nearly 8%, even with as little as 3-6 reps. That's about 5 pounds a year to lose without doing anything else.
4: Drink Cold Water
A British study found that water straight out of the fridge gives you energy when exercising in warm weather.
People who drank refrigerated water (39F) said they worked out 25% longer and felt more comfortable exercising than those who drank the same amount of warmer water. It is said that Drinking cold water before and during exercise, whether indoors or outdoors, can help keep your body cool and give you more energy to burn the most calories.
5: Break Up Sets
Instead of doing 2-3 sets of one exercise and then moving on to the next, do it in a circuit format. After doing one set, immediately move on to the next exercise and repeat the circuit two to three times.
Researchers asked test participants to perform either standard strength training (3 sets of 6 exercises with 2 minutes of rest in between) or circuit training (6 exercises with 30 seconds of rest in between). ), the circuit-trained people burned nearly twice as many calories post-workout as the standard-style people.
"Because your heart rate stays elevated for longer after circuit training, you can continue to burn fat just like you're exercising," says researcher Anthony Caterisano. PhD (doctor) talks.
Related Story What's the best workout for building core muscles and toning your stomach? Aside from the fresh air and beautiful scenery, there are many benefits to working out outdoors. Research has shown that walking or running outdoors burns 10 percent more calories at the same speed than on a treadmill."You use more energy to propel yourself on the ground," explains fitness expert Jay Blahnik, author of Full Body Flexibility. "Also, a little bit of headwind and other factors burn more calories."
7: Increase the Incline
If the weather is bad and you have to work out indoors, hit the treadmill. A higher incline tones your hips and burns up to 60% more calories. Once you're on a flat surface, walking should feel easier.
Be sure to follow these guidelines to safely take your walking to the next level.
・Do not tilt your body. Stay upright. Straighten your shoulders and hips, and your ankles and hips.
・Be gentle at first. Start by walking slowly for 5 minutes, then briskly for 10 minutes, then ramp.
・What to do in 5 & 5. Alternate between 5 minutes of hill (incline) and 5 minutes of horizontal walking. As many times as you like. Cooldown for 5 minutes.
・Raise it little by little. You may only be able to incline about 1% at first. The key is to maintain the same speed while walking the hill as you do when you're not on the incline. Keep the hill calm with a target speed of 3.5 mph. A 5% incline is a great goal, and no more than 7% (too much incline puts too much strain on your lower back, hips, and ankles).
8: Continue for at least 12 minutes
Aerobic exercise burns calories at any amount, but if you really want to see results, do it after warming up most days of the week. ~ A minimum of 12 minutes of high-intensity exercise is required.
It "increases the body's ability to use oxygen to make fat-burning enzymes, such as lipase, to burn more fat during exercise and other activities throughout the day." It's the amount you need to "create," says Chip Harrison, an exercise psychologist, director of strength and fitness at the University of Pennsylvania, and co-author of The Female Athlete.
9: Cut Your Workout Time In Half
By doing short bursts of vigorous activity, you can speed up weight loss and cut your workout time by up to half or more.
Australian researchers found that women who alternated 8 seconds of high-intensity exercise with 12 seconds of low-intensity exercise for 20 minutes, three times a week, worked out twice as long at a steady pace. Discovered I lost weight faster than people who did.
People who did interval training lost up to 16 pounds in four months without dieting, lost 12% less belly fat, 15% less thigh fat, and built more metabolism-boosting muscle. It is said that he got an average of 1.5 pounds (about 680g).
10: Don't Skip Stretching
Stretching keeps muscles flexible and helps prepare them for exercise and subsequent recovery. If you skip stretching, you'll miss out on the benefits you're supposed to get from cardio and strength training.
"Stretching allows you to move freely during cardio, makes muscles stronger during weight training, and helps keep them lean longer and leaner," says Virginia Sports in Virginia. said Sharon Willett, a physical therapist and sports trainer at the Institute of Medicine in Arlington.
Translation: Mitsuko Kanno From Harper's BAZAAR UK