Welcome to the very FIRST NQ blog post.
It’s our goal to provide with the right tools to hit your fitness goals!
Our unique and effective approach to training, health and fitness will help propel you to the best shape of your life.
7 TIPS TO INSTANTLY CONQUER YOUR WORKOUT
Not all workouts are created equal, 45 minutes of laying on the floor, updating your instagram story while periodically jumping on a Swiss ball doesn't constitute an effective workout (just my opinion). Here are 7 simple tips to boost your performance, focus and help you produce the results you want.
1. Follow a Program Suited Towards Your Goals
This will allow you to enter the gym with a clear outline of what you need to do, not doing what you feel like... It's easy to set foot in the gym and only work on things you are good at! A solid program will train your weakness to make you function and look better. No guess work, No time wasting, no 7 days of chest in a row (Friends don't let friends skip leg day), just effort in the direction of where you want to go each day. Personality also plays a key role for individualising workouts!
Check out our signature workout series if you need a program.
2. Shut Your Phone OFF!
If you can’t put your phone away for 45 minutes to enjoy the simple discipline of training because you are too busy sending snapchats, flex messages (Flexing while sending a text) or booty selfies how do you expect to get results? It's a small % of your day, bare down, work hard and enjoy the experience of making yourself better. This is your time, be selfish and focus on yourself without distraction for the small portion of the day. If your finger and jaw muscles get a bigger workout than the rest of your body you're doing something wrong.
3. Music
You need to get in the habit of creating an intense environment for your workout, leave your classical jazz at home... Pump something that will help you get those extra reps, maintain a good pace and keep shut off from the world for that one hour. Remember you're a product of your environment! From practical experience, loud music has always pumped my trainees up, whether a pro athlete or hard training mum. Research backs me up on this one as well!
4. Engineered Focus
f you can tolerate caffeine grab yourself a coffee and some acytel-L-carnatine (Don’t mix them haha) this recommendation is enough to light a fire under anyone, circumvent a big crash and feel focused during a training session. To avoid getting long winded I wont touch on its physiological effects but rather suggest its use and see how you look, feel and perform. Pre workout nutrition also plays a key role in performance! Take some shots and hit the bar ;) I mean coffee and barbell... Get it lol? Intentional bad pun... YES.
5. Get a Workout Buddy
Finding a great workout partner can bring you to the next level of training intensity! Find someone who's willing to not only push themselves but you as well. This person can hold you accountable, spot you, ensure you have the proper technique, tell you that your calves are on point and provide that extra level of motivation. Shared suffering strengthens human bonds, don't be surprised if you grow closer to your new workout buddy. Also back slaps and booty smacks are encouraged.
“Damn girl, check those glutes”
"Mate, your chest is on point today!"
"Comm'on those weights aren't going to lift themselves!"
- Supportive workout partner
6. Include a FINISHER
Whats a finisher?
A finisher is a drill that takes all you have to complete and leaves the floor feeling comfortable. Typically after someone finishes an upper body workout with me their arms often resemble those of spaghetti noodles not even able to hold the top of a pushup. For example after training Lats, try finishing your workout with 50 negative Pullups @ 3 second lowering tempo will leave you feeling like you have a sunburn on your Back muscles. Due to the fact that you're stronger on the lowering portion of the movement you can do more reps. I like other techniques like TUT sets, drop sets, rest pause, complexes, manual resistance, exercise sequences, partial reps, Iso tension and more! Now you can leave the gym feeling accomplished knowing you have nothing left! Our NQ programs include intense finishers, check them out here.
7. Warm Up & Cool Down
Now this is a completely separate post on its own but if your warmup includes you lifting the 20kg plates and placing them on the bar injury is almost inevitable for you... You need to consider things like core temperature, connective tissue, nervous system arousal, mind muscle connection, soft tissue, muscular imbalances, posture and more! That may sound complex but it can be addressed with a solid warmup and cool down routine!
Try these tips to ensure your workout is more lit than a Christmas tree on the 24th of December ;)
Your Coach,
Ian
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