BAJAN SUN MAGAZINE
OCT 2014
Workout Tips For
The Beginner
3 Do Compound Movements
Beginners interested in fitness can be easily distracted
by complex training techniques found in magazines
and online articles. If you've never stepped foot in a
gym or haven't been in one for a long time, going
right to isolation moves that work just one muscle
group at a time won't bring you the best results.
"The key is to isolate muscle groups and strategically
work them through various exercises, angles, and
techniques."
To get the best results for muscle growth and fat loss,
it's best to start with compound lifts like the squat,
bench press, shoulder press, bent-over row, deadlift,
pull-up, and lunge. These lifts require you to use multiple muscle groups at the same time. Doing them will
allow you to lift more weight, hit more muscles, and
increase your metabolic rate much better than you
could doing dropsets of isolation movements like triceps extensions.
To start, select lifts that require you to use at least half
your body to do them. You can add isolation work as
you get going, but start with the moves that will give
you the most bang for your buck.
4 Posture Perfect
How your spine is set during your lifts can have a
huge impact on your body and the amount of weight
you're able to lift. Unless you're a pro powerlifter or
are being coached in a specific way, it's best to keep
your lower back slightly arched, your chest up, and
your head and neck in a neutral position, no matter
which lift you're doing.
Orlando says that a pronounced arch in the back during lifts can be dangerous.
"I see people arching their back in the shoulder press,
bench press, and biceps curls. This may help you get
through the exercise, but it's not efficiently working
your muscles, and it'll ultimately lead to the biggest
enemy of gains: an injury."
A healthy spine usually stems from a strong core. If
your core is weak, then your spine doesn't have any
support. When you're lifting—even during movements as simple as a biceps curl—engage your core.
You might feel like you're just flexing your abs, but
you're also engaging those deep, inner core muscles
that protect your spine.
5 Diet Like You Mean It
Just because you hit the gym doesn't mean you get to
spend the day eating pizza and doughnuts. What you
do in your workout is just a small piece of the fitness
puzzle. What you do with the other 23 hours you're
not in the gym is much more important. "A clean diet
is key for both your mental and physical well-being,"
says Bolotte. "Get your diet straight first before worrying about anything else."
The word "diet" can be a little scary, but I'm not telling you to have celery and water for every meal. Nutrition doesn't have to be difficult. To start, get rid of
all the processed crap in your diet and eat protein and
vegetables at every meal.
You can still enjoy good food, but make smarter
choices. Instead of having pizza one night, try making
chicken with quinoa and green beans. You can still
make food that tastes good—it just takes a little more
thought and preparation.
"Even if you're too busy to make it to the gym, eat
healthy meals and you'll still see results," adds Bolotte
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