Three Ways to Maximize your Time in the Gym

Celebrity and model trainer Heather Marr presents three training approaches you may want to rethink before your next gym session if your goals are aesthetic based.

1. Cut the combos

One of the things I see in the gym is combination moves where the person is performing a lower body exercise with an upper body move trying to work several muscle groups at the same time during the same workout. An example of a combination move would be a bicep curl with a lunge. The problem with these types of exercises if one’s goals are aesthetic based, is that the same weight needed to load and challenge the lower body cannot possibly be also used while performing the upper body exercise. For instance, if I am performing a lunge with a bicep curl combination my biceps will not be strong enough to curl the heavier weight needed to challenge the big mover muscles in the lower body. A much better option with aesthetics in mind is to perform the exercises separately one after the other with different, appropriate weights.

2. Don’t forget the fundamentals

Plank rows are trendy right now and a lot of people give them the same amount of focus as more fundamental back exercises. (Plank rows are when you do a one-arm dumbbell row while planking.) The problem with plank rows is that they don’t allow you to lift nearly as much as you could if you did a normal dumbbell row in a bent-over stance. It’s true of course that the plank rows are excellent for the core, but many people don’t realize that normal dumbbell rows, barbell and pull-ups also work the core well, while allowing you to fully load the back muscles at the same time. Save your plank rows as a fun warm up at the beginning of your workout to get you ready for your heavy lifting.

3. Find your sure footing

Finally, I often see people in the gym performing exercises on unbalanced surfaces such a bosu ball. Again, if the training goal is aesthetic based I want to be able to load the muscle I’m working and maximize my time in the gym. If I am performing squats on a bosu for example, I am not going to be able to lift the amount it would be possible to squat on a stable surface. Performing exercises such as heavy lunges, deadlifts and squats on unstable surfaces also pose a greater risk for injury so an easy swap is to to stand on stable ground. You’ll be able to build more strength and burn more calories in the same amount of time just by having sure footing.

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