Are you beginning to hit a plateau because you've been doing the same workout forever? Studies show that the human body is very effective at adapting to change. This is why it's important to always sprinkle a bit of variation into your training regimen.
To quickly add variation into your routine, I suggest you try bodyweight training. It's an effective way to incorporate variation into your workout routine. A good example of a bodyweight exercise is the classic push up. But we've all done them and we know that they can get a little boring. That's why I always like to work with various push up modifications to maximize my results.
To perform a proper push up, ensure that your body is completely in line from head to toe, that your feet are together and that your hands are just by your shoulders. Your head should be aligned with your body as well - you should not be looking up. To perform a full repetition, start with your arms fully extended and lower yourself down until your chest is an inch off the ground. Then push yourself back up into starting position.
Adding variation to your push up routine allows you to place more emphasis on different muscle groups. For instance, positioning your hands wide (past shoulder-width), you are more effectively targeting your chest muscles. On the contrary, if you put your hands directly underneath your chest (forming a diamond with your thumbs and fingers), you place majority of the focus on your triceps.
Some of the best push up variations incorporate some simple fitness tools. Push up stands, for instance, are great for allowing you to maximize the stress placed on your chest and arm muscles. This is because they allow you go lower than what is possible traditionally, thus imposing more stress on the muscles and providing better results. Bosu balls are also great for incorporating stability and balance into your push up exercise.
If you really think about it, there are tons of variations you can come up with.
Keep this in mind - the key is to never let your body adapt. Always keep it guessing. The only way to avoid slow gains and frustrating plateaus is to consistently incorporate variations into your training routine.
To quickly add variation into your routine, I suggest you try bodyweight training. It's an effective way to incorporate variation into your workout routine. A good example of a bodyweight exercise is the classic push up. But we've all done them and we know that they can get a little boring. That's why I always like to work with various push up modifications to maximize my results.
To perform a proper push up, ensure that your body is completely in line from head to toe, that your feet are together and that your hands are just by your shoulders. Your head should be aligned with your body as well - you should not be looking up. To perform a full repetition, start with your arms fully extended and lower yourself down until your chest is an inch off the ground. Then push yourself back up into starting position.
Adding variation to your push up routine allows you to place more emphasis on different muscle groups. For instance, positioning your hands wide (past shoulder-width), you are more effectively targeting your chest muscles. On the contrary, if you put your hands directly underneath your chest (forming a diamond with your thumbs and fingers), you place majority of the focus on your triceps.
Some of the best push up variations incorporate some simple fitness tools. Push up stands, for instance, are great for allowing you to maximize the stress placed on your chest and arm muscles. This is because they allow you go lower than what is possible traditionally, thus imposing more stress on the muscles and providing better results. Bosu balls are also great for incorporating stability and balance into your push up exercise.
If you really think about it, there are tons of variations you can come up with.
Keep this in mind - the key is to never let your body adapt. Always keep it guessing. The only way to avoid slow gains and frustrating plateaus is to consistently incorporate variations into your training routine.
About the Author:
If you think bodyweight training might be for you, then I highly suggest you take a look at this list of exercises and push up exercises you can use to take the next step in your muscle development.
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