Last week I got a phone call from a friend of mine. She asked if I wanted to meet her at the gym for a workout. Of course, I joined her and when it was time to get down to business, I asked her what she usually does to warm up. She gave me a run-through of her routine and I immediately understood why she never sweats when we work out together.
She’s not the only friend who has complained to me about seeing no changes or results at the gym after following a consistent, or perhaps not so consistent, workout routine. Either they have hit a plateau or have never started seeing results in the first place.
The key is to find a routine that works for your individual body. Honestly, it isn’t always the easiest thing to find the right fit without consulting with a professional, but it’s possible as long as you keep in mind that several factors and variables are directly related to your workout results.
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- Periodization
Periodization refers to how often you switch up your routine. You must make periodic changes to your workout routine or you face the risk of a plateau. Our bodies need variety in order to see results.
Changing your workout routine every three to four weeks gives your body the time and ability to change and adapt. The periodization of three to four weeks is a good amount of time to allow the body to make these gains without growing familiar with the workouts.
The change shocks your muscles and tricks them into working harder to once again adapt to a new routine.
- Intensity
This is where my homie was falling short. Leaving the gym after a nice, chill, leisurely session, without having sweated, raising your heart rate, or actually challenging yourself means there will be no results. I understand that everyone sweats differently, but I don’t understand how you don’t sweat during an intense workout, be it cardio or strength training.
If you feel as though you have mastered acertain exercise, it’s time to move on and seek something more challenging (like taking up the weight or performing more sets or reps.
Sweat is a reaction to your muscles warming up and your body overheating, the result of hard work. Although you should ALWAYS be in control, being winded is a good sign that your body is working hard. During cardio, if you can hold a conversation, you’re definitely not working hard enough to see real results.
The same goes for your heart rate. It should increase to the point that you’re pushing yourself into the training zone in which you feel you’re using at least 80% of your energy.
- Overtraining
I’ve talked about overtraining before, but it never hurts to revisit the idea. Overtraining means that you’re not putting any focus on your recovery time when training. Your recovery is the time at which your muscles do their healing and growth, so basically it’s extremely important. You deplete that lean muscle you were hoping to gain when you overtrain.
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- Isolation vs. Compound Movement
I personally try not to focus on one muscle group during each workout session. I live for compound movement and it’s actually proven to have greater benefits. Compound movements are movements that incorporate multiple muscle groups into your exercises (performing a lunge with bicep curls would be an example).
Not only is it more efficient to do compound movements, but it also gives your workouts variety. MAJOR KEY!
- Proper Nutrition
What many fitness professionals try to stress to their clients is that nutrition makes up a great part of the journey. You can go super hard in the gym, but the work means nothing if you aren’t fueling properly. Eating balanced meals (protein, veggies, fruits, and healthy fats) means having more energy and seeing results. If you’re looking for a specified meal plan, it’s best to speak with a nutritionist who can help you figure out a plan that works for your body type.
At the end of the day, you must push yourself out of your comfort zone and try a new way to work out. Different routines and fitness disciplines work differently for everyone, so make your journey specific to you!
Jasmine Danielle is a Los Angeles based dancer and fitness trainer. She received her BFA in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has studied with FiTour, the National Federation of Personal Trainers, and the Equinox Group Fitness Training Institute.
Jasmine is currently a Group Fitness Instructor for Equinox, Everybody Los Angeles, and Sandbox Fitness. Her fitness modalities include, ballet, dance cardio, barre fitness, TRX, treadmill interval training, cardio kickboxing, jump rope, indoor cycling, and metabolic conditioning.
