The gym can be intimidating if you do not know what to do or are new to going. That is why we will be talking about some tips and tricks to get started! The biggest tip is to warm up before working out. The best type is dynamic stretching which consists of body weight exercises such as push-ups, squats, and pull ups. Dynamic stretching helps to decrease muscle stiffness and prepare you for the workout. Now that you are warmed up and want to go lift, you need to focus on your form. Incorrect form can lead to injuries and is not efficient if you want to gain muscle. For example, posted below is a video of both Bella and Makenzie doing skull crushers. Bella’s form is incorrect due to her arms turning out and not reaching a full range of motion. On the other hand, Makenzie’s form is correct because her elbows are tucked in and she has control over the bar. Once your form is accurate then you can start lifting heavier each time. One way to know whether you should up your weight is if the exercise gets too easy due to your body adapting to it. After warming up and lifting it is time to cool down. Our favorite cool down is stretching. This is easy to do and can take 10 to 15 minutes.
After you have the lifting part down you want to move into tracking your macronutrients. The three main macronutrients to keep track of are carbohydrates, fats, and protein. These are key for muscle growth and providing energy for you to succeed in lifting. Bella and Makenzie like to track their macronutrients using MyFitnessPal. Bella and Makenzie love this app because food can be scanned, and most foods are entered into their database which makes it quick and easy to use. If you are not sure where to start to figure out how much to eat, we recommend using a macro calculator online. Any website will work and give you the same results based on your goals. Some tips for eating include: eating fast carbohydrates, pre-workout, and eating/drinking protein post-workout. Carbohydrates help maximize your body’s ability to use glycogen to fuel the workouts, while protein is used to repair your muscles and build them.
Lastly, do not give up because muscle growth can take a while, but it does happen. If you follow these tips on working out and eating healthy regularly you are set for success!
Written By: Makenzie Shiller and Bella Serapiglia
Edited By: Crystal Lord
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