Great way to break through platues, and get more out of your workout routines

How to Spice Up Your Exercise Routine:

1. Do ‘High Intensity Interval Training’ (H.I.I.T.):

While there have always been disparaging views on the best forms of fitness throughout the years, there has been an unanimous and consistent consensus that this style of training is the most efficient way to shed pounds and develop functionally lean bodies. In short; training at a high intensity for bursts of time, instead of merely doing sets and repetitions of an exercise, will help your body develop faster.

You want your body to have a certain amount of time under tension in order for your muscles to develop rapidly. Forgo sets and reps for seconds and minutes. For example, to train biceps, try 1 minute of dumbbell curls instead of a set of 10 repetitions or for anaerobic training think ten- 30 second sprints instead of 30 minutes of steady rate cardio on the treadmill.

Stop-and-go traffic burns the most fuel in cars. Think about applying that methodolgy to your workouts to really see a next level body.

2. For Developing Lower Abs, Take an Unconventional Approach:

Try training legs by doing dead-lifts, reverse lunges and machine leg extensions in order to target the hard to reach areas of your abdominal wall.

Be sure not to neglect your back, especially the lower back, as you amp up your abdominal training. Doing so will help quell lower back pain, as well as draw the skin of your abdomen back as your back muscles develop.

3. Add Jump Rope to Your Routine:

Not only will jump rope keep your heart rate up, but it will also target hard to hit tiny muscle fibers while allowing your body to work symbiotically together in order to complete the exercise. I’ve also found that 10 minutes of jumping rope before a workout has maximized the caloric burn I get throughout my whole workout.

It has also been shown that the impact of the jumping up and down will help increase bone density and muscle mass around bones; A great way to help your body stave off osteoporosis. Just be aware that there is a good amount of impact on your knee joints, so those with knee injuries may want to just start downing heaps of Kale and chug some Organic full-fat whole milk.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Workout:

1. Study Human Anatomy:

Do some research on the full breadth of muscles that should be trained and also look at how muscle groups function together. Every major muscle group has a supporting muscle group.

The problem with training yourself when you are not a fitness professional is that there are many muscle groups as well as many different ways to train them. Neglecting any body part makes you more prone to injury, and you will not develop that functional, sexy, symmetrical body you want.

2. Turn the Cell Phone Off, Put the Magazine Down, Turn the Music Up:

Distractions during what is arguably the most important part of your day is a big fitness no-no. If you are working out to better yourself and the functionality of your body, train like it.

Don’t text your friends or read magazines while on your favorite piece of cardio equipment. If you can read a magazine while “working out,” chances are you are not working out.

Listening to your favorite music, preferably something with a high number of beats per minute (around 135 BPM), which will subliminally amp up your workout, allowing you to train like you mean it. Remember, actions directly correlate with the results.

3. Fat Percentage Reduction Tip

The only time I really advocate long duration low intensity cardio, such as riding the bike for an hour at a steady rate, is to do so on an empty stomach in the morning.

For my celebrity clients who need to get camera ready and shed some quick pounds, I tell them to drink a glass of water after they wake up, sip some black coffee or green tea and keep your heart rate elevated at a moderate rate for 45-60 minutes. This will rev your metabolism up for the rest of the day and will help your body target fat stores for energy instead of any merely burning the food you may have consumed before working out.

4. Watch What You Eat:

Food directly contributes to how your body functions and looks so eat right: More produce, veggies, lean animal meats or plant based proteins.

Try foods with one ingredient in them, and preferably always be able to pronounce the ingredients on the ingredient list.