Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from the bodybuilder Jackson Morrows who writes for the Bodybuilding Factory.
—–
There’s more to reaching your maximum potential than simply picking a good workout regimen and eating a healthy diet. In order to be successful, a goal of that magnitude requires planning as well as execution. Below is a list of several things you need to know before, during and even after you’ve reached your maximum potential.
Before You Start
When considering a new fitness regimen, it’s always a good idea to consult with your doctor. Keep in mind that the following guidelines are suggestions and tips only, and they are not intended to replace the expertise of a certified trainer.
• Define your goals. While it might be difficult to know exactly what your maximum potential can be, you do need to set realistic goals to help you along the way. Decide if your focus is on strength, endurance or simply looking your best. This will help determine the types of goals you set for yourself.
• Prioritize and commit. If you truly want to reach your maximum potential, you must make that your priority. Be willing to accept that you may have to make sacrifices in other areas of your life because of the time you’ll need to spend and the lifestyle choices you will have to make.
• Surround yourself with experts – or at least with people who know more than you do. Having a personal trainer or coach who has the experience to take you to the next level is crucial. Those who have already reached their own maximum potential can provide you with the guidance you need to reach your own.
• Choose the right program. When deciding on a fitness program, it’s extremely important to choose a sport or activity you are passionate about. That passion will be the fuel for the fire that drives you to push yourself to reach your maximum potential. When it comes to specifics, a coach or personal trainer can be extremely helpful with putting together an effective regimen.
Working Out for Max Benefits
• Stay the course. Once you have decided upon your training program and regimen, you need to stick with it in order to see long-term results. This does not mean doing the same workouts day in and day out. It simply means to stick with one program for the long run in order to reap maximum benefits. If you keep switching from program to program after short amounts of time, you’ll never get the most out of any of those programs.
• Start slowly. When beginning a new fitness program, it’s always a good idea to start slowly and work your way up to higher intensity workouts. This helps avoid injury and burnout. It’s also a good idea to start each workout with some type of warm-up. This prepares your body for the workout ahead and also helps prevent injury.
• Intensify your workout. Working out for 30 to 40 minutes at a high intensity yields better results than working out for longer periods at a lower intensity. So, as your strength and endurance allow, increase the intensity of your workouts.
• Practice proper form. Good form is a critical component of weight lifting. Only lift as much weight as you can while maintaining proper form. After you have established proper form, lift the heaviest weight you can in one set until you are no longer able to maintain proper form. One set at your max weight is more effective than multiple sets at a lower weight.
• Cool down and stretch. Just as it’s important to properly warm up before a workout, it’s also important to cool down. Take a few minutes after your workout to gently stretch.
Dietary Considerations
While it’s best to consult a registered dietician, the following tips are a good place to start.
• Hydration. Hydration is important not only after your workout, but throughout the entire day. Your body needs time to absorb water, so make sure you are drinking water at least a couple of hours before your workout as well as hydrating after.
• Protein. Muscles require protein to repair themselves and build new tissue, so be sure to get plenty of protein in your diet. Protein shakes are a good option if you are abstaining from red meat.
• Carbohydrates. Carbs are necessary, and not all carbs are evil. Our bodies need carbs for fuel. Stay away from processed carbs such as refined sugar, and stick to the all-natural kind found in fruits. A banana is a great example of a healthy carb.
Reaching Your Goal
As you work toward achieving your maximum potential, keep in mind that you might not realize you’ve reached that goal until after gaining some perspective on it. It may not be until you have a chance to look back at where you started that you realize that you gave your maximum effort and have indeed finally reached your maximum potential.
About the Author:
This post was written and contributed by Jackson Morrows. Jackson has been bodybuilding naturally for over ten years. As an all natural athlete Jackson turns to legal alternatives to steroids to get that added boost that he needs.