How To Avoid Setbacks At The Gym

Adding more weight and seeing major results? If so, the last thing you need is an unexpected setback powering down your progress. Some of the most common culprits are muscle strains, sprains and tears, all of which can keep you out of the gym for weeks or even months. Keep your guns blazing by incorporating these easy workout tips into your strength-training regimen:

It’s easy to short-shrift or nix your warm-up when your gym time is limited. But, a solid warm-up routine can be crucial to help stave off injuries. Warming up primes your body to work out by gradually boosting your heart rate and loosening your muscles and joints. Your warm-up should last around five to ten minutes and should boost blood flow to all your major muscle groups and combine quick-paced cardio with high-rep, low intensity lifts. That means a few minutes of jogging, biking or other light cardio to get your blood pumping and then a few minutes of quick and easy reps that target the muscle groups you plan to work. It’s a good idea to also incorporate dynamic stretching into your warm-up. Dynamic stretches combine movements to improve range of motion. Arm circles, jumping jacks, leg swings and walking lunges are all good examples. Adding these to your routine can mimic the movement you’re about to perform and help get your body primed for the reps you’re about to put in.

It’s good to push your limits—that’s how gains are gained. But taking on more weight than you can handle makes for a high-risk situation. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t lift or push a weight load eight times, it’s probably too heavy. The less stable your lift, the less controlled it will be, which ups your chances of dropping bars, twisting into an awkward and incorrect form and straining or tearing your muscles.

After pushing your muscles through intense sets, a foam roller can be your best friend. Not sure how to use a foam roller? Apply targeted pressure to problem areas, on the muscles that need it most. Aim to roll each spot for around 30 seconds or until you feel pressure release. Regularly rolling out knots can help set you up for success the next time you hit the weight room..

Chances are you already take supplements to help you keep pushing toward your goals. If not, here’s a few you could be taking to optimize your bodybuilding and strength training. Try starting with a pre-workout supplement like Beyond Raw® LIT™ before you hit the gym to help you train with focus, intensity and pumps.

Protein is absolutely essential for supporting heavy lifting and massive gains. Make sure you’re getting proper protein via your diet and a protein powder supplement. Strength training typically demands around .7 grams per pound of body weight. If you’re lifting seriously, and more than four times a week, that ratio looks more like 0.8. Depending on your weight, this kind of training regimen can demand as much as 160 grams daily, so proper protein is no small thing.

Strong bones are just as important as strong muscles when it comes to avoiding setbacks at the gym. You need both to support all those ferocious lifts. To help ensure your bones are up to the task, work a calcium supplement into your diet, preferably one with vitamin D3 to enhance your body’s absorption capabilities. Calcium is involved in muscular and nerve function and provides much-needed support for strong bones.

Intense training requires proper hydration, recovery and rest. Maintain a solid water, sodium and potassium balance in your body by drinking water and sports drinks regularly if you sweat a lot. Follow your training session up with a post-workout supplement that includes branched chain amino acids (BCAA) to help take your recovery to the next level. Say goodnight to your goals with Beyond Raw Anabolic Sleep 30-60 minutes before bedtime. It contains melatonin, GABA and ingredients that promote restful sleep so you can dream about crushing your next training session.