5 Easy Tips to Get Stronger

There are a lot of people that strength train trying to get stronger for many different reasons. These people may be putting in the time, but are lacking the desired results. With the help of my five tips, people can power through their sticking point and get stronger.

1. Control the weight down- A lot of weight lifters out there only focus on how much weight they are using, and these people view form as a secondary action. Most people do not know that the eccentric contraction breaks down more muscle than the concentric contraction. For example, the way down on a bicep curl or the way down on a bench press is an eccentric contraction. Lifters who only focus on driving the weight up and forget to control it down not only are more prone to injury, but they also are skipping the most important part of their workout.

2. Rest- Muscle growth does not occur at the gym. The act of strength training breaks down the muscle, and it grows back bigger when you rest. If you over train and do not rest, the muscle is not growing back properly and you are wasting your workouts. Each muscle should be trained no more than two times per week. Also, the best workouts come after the body takes 3-5 days of rest. For example, power lifters will take up to a week off from lifting before a competition.

3. Protein- Up to about an hour after your workout, your muscles absorb nutrients such as protein easier. After a workout you should be consuming about 40-50 grams of protein because that is how much protein your body can absorb at a single time. Your body is capable of absorbing more protein about 4 hours later. For greater muscle gains, a lifter should be consuming the equivalent of their body weight in grams of protein however this is frowned upon by nutritionists. Protein can be acquired through various sources such as food, protein powder, or milk.

4. Push yourself- When weight training, many people lift to a predetermined number of repetitions during a set. They feel like once they reach this number they have to stop. The most muscle is being built on the last two reps a person performs when he or she thinks they cannot do any more.

5. Strengthen your core- A person's core is very important to lifting of any exercise because it is always being used. If a power lifter has a weak core, they are limiting their workouts. It is important for people to keep in mind that the core is not limited to the abdominals, but also includes lower back.