TD’s 4 Essential Strategies to Maximize Your Workouts

Get ready to challenge your body like never before…

Are you wondering how to go from ordinary to extraordinary and start training at an elite level? If you want to get the most out of each and every drop of sweat, maximize your time at the gym, and earn the kind of results you’ve only dreamed of before, the following 4 strategies will do the trick.

Warning: These are not for the faint of heart!

Strategy #1 Increase The Tempo:

Tempo is the pace at which you alternate between activity and rest. By increasing tempo, you increase the volume of exercise completed while decreasing total time at the gym.

Is it easy? No. Does it work? You betcha. More work and less rest will elicit killer changes in body composition. The best way to increase tempo is to decrease rest periods while programming giant sets (more on those later), supersets, and circuit training into your routine. The bottom line: Your extra effort will be rewarded. 

Strategy #2 Add Eccentric Training To Your Routine:

“Eccentric training” is the proper name for what many call “negatives.” The term negatives makes sense as this style of training requires you to lower the weight slowly during the negative — or eccentric — portion of the movement.

Naturally, you are significantly stronger during this phase of movement compared to the concentric phase, thus eccentric training allows you to move heavier loads. Why is this beneficial? Heavier weights are the gateway to increased muscle recruitment and strength. Plus, eccentric training is a fantastic way to bust plateaus and increase time-under-tension. I’m a huge fan of negatives! 

Strategy #3 Don’t Be Afraid Of Drop Sets:

Drop sets increase the volume of your workout by forcing you to extend sets beyond initial failure. Pick an exercise and perform it until failure, then immediately reduce the weight 20-30% and complete another set. Continue to do this until you empty the weight stack or you reach true failure.

The strength-speed contrast that occurs during drop sets works wonders for both your body and your metabolism. You’ll blow up the primary movers that the exercise focuses on, while recruiting additional muscles as you near failure. Long story short, drop sets increase volume and time under tension, while giving your muscles a heckuva challenge. Try drop sets with dumbbell bicep curls next time you hit the #ArmFarm! 

Strategy #4 Give Giant Sets A Go

While you’re likely familiar with supersets (alternating between 2 exercises back to back), giant sets take things to another level. A giant set combines 3+ exercises into a “station” that is completed in a continuous fashion.

After completing 1 set of each exercise back-to-back-to-back, you’ve knocked out 1 giant set. Give 2-3 a try and watch your heart rate and metabolism skyrocket. When programmed correctly, you’ll nail every muscle fiber in your body with these bad boys. For better or for worse :), those who are familiar with The IMPACT! Body Plan know all about my infatuation with giant sets. 

maximize Your Exercise

There you have it, my friends. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or an elite athlete, these strategies are guaranteed to maximize your exercise! I suggest you toy with 1 strategy at a time to allow your body ample time to adjust and recover from the increased intensity. 

Make it a great workout today!

-TD