Let’s face it:
No matter who you are and what your circumstances are, you’ve probably thought about getting
in shape.
Maybe you’d like to add some muscle to your frame, shed a few extra pounds, or do both.
But how does one achieve this?
It certainly feels overwhelming, and like something that would
take years of consistent effort.
It doesn’t have to.
The fact is, with the right tactics, you can get in shape much faster and with half the effort,
frustration, and money.
Today, we’ll go over the most important things you need to know.
Do HIIT Workouts
You’ve probably heard of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This is a popular training
modality, and many people from all over the world use it to get in shape.
HIIT is fantastic because it brings about incredible health and fitness benefits, it’s relatively
straightforward, and it takes a lot less time than traditional cardio.
As its name suggests, HIIT has you perform short bursts of intense effort, followed by brief
periods of recovery. For example, sprinting for ten seconds and then walking for one minute.
Repeat that several times, and you have yourself a fantastic HIIT workout.
The best thing about HIIT is that you can apply the principles to numerous types of exercise.
For example, running, jumping rope, lifting weights, plyometrics, and more.
Because of the high intensity, this type of training is more challenging and takes longer for us to
recover. So, it’s good to start with no more than two weekly workouts and combine them with
the next option on our list:
Resistance Training Is Your Friend
Resistance training
Resistance training is integral for getting in shape (especially if you want to do it fast) because it
helps you build muscle and strength.
First, having more muscle on your frame improves your metabolic health and increases your
energy expenditure. Second, being stronger allows you to exert more effort, train harder, and
burn more calories in each workout.
Plus, having more muscle on your frame will add shape to your body, and you will look much
better even if you have a bit of fat.
The best part about it is, it works great with HIIT, and you can alternate between the two.
Workout plan
Here’s
an idea:
Monday – Push workout (resistance training)
Tuesday – HIIT (sprints)
Wednesday – Pull workout (resistance training)
Thursday – HIIT (jump rope)
Friday – Off
Saturday – Legs (resistance training)
Sunday – Off
This is a balanced routine you can follow where you train five times per week, and you give
resistance training and HIIT almost equal attention. If your goal is to get in shape fast, then
pairing them up is a must.
Success factors
Don’t Forget About The Other Vital Aspects
While training accounts for a large percentage of your results, you shouldn’t forget about the
other factors that can accelerate or slow down your fitness progress. Namely:
- Sleep.
According to research, we should aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night. If you want to
optimize your fitness, sleeping for up to eight or nine hours can help.
- 2) Nutrition.
How you fuel your body will have a significant impact on your overall trajectory (weight loss,
gain, or maintenance), how you feel, how you recover, and how you perform on each workout.
So, base your nutrition around whole and nutritious foods, and try to cut out processed junk as
much as possible.
- 3) Hydration.
Hydration is vital for cognitive function and athletic performance. According to most guidelines,
we should aim to drink at least two liters of water every day.
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