How To Get Stronger
Physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your health. It helps boost your mood and energy levels, as well as improve bone health and overall strength. Maybe you are here because you are new to fitness and want to know how to get stronger or you have been working out for some time and trying to get out of a plateau. Regardless, I’ll give you tips on how to get stronger.
The first tip I can give is make sure you are eating a balanced diet. A balanced diet consists of whole foods from vegetables, fruits, lean meats, whole grains, and healthy fats. You will definitely need to prioritize eating enough protein but please make sure you are eating enough of everything else to go with it.
When it comes to physical fitness, one of the best activities you can practice is strength training in the gym. This includes compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, barbell bench press, and barbell rows just to name a few. Compound lifts are done after a proper body warm up when your body is still full of energy to maximize the lift. These are also known as your main lift because it works many muscles primarily focusing on one or two and it is the heaviest lift you will do for the day.
Compound lifts are typically followed by accessory lifts. Accessory lifts are done with much lighter weights and higher reps but should still be challenging. Accessory lifts tend to focus more on one muscle and can be done with machines you see at the gym or dumbbells. Some examples of accessory lifts are walking lunges, leg extension, skull crushes, or cable lifts, again just to name a few.
In order to gain strength, you should follow a program that consists of 1-2 compound lifts followed by 3-5 accessory exercises. It is best to workout different body parts by days or splits. For example, my workouts consist of 3 lower body days and 2 upper body days. I will follow compound lifts that work the lower body followed by leg accessories. Same goes for upper body days. Compound lifts should consist of 4 sets with 3-6 reps. Keep in mind these are heavy lifts so even if you only do 3 reps it should still be challenging. When it comes to accessories, you should aim for 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps each.
Now here is where the strength training comes in. The goal is to increase your compound lifts by 2.5-5 pounds each week. This will ensure a steady increase of strength over time without losing form and causing an injury. Again, these lifts are challenging but not impossible and you should never compromise form. If you feel you are not ready to move up in weight, but the weight you are currently moving feels too easy, try adding 1-2 reps to your compound lift. So if you are doing 3 reps try adding 1-2 reps. You should do this until you are able to add more weight again and start back at 3 reps but a higher weight. Over time you should also increase the weight to your accessory exercises or the amount of reps just like a compound lift.
Now I am not a huge fan of supplements. Not saying they are all terrible but I think the best way to obtain necessary vitamins and nutrients is through wholefoods (this goes for protein too). However, the one supplement I will recommend to make you stronger is creatine. Creatine is taken daily with only 5g needed. You will notice a huge difference in the weights you are able to lift. It is recommended to drink with at least 8oz of water, in addition to your daily recommended water intake. Seriously, do not take supplements if you don’t do it properly. (Commissions received)
These are the best tips to gain strength over time. Staying consistent is what truly matters. Don’t forget your health is a privilege and being able to move your body is a blessing. That should be all the motivation you need. Nonetheless, we know motivation won’t always be there but remain consistent and you will reach your goals. Eventually this habit will be so natural to you, like it is to me, and it won’t feel like a chore, it’ll just be fun!
