3 Ways to Intensify Your Gym Workout

We’ve all heard that saying “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you” and that’s particularly true when it comes to exercise. If you’re not seeing the results you want, it might be time to turn up the intensity. Here are 3 ways to make your workout more difficult. 

1. Practice plyometrics 

Adding jumps or explosive plyometric movements to bodyweight exercises will instantly make it more difficult. Plyometric training improves agility, reaction time and improves athletic performance. If you’re not challenged by a lunge make it a set of jump lunges, if you’re finding squats easy turn them into box jumps and if push-ups aren’t pushing you out of your comfort zone make it a round of plyo clap push ups. 

2. Slow down 

Also known as tempo training, try using the 3:0:3 method. Down for 3, no pause at the bottom and up for 3. Whether or not you want to add extra weight to exercises such as a chest press or barbell squat is your choice, but slowing down your weighted movements and creating more time under tension will help you activate your slow-twitch muscle fibres which help you build endurance and lessen fatigue. The more time spent under tension, the more strength and muscle you’ll build. 

3. Reduce stability 

The less stable the surface, the more muscles you’ll activate through your core and whole body to enable you to perform the movement. This can be done a number of different ways. Try squatting or lunging with one or both feet on a bosu ball, challenge yourself to try chin-ups using rings instead of a bar or pop a pair of medicine balls underneath the palms of your hands when doing a set of push-ups.