Spot Diary

Some trainers and lifters feel supplements can play a key role in boosting muscle gains. If we subscribe to that theory, then chances are, we’re already taking protein supplements. To boost our performance, we may also want to try peppermint. Cardiello explains that the scent alters the perception of how hard you’re working out, making it seem less strenuous, slower-paced, and easier to complete.

If getting huge is our goal, then throttle back on our cardio workouts, hances are, we’ll be burning far too many calories. So what should we do if we still want to get in some cardio, a light jog a few days per week for 20 minutes is adequate. If we’re aiming to burn fat, of course, then focus on getting enough protein every day (usually one gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight), while still keeping your overall caloric intake low.

If we want to make progress, sometimes we have to change things up. Ensure our body never gets adapted to what’s coming next. Once that happens, we may notice diminishing strength gain results. To avoid this possibility, switch up how heavy we’re lifting, our tempo of an exercise, our rep/set count, or what time of the day we’re lifting.