Principle #1: Focus on Compound Movements The days of spot reducing are gone.
We know better than to do endless crunches and situps in order to show off our abs.
Yes, direct ab work is necessary to some respect, but not so much that we need to spend a full 20 minutes just working our abs.
Instead, make sure you are hitting the basic movements: pushups, pullups, and squats.
I once did a workout consisting of 100 pullups.
The next day, my back, chest, and abs were sore, despite not doing any pushups or situps on that training day.
You really will be surprised by just how in-sync your body works.
It's all connected, so stop asking me what muscle group a particular exercise works.
Principle #2: Do MetCon, Not Cardio We also know better than to spend hours on the treadmill or stair stepper.
Cardio is important if you are a complete beginner and need to develop a strong aerobic conditioning base.
Otherwise, stick to MetCon, or Metabolic Conditioning.
Metabolic Conditioning is when you combine cardio movements with bodyweight or weight bearing exercise.
A good MetCon workout would be to perform a set of pushups followed by sprints.
When choosing your cardio movements, perform "Hard Cardio.
" Examples of hard cardio include sledgehammer swings, sprinting, jump roping tricks such as double unders, and heavy bag punching.
Principle #3: Focus on Intensity, Not Frequency There is a false notion that the more we are in the gym, the more likely we're to get results.
This is false.
After a while you will be severely over trained.
Over Training can potentially halt or reverse your progress in the gym.
The last thing you want to be is 143 lbs and skinny fat (speaking from experience).
So stop focusing on the frequency of your gym visits or workouts, and start focusing on the intensity.
A great measure of intensity is to use a personal intensity scale from 1 to 10.
After each workout, jot down hot intense you felt the workout to be.
A '5' is something of average intensity, and '10' is something like "barely about to finish and close to puking.
" Principle #4: Powerful Nutrition For some people, training is a problem.
They just can't seem to get themselves to workout.
For others, nutrition is the problem.
I eat healthy than most people, but I used to have a big problem with my nutrition.
I thought that as long as I worked out I was fine.
This was before I ballooned up to close to 25% body fat.
I decided I need to do something.
All I really did was end my addiction of Fast Food, Soda, and Starbucks.
Often simple changes will result in dramatic results.
My nutrition is still not where it is, but at least I've ended my addiction of fast and junk food.
That's the first step.
Principle #5: Drink Water, Seriously Its funny how difficult it is for people to just drink some water.
Hydration is a very important aspect in achieving your health and fitness goals.
In short, without water, you can't function.
Every single function in your body requires water for smooth regulation.
The best way to get water is to set certain times of the day were you go to the faucet or fridge, and pour yourself a cup.
For example, drink a cup right when you wake up and before going to bed.
Drink a cup right before every meal.
Drink a cup each time you leave and enter the house.
And of course, drink a cup right before and after your workout.