Mikey Boom

I recently came across good article discussing top tips on how to increase your potential at the gym.  It had some good tips but also a lot of stuff everyone pretty much already knows (like focus your routines on 2 muscle groups a day, etc.)  Here is what I was able to pull out of it; my personal Top 10 Secret Tips to Improve Your Workout.

10. Get a hot tub and get big

Japanese researchers recently exposed rats to heat chambers of 105 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of 2 weeks and found muscle increases of over 13% in comparison to rats not exposed to such temperatures. They concluded the results are likely due to heat shock proteins which were released in the body after exposure to heat for a certain length of time.

9. Do your cardio after your weights

In another study, Japanese researchers found that upon testing subject’s GH response, subjects who did cardio before weight lifting had an adverse affect of 1,100% (in terms of muscle growth potential) when compared with those subjects who did their cardio after lifting weights.

8. Train with a an audience for best results

Scientific studies show that when trained lifters attempt to do a 1 rep max set in front of a group of people, they were stronger than when they lifted alone or in front of just one other person.

7. Add 2 teaspoons of Cocoa extract to your protein shake

Scientists at the University of California found that the epicathechin in cocoa significantly boosts NO levels in the body as well as blood vessel dilation. This increase muscle growth and stamina.

6. The night time is the right time; to lift

University of Southern Mississippi researchers conducted a study with subjects working out after 6pm, for a period of 10 weeks, and saw higher gains for this group than for the group that trained at 10am.

5. Do not drop dietary cholesterol too low

Kent State University in Ohio found that older adults eating a diet higher in cholesterol while weight lifting for a period of 12 weeks gained 55% more strength and had more than 5x the muscle growth as similar subjects with low cholesterol diets.

4. Eat a Green Salad with your last whole-food meal before gym-time

University of Maryland discovered that pairing a green salad with a higher fat meal significantly prevents blood vessel dilation and enhances the levels of N.O. in the body.

3. Use your iPod

Weider Research Group conducted studies on professional body builders wearing MP3 devices and found that listening to personal music players successfully motivated body builders to complete 1-2 more reps on average than when working out without any music at all.

2. Take 300mg of caffeine 1-2 hours pre-workout

Recent studies show that caffeine ingested before a workout increase the body’s ability to burn fat during your workout and also increases your endurance in the gym. Additionally, a University of Nebraska study found that subjects who took caffeine before their workout increased their one-rep max on the bench press by about 5 pounds.

1. Focus your mind on the Muscle you are working

European researchers found that subjects who focused their thoughts on the muscles they were exercising saw significantly more muscle activity than subjects who thought about unrelated things. Muscle activity is directly associated with muscle growth and therefore the argument that one can potentially get bigger muscles by thinking about them when exercising them, is circumstantially plausible.