Fitness Nutrition Forums

From Beginner to Intermediate: How to Take Your Basic Workout to the Next Level

Learning how to advance your program is important if you’re going to continue to see great result. Let’s look at how you can do this in a few easy steps.

As you go about your fitness routine, it’s going to become critical that you are continually challenging yourself so that you are always seeing the results you desire. Too many people get stuck in a rut and just maintain the status quo, only to eventually drop out because they just aren’t progressing.

Fortunately, you can take your workout from a beginner level to an intermediate in a few easy steps. Here’s how.

Switch To Free Weights

Many beginners, when first starting out, will focus on doing machine-based exercises. While this is great to start with, you’ll reap greater benefits if you move to free weights sooner rather than later.

Free weights challenge your core to a larger degree and also typically require a bit more muscular power. Once you’ve gotten the hang of things in the gym, step it up and try out some of those dumbbells.

Implement Supersets

Rather than doing straight sets with your workout program, consider trying some supersets instead. This is the next level up and a more challenging technique to give a try.

To do these, you’ll simply perform one exercise and then immediately launch into the next, resting only after both exercises have been completed.

This is also a great way to improve your cardiovascular fitness level as well.

Add More Weight To Compound Lifts

Perhaps the most important way to move from beginner to advanced is to focus on adding more weight to the compound exercises of bench press, squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, and rows. These are the exercises that will deliver you the most bang for your buck, results wise and should always be the focus of your program.

As a beginner, you should be testing the waters with these exercises, learning good form using lighter weights.

As you get more advanced, it’s time to bump the intensity up and lift heavier. Doing so is what will help you get stronger, more muscular, and also raise your metabolic rate so you can burn fat faster.

Use A Periodized Program Plan

Finally, consider a periodized program plan. These types of plans are designed to help you transition from one goal to the next so you are working on a variety of goals throughout the year. It helps keep you feeling more fresh and seeing results long-term.

This type of plan is used by more advanced trainees to help prevent injuries, prevent staleness, and avoid burnout.

So there you have some of the best ways to take a beginner program to an intermediate or advanced one. With proper planning and a good approach, you should have no trouble making the transition.

[Image via Shutterstock]

{{ oArticle.title }}

{{ oArticle.subtitle }}