Do you want to lift heavier in your training? There are several methods to increase your lifting capacity, some simpler than others. However, in some cases, it may be your body's limitations that prevent you from achieving your goals. Here are a number of tips and tricks on how to improve your lifts.
Do you have control over your breathing?
Many bodybuilders, powerlifters, and weightlifters use breathing techniques to help them lift heavier weights. One of the most common methods is the Valsalva maneuver, named after the Italian physician Antonio Maria Valsalva. This technique creates stability in the body during heavy lifts, which both reduces the risk of injury and increases the training effect. The technique involves taking a deep breath before the lift and holding your breath during the heaviest part of the exercise. This increases stability, especially around the chest, and relieves strain on the spine.
Example: When squatting, take a deep breath before bending your knees. Hold your breath through the most strenuous part of the movement, and only exhale when you are upright again.
Are you struggling with your grip?
Many people find that their grip strength or sore wrists limit their lifting ability, even though the rest of their body could handle more. It can be frustrating when their fingers give up before the rest of their body.
Change your grip for better grip strength A simple way to improve your grip is to change your grip position. If your wrists can't handle a double overhand grip during deadlifts, try a mixed grip, where one palm faces you and the other faces away. Additionally, the lock-down grip can be effective, especially for pull-ups, where the thumbs are locked around the bar with the help of the middle and index fingers.
Lifting straps as an aid If changing your grip isn't enough, lifting straps can be a solution. They provide a firmer grip and make it possible to lift heavier weights or do more repetitions. With Natural Athlete x MakeIt You can improve grip strength during heavy lifting.
Is your head position correct during exercise?
How you hold your head affects your results. If your head is positioned too far back during, for example, squats, you can block nerve pathways in your neck, reducing your ability to lift heavy. Therefore, make sure your head is held in a natural extension of the spine to fully utilize muscle power.
Do you use chains and bands in your training?
Chains and bands are effective training tools that can help you lift heavier, especially if you struggle with "sticking points," where you stop in the exercise. These tools change the strength curve so that the exercise becomes heavier at the top. They are especially effective in bench presses, deadlifts, dips, and pull-ups, but require a certain level of experience.
Have you taken a break from training?
If you've taken a break from training, don't be afraid to start all over again. Your muscles have a "muscle memory" that makes it easier to rebuild strength after a break. Research shows that muscle cells remember previous training information, and that this memory can be stored at the DNA level.
How can you use muscle memory?
You can take advantage of muscle memory by exercising regularly. The more often you exercise, the faster you can increase the weight in your exercises, as long as you get the right amount of sleep and diet. After a training break, your muscles will remember previous exercises, but start carefully to avoid injury.
If you already exercise regularly, you can use these tips to lift heavier. Muscle memory helps you increase both weight and number of repetitions by storing information from your previous workouts.
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