5 Ways Men Can Lift More and Better

Everyone wants to lift heavier, and everyone wants to get better at doing it.

Fair warning: just because most men want to get better at lifting, doesn’t always mean they know how to go about it. The internet, fitness enthusiasts, and magazines all have different advice on how to improve your lifting game.

Turns out, though, it takes some effort in the right direction to build consistency, and consistency is key. However, it’s important to know what you’re doing to get the best results.

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Tips to Lift Better

Here are five best tips to help men up their lifting game, in terms of weight and quality of movement. They’re very simple yet often overlooked words of advice. So read on carefully:

#1) Warm up Effectively

Most of us tend to skip warming up, but it's definitely not the way to go.

Warming up is important to get your muscles and joints ready for heavy movements, especially if you’re about to lift weights. It's advisable to perform a general warm-up; preferably a few minutes of light cardio, followed by some bodyweight movements that mimic your main workout.

Warming up allows you to lift better without pulling any muscles or getting them fatigued too early.

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2) Focus on Eccentric Movements

It’s true; eccentric, i.e. the negative or lengthening phase of the movement, is most effective in building strength.

Taking three to five seconds fighting the resistance of the movements creates additional tension in the muscles, making more room to get stronger and lift heavier. Keep the concentric or shortening phase of the movements short, as that helps build power and improve reflexes.

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3) Load Progressively

Most of us can’t put our pride aside to perfect our movements before loading up on weights.

While it’s definitely a great boost to your mood, doing that long term can lead to injury. It's of utmost importance to ensure you’re doing the movement right before racking loads you can’t withstand. Not doing so will hinder your form even more and probably cause a muscle pull.

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4) Get Plenty of Rest

“No rest days” may be cool and all, but it’s not what you should be following.

Muscles go through recovery only when your body is at rest, and thay makes it a priority to get adequate rest. We don’t just mean seven hours of sleep but also a day or two off from lifting in the week. You don’t want to damage your muscles to the point of injury.

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5) Load Up on Your Macros

A good diet is key. (Image via Unsplash/Monika Grabowska)

You’re probably well aware that diet is key when it comes to fitness. If you want to get stronger and better at lifts, you need to be eating all the required amounts of protein, carbs, and fats.

Along with carbs, make sure to take in plenty of fiber. Track your calories down in an app to ensure you’re getting the right amounts of all macros

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Takeaway

The aforementioned simple tips can improve your lifting game. A little discipline goes a long, long way, and soon you’ll be seeing better results than you ever expected So, stay humble and consistent, and keep going.