General Health

Six Hacks that all bodybuilders should know

By Canadian Protein

Posted on March 5, 2019

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The life of a bodybuilder is anything but simple, and anybody who thinks it is obviously hasn’t lived the life of a true bodybuilder. Bodybuilders, whether training for vanity, or competitively, have to eat, sleep, and breathe the bodybuilding lifestyle. Building muscle takes a long time, it requires a lot of skill and dedication, and it requires a whole lot of patience in the process. Not everybody is cut out for the bodybuilding lifestyle, but if you think you are, who says life has to be quite as tough as you may have initially thought? Though bodybuilding is tough, both in terms of training, and nutrition, if you know what you’re doing, there are things you can do that will make life a hell of a lot easier. This is where we come into the fold, as we’ll shortly be taking a look at a few hacks that all bodybuilders should know. Some of them may seem painfully obvious, whereas others you may not have even previously considered. So, without any further time-wasting, let’s now take a look at a few hacks that all bodybuilders should know.

Prep makes perfect

We said than some hacks would be obvious, but we aren’t leaving anything to chance here, so here’s a look at the importance of prepping your meals. Prepping your meals will help save you heaps of time during the week, as, once you get back from work, or the gym, you can simply grab a ready-made meal, heat it up, and enjoy, without slaving over a hot stove and having to deal with mountains of washing up. Prep is also ideal because you can control exactly what you’re eating, and how much, so you know that hitting your daily macros will be easier than ever. Once you know what has gone into your meals, you’re pretty much good to go for the next few days, or possibly longer if you choose to freeze your meals.

Prawns make perfect snacks

Bodybuilding is all about hitting macros and building muscle, and needless to say, it requires the consumption of a lot of protein. If you’re looking to keep your body fat under control and are sick and tired of eating protein bars, or drinking protein shakes when you need a high protein snack fix, why not grab yourself some cooked prawns? Cooked prawns are extremely low in fat and calories, and are packed full of proteins and amino acids, making them ideal for bodybuilders looking for a quick protein snack. At home, simply grab some from the fridge, or if out and about, make sure to pack them in a cool box, as they are a form of seafood, so must be kept very cool.

Train on Sunday rather than Monday

We all know that Monday is international chest day, and because of this, you will find gyms up and down the country absolutely packed out every Monday, especially at peak times. The reason why Mondays are so busy is because people not only often take the weekend off from training, but they also often overindulge and subsequently feel the need to work twice as hard on Monday. For people trying to consistently train, no matter what body part you’re planning on hitting, finding free equipment can be tough. For a much easier, and far less stressful workout, why not train on a Sunday instead of Monday? You will do everything you would normally do on a Monday, except you do it a day earlier and take Monday night off from the gym instead. Tuesdays onwards are generally a bit quieter, so if you can train on Sunday, you ideally should.

Use small plates for increasing weight

Bodybuilding is all about making progress and gains, both in terms of your physique, and in terms of your training. In order to make these gains, you must never become complacent and you should always push yourself that little bit harder when you train. To help you lift heavier weights, without injuring yourself or exhausting yourself, make use of small plates. 2.5lb plates for example, may not feel like anything, but when you’re lifting, if you gradually add these to the bar, you will find your strength increasing with each passing workout. Jumping from 45lbs a side to 90lbs a side would be crazy in one go, but if you gradually build your way up to this, you will get where you want to be a whole lot safer, and you won’t tire yourself out in the process.

Make use of lifting straps

Lifting straps aren’t just worn for show, they are worn for a reason, and that reason is to help support your grip, and to help you lift slightly more weight. When lifting heavy weight, often you will find that it is your grip that gives out first, rather than the muscle group you are training. To help you grip onto the bar/machine, throw on a set of lifting straps and you will easily be able to perform another couple of reps, which will translate into greater levels of muscle hypertrophy. For certain exercises, especially those targeting the back, lifting straps are perfect.

Rest for no longer than a minute between sets

Though people generally enjoy training, sometimes it can be annoying when you have things to do, or if you’re running late. Sometimes, all you want to do is get into the gym, do what needs to be done, and then leave. Well, if you reduce the amount of rest you take between sets, that’s exactly what will happen. By taking no more than 60 seconds between sets, you will power through sets like there is no tomorrow. What’s more, as your heart rate will be elevated so much, you will burn even more calories and so your cardiovascular system will benefit, plus you’ll burn more fat.