10 Tips to Stand Out from the Crowd...

Lots of people train with a friend, or in groups. Not only this, but gyms can be an intimidatng place and one in which people aspire to get the feeling that they "fit in". For these reasons it can be asy to end up following a mould set by others and just do as they do.

As I always say, "Variety is a place where results live".  YES it's cheesey but it's still true so I don't care! So, with this in mind, here are my top 10 tips to improve your workout and stand out from the crowd...

1. Don't do chest workouts on a Monday - everyone does! Avoid the lines, hit the legs and have the benches to yourself at the end of the week
2. Add an element of balance to your workout - Bosu's, sinle limb exercises etc improve core stability, joint stability, muscle strength and co-ordination
3. Change the time you allow for a training sessions and be strict with it in order to vary the intensity. If you cut the rest time you might not be able to lift as heavy. Train your body, not your ego! You'll be improving your recovery time and cardio fitness in one sweep
4. Train with as many different people on seperate occassions as you can. if you learn one thing from a session with someone new then it's been worth it. No one knows EVERYTHING so listen up
5. Think outside the box. Take your standard exercise and don't be afraid to make it harder. Try it single limb, balanced, more controlled, as a combination with another exercise. Be creative!
6. Do your own research - don't rely on friends and other gym folk for ideas on how to exercise. If there was a right way to exercise then we would all do the same thing. Find what works for you and what's been scientifically proven. Don't jsut use a program your mate has been given
7. HITT the cardio. Forget long duration exercise, it's gone out with perms. Push yourself and find your limit. Increase the intensity knowing that you'll be working for a shorter time
8. Use your body weight - it's much harder than you'd ever think and a real gauge of real strength. You can put together a pretty hard circuit which is very cardio based and will help build lean, quality muscle and improve all round strenght with no equipment at all - ideas.
9. Try a class. Too many people avoid group exercise as they think it's just for women, or it's all aerobics. Classes are a great cardio workout and will guarentee that you work harder in 45 minutes than you ever would on your own. make the most of them. Or if flexability is an issue, try yoga, pilates, body balance etc
10. Take on a challenge! If there's an exercise that you and your friends avoid becuase it's difficult, master it. Be the guy that CAN, not the group that can't

It genuinelly frustrates me to see so many people doing the same workout as all their pals and doing things because thats what someone told them to do with no reasoning, knowledge or thought to why they should do it. I will happily learn from others and pick up new exercises as long as you can explain "why". Why should I use this exercise over other? In what wa will it benefit me.

Don't just tsick to what you know - keep on learning.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter and subscribe to my YouTube  channel.