The Best Workout for Natural Lifters
You want to get fit, but don’t want to use supplements? Natural lifting can help you get the best results without shortcuts. Read on to discover the best workout plan to maximize your gains with natural lifting.
Quick facts: Best Workout For Natural Lifters
Introduction
This article provides an introduction to the best workout for natural lifters. Natural lifters are people who do not use performance-enhancing drugs or other means of artificial lifting. Rather, they use natural methods to enhance muscle growth and strength. In other words, they rely solely on good nutrition, proper exercise form and technique, adequate rest periods between sessions and regular weightlifting sessions to obtain the desired results.
This article is designed to explore why natural lifters should focus their workouts on compound exercises that target the entire body at once. It explains why this type of workout is beneficial for muscle growth and strength gains, as well as providing an example workout plan that can be tailored to each individual’s needs and goals. Additionally, it explores the importance of warming up properly as well as providing tips on how to progress in training over time. Ultimately, this article hopes to provide a valuable resource for those looking to maximize their fitness potential through natural means only.
Strength Training
Strength training is one of the most important components of any workout routine for natural bodybuilders. Strength training will help you develop bigger and stronger muscles and will help you reach your fitness goals more quickly. It is also a great way to increase your overall strength and reduce the risk of injuries.
Let’s take a look at what strength training entails and why it’s the best workout for natural lifters:
Compound Movements
Compound movements are exercises that involve multiple joints and muscle groups together. Examples of compound movements include squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull-ups, and push-ups. These movements require the coordination of several muscles to execute the movement correctly and efficiently.
Compound movements are great for natural lifters because they allow you to efficiently work multiple muscle groups at once. This makes them more efficient than isolation exercises which only focus on one single muscle group at a time. Additionally, compound movements create an intense level of muscular stress that leads to increased strength and size gains over time. Compound exercises can also help natural lifters develop a stronger core since the body has to engage other muscles in addition to the primary movers. Finally, compound lifts have been shown to have great carryover into functional activities such as sports or everyday life since they utilize complex muscle chains rather than isolated muscles.
Isolation Movements
Isolation movements are exercises that target a single muscle group. This type of resistance training is great for natural lifters who aim to build muscular size and strength with minimal risk of injury. Examples of isolation movements include bicep curls, tricep extensions, calf raises, lateral raises, leg extensions, and more.
When performing isolation exercises, you should use a slow and controlled motion for full joint stimulation. This helps to ensure that the targeted muscle group is receiving maximum activation throughout the entire range of motion. Additionally, you should focus on keeping tension on the target muscle group rather than just trying to lift a heavy weight as quickly as possible.
Isolation moves can be used in combination with compound movements such as squats and deadlifts to create comprehensive and effective strength training routines that are suitable for natural lifters.
Cardio
Cardio is a great way for natural lifters to build muscle and burn fat. Cardio can improve cardiovascular health, increase endurance, and help build muscle. It can also help reduce the risk of certain diseases and improve mental health.
Let’s take a closer look at the various types of cardio and why it’s beneficial for natural lifters:
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a form of cardio that alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense activity or even complete rest. HIIT is an extremely efficient way to train, as it has been proven to burn more calories in a shorter period of time than steady-state cardio. For this reason, HIIT is often a go-to choice for natural lifters who are looking to get leaner but don’t want to spend hours on the treadmill.
HIIT is most effective when done in intervals – alternating between 30–60 seconds of intense effort followed by a minute or two of recovery. The goal during these short bursts should be maximal effort, so that you’re pushing your body to its limits each time. Common forms of HIIT include sprinting, cycling, jumping rope, and even bodyweight exercises like burpees and mountain climbers—the possibilities are endless!
Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS)
Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) cardio is a great option for natural lifters who want to improve their overall fitness and conditioning. LISS is a form of aerobic exercise that involves working at a steady effort for an extended period of time. For example, jogging on the treadmill for 30 minutes or walking at 3.0 mph for 45 minutes would both be considered LISS activities. This type of training tends to be more effective than High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which involves short bursts of activity followed by brief rest periods.
The primary benefit of LISS cardio is improved cardiovascular health. This type of exercise gets your heart rate up and increases blood flow throughout your body, helping to build endurance and reduce fatigue during strength training workouts and other physical activities. Additionally, it can help you burn more fat in the long run as compared to HIIT, making it an excellent choice if your goal is fat loss or weight maintenance.
Nutrition
Nutrition is an essential component in any effective workout plan for natural lifters. Eating a balanced, nutritious diet ensures that your body is receiving the energy and nutrients it needs for muscle growth. Additionally, eating the right foods in the right amounts can help you keep your energy levels up, which is important for achieving optimal performance in the gym.
Let’s take a look at how to properly fuel your body for optimal results:
Macronutrients
Macronutrients (or “macros”) are the nutrients that provide us with energy. They include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Each macronutrient has its own unique functions in the body and a specific role in our overall health. Macronutrients are essential for everything from building muscle to providing fuel for workouts to aiding in digestion and absorption of other nutrients.
- Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel for the body and should make up the bulk of your calorie intake. They provide energy in the form of glucose, which is stored in your muscles as glycogen and fuels your workouts.
- Proteins play an important role in muscle growth and repair by providing amino acids that make up proteins used by your body.
- Fats help regulate certain hormones, absorb certain vitamins, and serve as an important energy source during intense exercise.
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are dietary components that provide the body with essential vitamins and minerals. These include vitamins A, B, C, D and E as well as zinc, iron, potassium and magnesium. Adequate intake of micronutrients are important for overall health because they help to regulate hormones, enzymes and other bodily processes.
For natural lifters, micronutrient intake is essential for keeping metabolism optimal and enabling growth. Specifically, vitamins C, D and B Complex are especially important for natural lifters because they can help to increase strength while providing energy throughout workouts. Additionally, vitamin E has been shown to promote muscle recovery while also aiding in preventing inflammation. Lastly zinc is a common deficiency amongst athletes that can cause decreased performance or immunity issues.
To ensure adequate micronutrient intake it is important that natural lifters consume a balanced diet filled with nutrient-dense whole foods such as lean proteins, fruits and vegetables for optimal results.
Recovery
Recovery is an essential part of any workout routine, especially for natural lifters. Without proper recovery, you won’t be able to achieve the optimal results you desire. The best way to recover is by engaging in activities that promote the repair and adaptation of your muscles, such as foam rolling and stretching.
Additionally, proper nutrition and sleep should also be a priority for any natural lifter. Let’s explore more ways to recover effectively:
Sleep
Sleep plays a critical role in muscle building and recovery, so it’s important to get adequate rest. The amount of sleep you need will depend on your age, activity level, and lifestyle. In general, adults need 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
Rest is essential for healthy living, allowing your mind and body to recharge and repair.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body can experience adverse side effects without the necessary time to recover from stressors like exercise or normal daily activities. Sleep allows your muscles to rebuild after a tough workout and helps reduce inflammation that can occur due to physical exertion. Research shows that those who log more hours in bed tend to have better performance during physical tests than those who don’t get enough rest.
Good sleep hygiene practices such as maintaining regular sleeping patterns, avoiding caffeine in the evening, and unplugging from technology can help improve quality rest as well.
Active Recovery
Active recovery is a type of exercise or activity that involves light physical activities at low intensity and low volume. This type of workout is used by athletes and lifters to promote recovery from intense exercise, prevent plateaus, and improve overall health and well-being.
Active recovery can be performed between sets, after workouts, during rest days, or even as a standalone workout.
The main goal of active recovery is to stimulate blood flow to certain muscles, joints, and organs through low-intensity physical activities. These activities can range from walking with a light load to swimming or jogging at a leisurely pace. Light stretching exercises are also recommended to improve flexibility and joint mobility, as well as reduce muscle soreness. Active recovery can help speed up the recovery process while allowing you to stay in shape without having to overtrain your body.
Conclusion
For natural lifters, the best type of workout involves both strength training and cardiovascular exercise. Strength training should focus on compound movements designed to build muscle mass with a primary emphasis on developing functional strength. Cardiovascular exercise can be used to improve physical conditioning, burn fat and help reduce the risk for chronic diseases.
Furthermore, natural lifters should make an effort to eat a balanced diet that consists of lean protein sources as well as fruits and vegetables.
Finally, it is important for natural bodybuilders to ensure that their workout plan fits into their lifestyle. This means finding a routine that is enjoyable, achievable and can be maintained over the long-term. Natural lifters who are able to do this effectively will be able to maximize their results while avoiding burnout or injury.
FAQs about: Best Workout For Natural Lifters
Q1. What is a natural lifter?
A1. A natural lifter is someone who has not used any performance enhancing drugs to improve their physical condition.
Q2. What is the best workout for natural lifters?
A2. The best workout for natural lifters would involve a combination of strength and cardio exercises. This could include weightlifting, running, and other forms of aerobic exercise. It is important to include a variety of exercises in order to target different muscle groups, which can help to prevent injury and promote overall fitness.
Q3. How often should natural lifters work out?
A3. It is recommended that natural lifters work out three to four times per week for optimal results. It is important to allow for adequate rest between workouts to ensure that the body has time to recover. Additionally, it is important to listen to your body and adjust the frequency and intensity of workouts as necessary.
