Guest blog post by Luke Douglas from www.ripped.me

If the training routine was all we needed for achieving the desired physique, growing stronger, becoming happier in our lives, or boosting our confidence, endurance levels and cardiovascular health. However, in addition to your trusty program, there are a few other relevant factors that influence your fitness success, and they all work together in unison to help you achieve your goals.

To make the most of all those hours spent in the Pilates class or the dojo, incorporate the following tips into your already active lifestyle and watch those workouts bloom!

1. Include some HIIT

This is especially important for those who’re not at all new to exercise, and have an established progress line for at least a few months. Including cardio is marvelous, and resistance training mixed with it also makes for a great choice, but if you only aim for low to medium-intensity workouts, you’re not making the most of your potential, and HIIT can help you achieve just that.

There are numerous versatile HIIT schemes out there, from ready YouTube videos, written programs, to improvised combos for you exercise veterans, so there’s no need to avoid it. According to the latest research, even as few as 4 or 6 bursts of 30-second sprints can burn more fat than one whole hour on the treadmill. Talk about increasing your effectiveness, right?

2. Mind your protein intake

Whatever your routine may include, whether that’s running, swimming, group sports or yoga, you’ll tap into your primary energy source for expenditure, which are carbs. However, most of us are completely unaware that we’re not getting enough protein in our daily menu, because we’re wired to love those carb-rich foods, sugary or otherwise.

If you supply your body with long-lasting energy from muscle-building proteins, such as lean poultry, dairy or legumes, combined with complex carbs such as barley or rice, fresh veggies and top it all off with healthy omega-3s, you’ll utilize your energy more efficiently. You’ll also have much more of it, and you’ll feel full throughout the entire day, making your routine much more effective in the process.

3. The outfit matters

Although the incredibly cute tights along with a tank-top with your favorite slogan need no special reason to be worn, you’d be surprised to what extent high-quality activewear can impact your workout success. In order to ensure the level of comfort, safety and skin health as well, you should pay attention to the fabric, quality design and durability.

It is precisely for these reasons that brands such as Ryderwear are doing their best to create compression clothing, protective gear including footwear, gloves, belts, wraps and straps of all sorts – so that even an average fitness enthusiast can feel as safe as a professional athlete.

4. Up your H2O

While it’s great that you drink plenty of water during the exercise, you need to remember that it takes time for your body to absorb and make use of water – more precisely, several hours. That means that you need to focus on your water intake throughout the whole day, so that your muscles can work properly, and heal after your training session.

Perhaps one of the easiest way to ensure that you’re hydrating well is to get a water bottle that holds one or two litters of water, and then keep track of your intake during the day. In addition to that, do your best to stay away from sugary sodas and too much caffeine – that can only dehydrate your body and impede your workouts!

. Don’t avoid the weight room

Spending hours on the treadmill or just focusing on bodyweight workouts has its own perks, but they tend to dwindle in time. And no matter how hard you try, your body will adapt, so you will need to introduce some changes to surprise your muscles every once in a while, and one of the healthiest, most effective ways to achieve this is to add resistance!

The barbell isn’t the boogeyman, ladies, on the contrary – use it by gradually stacking more plates and you’ll not only build a body you’ve dreamed of, but you will also significantly improve your results from any other form of workout you like. Your endurance, your strength and your health will all benefit from working with weights, so there’s no need to avoid the squat rack any longer.