Dr Meghan Santa Barbara’s 5 Training Tips For Max Progress

Dr Meghan Santa Barbara’s 5 Training Tips For Max Progress

About Dr Meghan Santa Barbara

Dr Meghan Santa Barbara is not just an IFBB Pro, but also a nutrition consultant and bodybuilding prep coach. With almost 80,000 Instagram followers, she shares her knowledge and expertise on fitness and bodybuilding. Recently, she took to social media to share 5 underrated but essential tips for those who want to maximize their gains.

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Meghan Santa Barbara’s 5 Underrated Training Tips

Exercise Form

8-12 solid reps remain a staple for hypertrophy. "Social media has you overthinking your training," asserts Dr Santa Barbara. "Old school trainers are fighting the new evidence-based trainers, and it’s exhausting. But what holds true despite the drama? Poor form equals poor stimulus. Improve the quality of your volume versus simply adding more volume." By focusing on proper form, you can ensure that you’re getting the most out of your workouts.

Tension Over Range

Instead of always thinking about increasing your range of motion, think about how to increase your range of tension! suggests the buff bodybuilder. "Example: Going ass to grass on a squat just to stroke your ego and improve you’re right on social media, versus working within your range of tension and stimulating the muscles you are trying to bias (target)." By focusing on the muscles you want to build, rather than overextending your stretch, you can achieve better results.

Cardio

Pump your heart as well as the iron. "Cardiovascular training is essential when in a growth phase," explains the coach. "Don’t be the bro bodybuilder who thinks that cardio will rob your muscle of gain. Having good cardiovascular health will improve your internal health, work capacity, improve insulin sensitivity for better pumps, and will help with your muscular endurance during working sets." By incorporating cardio into your routine, you can improve your overall fitness and body composition.

Train Actually Hard

For most of us, just managing to arrive at the gym is a win, but if you want to be elite, you’ll need to actually work hard. "Don’t fear training hard," challenges Dr Santa Barbara. "You need to push lifts within close proximity to failure. There are some genetic outliers, sure, but the large majority of you will need to train within 0-1 RIR (Reps In Reserve) to achieve the results you desire." By training hard and pushing yourself to failure, you can stimulate muscle growth and achieve your fitness goals.

Get More Out of Less

Sometimes, less is more and that’s never more true than the simplicity of pitting yourself against a simple lift rather than a mathematical maze. "Set intensifiers are great when programmed correctly," says the blonde beauty. "Learn how to push a top set for 2 working sets to failure prior to adding in drop sets, rest pause sets, ISO-holds, etc. Don’t overcomplicate things. Get more out of less and add in set intensifiers when needed to achieve additional volume or to use as a fatigue management tool when strength may be lower." By simplifying your workout routine and focusing on proper form and execution, you can achieve better results with less effort.

Conclusion

Dr Meghan Santa Barbara’s 5 training tips for max progress are a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their fitness and bodybuilding routine. By focusing on proper form, increasing range of tension, incorporating cardio, training hard, and simplifying your workout routine, you can achieve the results you desire. Remember to always prioritize proper form and execution, and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and push yourself to failure.

FAQs

Q: What is the most important thing to focus on when it comes to exercise form?
A: Improving the quality of your volume versus simply adding more volume.

Q: How can I increase my range of tension during exercise?
A: By working within your range of tension and stimulating the muscles you are trying to bias (target).

Q: Why is cardiovascular training essential for growth?
A: Because it improves your internal health, work capacity, improves insulin sensitivity for better pumps, and will help with your muscular endurance during working sets.

Q: How can I train actually hard and achieve the results I desire?
A: By pushing lifts within close proximity to failure and training within 0-1 RIR (Reps In Reserve).

Q: How can I simplify my workout routine and get more out of less?
A: By focusing on proper form and execution, and by adding in set intensifiers when needed to achieve additional volume or to use as a fatigue management tool when strength may be lower.