In life, many things are beyond our control but fitness doesn't have to be one of them. It's a journey that allows us to take charge of our body, mind, and priorities. To be fit means being attuned to what our body needs and adopting a goal-oriented mindset. It's a lifestyle change that allows us to set our priorities straight and do our best the best way we can.

Most of us already have an idea of why we should bulk up for next-level fitness. So, instead of asking ourselves why we should become fitter, maybe we should ask why we're allowing our excuses to hold us back.

Why Live Your Fittest Life

Peace and clarity are just a couple of the things you'll gain from embracing fitness. You'll have peace within yourself because you'll get to focus less on what makes you insecure and what people think about you. Through practice, discipline, and consistency, you'll learn that it's what you think about yourself and what you can do for yourself that matters. Then, you'll obtain clarity as you learn to set realistic goals and as you become accountable for your own progress.

“Fit” nowadays connotes being extremely good-looking and who doesn't want to be considered attractive? To truly become “fit” in every sense of the word is to go past the superficial. Becoming fit can start with wanting to have the confidence to look good, but it can slowly evolve to you learning to love your body by doing what's good for your overall wellness. Becoming fit can also be a way for you to feel empowered to do things you didn't think was possible.

Our FIT Programme at Alchemy Personal Training is a sustainable and comprehensive approach to fitness that combines a variety of effective workout techniques with a personalised diet plan. You begin your journey with a fitness consultation with the owner and master trainer himself, and he'll design a plan specific to your goals and current fitness level.

We say live your fittest life as an invitation for you to become the strongest and most attractive self you can be. So, start somewhere. Start to bulk up for next-level fitness. Below are 5 focus areas you can start working on to increase fitness levels.

5 Focus Areas to Increase Fitness Levels

Cardio

The best way for you to check your cardiovascular fitness is to find out your VO2 max which is the maximum amount of oxygen you use during an intense workout or physical activity. While some fitness watches can give you an estimate, the most accurate way to test your VO2 max is to book a consultation with your physician and run on a treadmill.

The ideal VO2 max varies based on age, gender, body mass, body composition, and fitness level. Ideally, you should find your VO2 max score within the 50th and 75th percentile. Most men in their 30s to 70 should have a VO2 max score in the 24.4 to 49.2 range. Women in the same age group should aim to be in the 18.3 to 36.1 range.

Once you have a baseline for your cardiovascular health, you can increase your fitness level by engaging in more aerobic exercises like swimming, walking, running, cycling, and dancing on a regular basis. Consistency is key to improving cardio.

Muscle Strength

Muscle strength usually involves weight training. You can improve your fitness level in this department by performing controlled movements utilising your bodyweight, dumbbells, or weight-lifting machines. For your safety, always remember to exercise with proper form before adding on any weight. For instance, you can start with bodyweight squats, before adding dumbbells to do a squat to bicep curl to press.

Strength training will challenge you through the number of reps and/or the weights you're carrying per exercise. Having a personal trainer is beneficial because you're assured that someone is watching your form and they'll be able to advise you on when to increase your weight or rep count.

We recommend you opt for a safe but challenging weight. Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good form but is also difficult for the target muscle or muscle group to lift by the last two reps.

Muscle Endurance

Muscular endurance is measured by the number of reps you can do an exercise over a prolonged period without feeling fatigued. Next-level fitness here is going to be centred on resistance training. Similar to weight training, you also use weights for resistance training but the focus is more on the rep count.

As mentioned before, gym equipment is not always necessary. You can boost muscle endurance with bodyweight exercises by engaging in planks, squats, or situps. The idea is to do a series of muscle-group-specific movements until you can't anymore. This means that you can have higher muscle endurance for your upper body than your lower body and vice versa.

When choosing exercises to increase your muscle endurance, focus on movements that allow you to target specific muscle groups at a time. Also, assess which parts of your body need more activation.

Flexibility

Flexibility refers to your range of movement around a specific joint. For example, you can claim to have good hamstring flexibility when you can reach your toes. Your flexibility can also vary for different parts of your body.

Flexibility can unfortunately decline with age. It is also influenced by your body weight, previous injury, and/ or lack of physical activity. We encourage you to work on your flexibility because it has a great impact on your mobility at any age. Enhancing your flexibility will increase your fitness level by reducing tension and stress around your joints so you can exert full effort in your training. It also contributes to improving your muscle performance and lessening the risk of injury.

Exercises that can help you become more flexible include stretching, Yoga, and Pilates. Also, be sure to warm up at the start and cool down at the end of every workout by stretching to regulate your heart rate and facilitate muscle recovery.

Body Composition

Body composition is the breakdown of your body weight in percentages. It can be described as the ratio of your fat to lean muscles, bones, and other tissues in your body. Your body composition is a good baseline of what you need to work on. For instance, if you have a higher fat percentage, then maybe you should engage in cardio exercises first to burn fat.

Regularly checking your body composition is also a great way to track your progress since it is more accurate than BMI (Body Mass Index). By maintaining or working towards a healthy body composition, you extend your lifespan and level up your fitness.

The cool thing about body composition is that it allows us to age backwards. Adding years to our age is inevitable but our metabolic age can be older or younger than we actually are. Knowing your body composition will help you figure out exercises that are perfect for your goals. You'll be aware of which areas of your body need work, so you can boost your metabolic rate and achieve a lower metabolic age.

Final Thoughts on Achieving Next-Level Fitness

At Alchemy Personal Training, we urge you to bulk up for next-level fitness by improving your cardio, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility, and body composition. We also want to remind you that becoming fit is not just about looking good. It's feeling good from within and being able to express that energy outwardly. Your decision to live your fittest life is one you'll always be proud of and grateful for. It's life-changing that will benefit you and the people around you. Reach out to us or visit us in central Wilmslow and Alderley Edge, UK to uncover more must-know secrets for a successful body transformation.