With energy at its peak, you often feel like you can do it all, and tend to push the body. Sometimes more than you should. Here’s a guide

Your 20s are most likely that part of your life where you most likely have the energy and the resources to be the fitter version of yourself. This is most likely also the time when you are at your prime and don’t feel the need to consciously work on your health and fitness. But if you start then you would be cultivating habits that you can sustain in the long run and also prevent many conditions that tend to creep up on you as you age. This is what fitness expert Rishabh Telang has a firm belief in. “The sooner you know things that work, the faster you will achieve your goals. I have spent a couple of decades in fitness and I have gone through a lot of trial and error, but as of today, I know these things work for sure and for almost everybody, at any point,” said Telang in an Instagram post.

According to Telang, exercise frequency does matter. “If your aim is to build muscle and shred body fat, it’s best to train each muscle at least twice per week, hitting about 12-15 working sets per muscle and ensuring 48 to 72 hours of recovery before you train the same muscle again. This makes it almost mandatory to lift weights 3-5 times every week,” said Telang.

Emphasising that strength training counts, Spoorthi S, fitness expert at Cult said that as you start to age, your muscles tend to atrophy (breakdown) and bones tend to get weak and brittle. “Performing any type of resistance training helps you to build muscle and improve bone density. Lifting weights for at least three days a week can help you build stronger muscles, improve joint health, and prevent injuries,” said Spoorthi.

Different angles in weight training can make a world of difference. If you are hitting a chest workout, just doing a flat bench won’t cut it. Spoorthi said that to get the best possible definition on your pecs, you will need a flat bench, an inclined bench, and a fly movement. “I see people just go all out with one angle and expect to achieve better results, that’s not how it works,” described Telang.

Telang shared that one should prioritise recovery and mindfulness. Telang pointed out that while rest days are important, it doesn’t mean just chilling on your couch all day. “They allow us to focus on things that we generally don’t. Like a full-body long mobility drill, or a long cardio session. These are high-ROI activities that end up getting ignored. In fact, mobility training helps with faster recovery and that means faster progress,” said Telang.

With energy at its peak, you often feel like you can do it all, and tend to push the body. Sometimes more than you should. Spoorthi described that this could act as a stressor in the long term and lead to negative effects on the body. “Focus on stress relieving methods and also quality sleep so your body gets adequate recovery,” said Spoorthi.

Technique always comes over intensity. “It’s easy to get excited by how much you can lift at the gym. But if the technique is crappy, it will lead to a lot of compensation via other muscle groups, that’s sub-optimal. Plus, it can lead to injuries. It’s okay to lift a bit less, but just do it right,” said Telang.

Additionally, Spoorthi pointed out that one should cultivate healthy eating habits. “No, this does not mean you need to stop enjoying your favourite foods, or that you need to go on extreme diets. Simple habits like prioritising protein, including fruits or vegetables in all meals, minimising processed foods and alcohol, and eating mindfully without distractions, can help you mindfully focus on choosing a healthier path in terms of eating,” said Spoorthi.