10 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Gym Workout
10 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Gym Workout. Many people have adopted the gym lifestyle. Sadly some quit along the way because they don’t get the anticipated results. If you are among those, the following tips can help you go back to the gym and have results you wish for.
1. Have A Cup Of Coffee Before Your Routine
The caffeine in a pre-workout cup of coffee helps stimulate your central nervous system, so you’ll have a little extra oomph in your gym session. In addition to a performance boost, research shows that it can actually make exercise feel more enjoyable, so you’re more likely to push harder.
2. Walk Into The Gym With A Plan
Having a plan of action before you step foot in the gym can help you avoid wandering aimlessly around while you decide what to do next. This indecisiveness not only adds time to your workout, it also makes it less efficient, since you’re letting your heart rate drop.
3. Use Music As Motivation
Get pumped up on your way to the gym and during your workout with songs that make you feel strong, powerful, and like you can do anything. If you’ve been using the same earbuds since who knows when, upgrade your sound quality and comfort.
4. Switch Off Your Phone
Resist the urge to chime in on your group text or check that Snapchat message. Your workout is the time you get to invest in yourself, so turn your phone on airplane mode to avoid unnecessary distraction. Even better? If you don’t need your phone for your music or any workout apps, leave it in the locker room. The workout ‘grams can wait.
5. Minimize Rests Between Sessions
The right amount of rest varies depending on the workout and the person, but as a rule of thumb, you should aim to take just enough that you can go hard during your next set, but not so much that you’re totally recovered.
6. Add Weights
While you can get a heart-pumping workout using only body weight exercises, adding in weights gives your muscles an extra challenge. If you feel like you’ve mastered moves like basic squats and lunges, try holding a set of dumbbells or a medicine ball to make these types of body weight moves more challenging and effective.
7. Track Your Progress
Performing the same exact workout day after day will likely lead to a training plateau, the place where progress comes to a screeching halt. One way to avoid potential roadblocks is by keeping a workout journal. Record the exercises, sets, reps and the amount of weight used during each training session. Use these notes to create new workouts that are more challenging than previous sessions.
8. Compete
When workouts are a competition, winning means losing weight. Whether it’s going head-to-head against an opponent or against our own personal best, we perform better when we compete. Go all out against the clock, perform as many push-ups as possible, or try to set a new one-rep max.
9. Partner Up
Everyone needs a little alone time. But flying solo at the gym can be pointless. A lot of work and nothing to show for it. To get better results and enjoyment out of a workout, enlist the help of a training partner. With a trusty workout buddy in tow there will never be a need to ask a random for a spot.
10. Ask For Help
Don’t risk injuries by playing follow-the-leader with the biggest guy in the gym. Learn the dos and don’ts from the get-go. Talk to a trainer, get a fitness assessment, or consider investing a few training sessions to learn the ropes. Coaches boost motivation, performance and adherence to training routines