We get that you don’t want to spend hours and hours at the gym to get the most out of your workout. Unless your an athlete, then it’s unlikely that you have that kind of time to devote to your fitness. But of course, you want to reap the same benefits from working out as those athletes. You want to get fitter, leaner, stronger, and you also want to look your best, especially in shorts and a tee in the warmer months. So, how can you achieve what you’re looking for?
The truth of the matter is you really don’t have devote hours daily to working out—not if you become more intentional about your workouts. And if you’re not sure how to do this, then here are six surefire tips to improve performance, increase motivation and accelerate results. You might even find the process of getting into shape far more enjoyable as well.
Surefire Tips #1 Have a plan in place
A trip to the gym can rapidly turn into a complete waste of time if you do not have a clear plan of attack. Plan out your workouts ahead of time and create specific training goals to prevent meandering from one piece of equipment to the next without an objective to work towards.
Surefire Tips #2 Listen to music
Everyone knows that listening to music may get you in the mood for a workout. But did you know that people who listened to music after their workout, particularly slow music, actually recovered faster from exercise than those who did not. Music increases serotonin and dopamine levels in the body, which are known to aid recovery.
Surefire Tips #3 Eat slow releasing carbs before your workout
It was discovered that athletes who ate slow-digesting carbs for breakfast and lunch, such as whole grains, had lower insulin levels and burnt more fat over the day. In comparison to those who ate fast-digesting carbs like white bread or plain bagels, the athletes had better endurance and burnt more fat during exercise. Given this information, it makes sense for your pre-workout meals, especially the one right before your training, yo contain roughly 40 grams of slow-digesting carbs such as oatmeal, sweet potatoes, fruit, buckwheat, or whole-wheat bread.
Surefire Tips #4 Get competitive
Hitting the gym with a friend or accountability buddy can really push you to do your best. Humans are naturally competitive creatures. You want to be the biggest, the strongest, the fastest—so harness this raw energy and power by creating ways to get the most out of your workout. Some great ideas are seeing who can go furthest, the fastest on the treadmills or who can do the most reps at a heavier weight, while maintaining perfect form.
Surefire Tips #5 Use props
Adding a prop to any workout is one of the simplest methods to boost the intensity and effectiveness. Dumbbells, TRX bands, kettlebells, weighted medicine balls, and sliding discs are all readily available at any gym, or online if you want to work out at home, and they increase the intensity of basic exercises like reps and squats.
Surefire Tips #6 Log your workouts
It is beneficial to be organised and to be aware of your baseline metrics in order to get the most out of your workouts. What is your personal best in the bench press, deadlift, and squat? You should be maintaining a diary to document your workout dates, sets, reps, and weight for each exercise.
Of course, you want to be as time-efficient as possible at the gym, but remember to always go at your own pace and pay attention to what your body requires. By following these practices, you will be able to get the most out of your workout and still leave yourself enough time in your day to do what you need to do and squeeze in a some relaxation time.
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