5 TIPS FOR GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR WORK OUT!

Now that's a workout!

We have all been there before, and the results can be frustrating! You exercise, you eat right and you try to live a healthy lifestyle but you are just not getting the desired results, does this scenario seem familiar? If it does, then don’t get frustrated, don’t give up, it simply means you need a boost to your workout. Today I want to give you 5 wonderful tips that will improve your performance.

Human beings love routine, it’s familiar and safe. Unfortunately routine plays havoc with the mind and we get bored and stale. These harmful routines can have a negative effect on your workout experience, so I would like you to incorporate the following tips into your routine; before, during and after your workout. If you do, I promise you noticeable improvements in a very short time.

 Happy reading and do have a wonderful day!

1.       SLEEP! START YOUR PREPARATION FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE:

Have you ever exercised after half a night’s worth of a sleep? How did that work out feel? If I had to guess I would say it was a wasted work out. Make sure you get at least 7 hours’ worth of quality sleep the night before you exercise, how you sleep will positively or negatively affect your workout so do yourself a favour and get a good night’s sleep because that’s when hormones associated with muscle growth work to repair your body. To ensure you sleep well turn your TV and smart phone off at bed time, I know Facebook and whatsapp can be addictive!

2.       MOTIVATE YOURSELF WITH MUSIC:

Music is wonderful, it can lift you up when you are down and can get your blood pumping in the gym. Invest in a good set of earphones if you can afford it, and if you can’t then just make sure you compile a playlist of the hottest tunes you know. Research has shown that music has the ability to act as a pain killer, and it can also help stimulate you to greater performances. My personal favourite?  Movie soundtracks from the 80’s!

3.       GET A TRAINING PARTNER WHO IS STRONGER THAN YOU:

 

Stallone training with former Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu

You know how people marry into a wealthier family than theirs? Well the same principle applies in the gym, pairing up with a training partner who is stronger and more experienced than you can do wonders for your workout. Now don’t go rushing up to the biggest and strongest guy in the gym and demand that he become your training partner! Patiently watch all the guys who are better than you and pick the person you know who will be most receptive and encouraging, someone who will push you to you limits and beyond. This will help you improve your strength, technique etc. It doesn’t matter if they are male or female, just as long as they are willing to be your training partner. Now this next bit is very important, to get the best out of this relationship and you being the junior partner, take the following into consideration:

·         Don’t get distracted by your phone or other people

·         Pay 100% attention when spotting

·         Do a lot of work and talk less during workouts and rest

·         Be on time and never miss workouts

4.       REMEMBER TO WARM UP YOUR BODY AND MIND:

 

A few minutes of skipping does wonders!

I know warm ups can be boring and I never saw the point of them for years, but believe me the older you get and the heavier you lift the more you will need them to be at your best. There are countless ways to warm up, the most important thing is to make sure you do. Here’s a sample of my warm up routine ;

·         5 minutes of general cardio

·         Stretching

·         2 warm up sets of the days training, just don’t go heavy or to failure

Second and ultimately more important is to warm up your mind before your workout. Mental imagery are a great tool for getting the best out of a work out, plot and visualize what you want to achieve in the gym ahead of time, see yourself doing it in your mind’s eye. If you need more mental stimulation, I suggest you watch samples of the exercises you want to do on youtube , this is a great way to get seriously fired up.

5.       NEVER FORGET WHY YOU ARE IN THE GYM:

Lastly, never lose sight of why you started working out in the first place, its very easy to get carried away with the gym culture, the urge to get bigger, stronger and faster. This has its drawbacks, you will not always be able to achieve personal records in your squats, bench press etc, and this can cause frustration and depression in extreme cases. Hence try to have fun in the gym and never lose focus of why we really work out; to be healthier, feel good and be confident, that’s what’s really important. Let that be your goal!