10 TIPS TO BETTER YOUR WORKOUT

10 TIPS TO BETTER YOUR WORKOUT

Being in the gym involves a lot of hard work. These are ten tips to add some ease to that hard work. Make an effort to apply them to your workout routine.

1. BREATHE- Everyone who uses weight training in their workouts has heard about breathing. It is actually a very important matter. When breathing you take in oxygen, the oxygen helps with the production of energy. However, to get the most out of your workout you need to breathe properly. Breathe in through the nose and out the mouth. The intake of air through the nose supplies oxygen to the lungs. Breathing out of the mouth exhales carbon dioxide. There are many benefits to this method of breathing. One such reason is that when air travels into the nose it enters the lungs with greater pressure and allows them to extract more oxygen from the air. To get the most from every breath, contract your abdomen as you inhale and relax it as you exhale. When lifting a weight, you should exhale at the hardest part of the lift, and inhale during the less strenuous part of your lift. For example, in a bench press you would exhale as you push the weight up, and inhale as you lower it. The exhale adds to the force of your lift.

2. WATER- Water, more water and more water. In the 10 Best things To Consume list I talked about how great water is. You need water to live. During a workout though water plays an important role. Start drinking water 10-15 minutes before your workout so you are well hydrated. Be sure to have a bottle or two during the workout. You’re working hard and using up a lot of the water in the body, it is vital to re-hydrate yourself. This also helps the muscles work. The benefits of having water in your workout are key to success. Water also helps you flush the system which is important as many chemical reactions happen at a greater rate when doing a workout.

3. TIME OF DAY- If you’re on a normal day/night schedule then the best time to work out is in the morning. You just woke up, or woke up a few hours ago and your energy is primed. You don’t have the stress of the day; you’re not tired after a long day. You can give 100% of you. The great part is this also primes you for your day. When you raise your heart rate it gets the blood flowing and activates your body. Another great benefit here is weight loss. After sleeping for 8 hours you’re body has been fasting and is in fat burning mode. Be sure to eat quality protein and slow digesting carbohydrates before working out.

4. FOCUS- You get the best results when you focus. You must focus your mind and eyes. Have you ever looked around the gym and seen the “anti-social” people. These are the focused ones, not talking to friends, not looking around, not on the phone (I know some of you have done this). Focus increases your strength. If you’re thinking about random things while lifting, or on the treadmill you lose focus on your activity and in return lose strength. Talk to your body, encourage your muscles to work, think about getting stronger. Scream at yourself in your head if you want. Scream “come on you can do it” in your mind. This will give you an extra boost of energy. Did you ever see a martial artist kick a pad or heavy bag? You may have seen him yell. This is called a Kiai. It in a sense amps your energy and forces your body to tense up so you can deliver a greater force. Just don’t scream out loud, they’ll think your nuts and ask you to leave. Eye focus is the foundation of mental focus. If you’re looking around you get distracted. Find a point on the wall or on a machine to stare at. A pretty girl or good looking guy are not focus points.

5. SOUND ENERGY- Music is important. You don’t want to be relaxed, you want to be motivated. Just like certain music forces people to get up and dance, it can fuel your workout. Fast paced music with an intense beat is great. Try to listen to a hard hitting drum loop and not get energized (why do you think the bunny plays a drum?) The key is to listen to what you like, and what motivates you. Just be careful, some types of smooth jazz can be relaxing, and you want energy. Most gyms will play music but you can feel free to bring a portable music device. And I guess now days with the MP3 craze you can have a whole library of music for your workout. Imagine a Rocky training montage without Bill Conti’s “Gonna Fly Now”

6. PLAN- When I first started my training I joined a gym and would walk around, try a few reps on this machine, a few on that, then look around. I was wasting my time. Now I have a plan of attack that I could do in my sleep. Know what body part you’re working. Know what machines or equipment you intend to use and your sets and reps. Having a plan also helps with focus.

7. FUEL- Try to drive a race car when the tank is low or has cheap gas in it. The body needs the right fuel before a workout. Thirty to forty five minutes before you hit the gym try to eat some healthy carbs, they will boost blood sugar and energy. A bowl of oatmeal, or two slices of whole grain toast with fresh fruit preserves on it. Protein is also important. Have a protein shake, a small chicken breast, or some egg whites. The key here is protein and slow digesting carbs to sustain energy. Slow burning carbs are whole wheat breads, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, whole grain cereal (no sugar covered flakes please) and fruit (a banana is a great choice pre workout). Avoid fast burning carbs like white bread & white potatoes.

8. LOOK THE PART- There are 100 and 1 different styles of workout clothing. Remember the ultra tight fitting spandex suits from the 80s? (how foolish did they look) You must look and feel the part. Wear clothing that makes you feel comfortable, athletic, and attractive. If you wear uncomfortable clothes that don’t move or breathe well you can’t get the most from your session. Wear something athletic, don’t wear jeans or dress pants. I once saw a guy at Gold’s gym wearing jeans and work boots. Every discount retailer like Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target have sections of workout clothes. You can get a whole outfit for under $30. Finally feel attractive. You dress your best to try and get a job, dress your best in the gym. If you can afford it go get one of the outfits I mentioned. Don’t wear what you would wear to lay around or clean house in. Look crisp and feel confident. Women go ahead and look sexy, men feel free to look strong and athletic.

9. HAVE A DESIRE TO REQUIRE- Have a reason to workout. Don’t do it because I told you to, or because you think it’s a necessary evil. It’s not evil, it can be fun to challenge yourself. Have a requirement from your workouts, and desire it. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to build muscle? Do you want to train for a sport? Every time you pick up a weight, or turn on a treadmill, have a reason to do so. You can have a million complex gym goals. Or you can have this simple goal, “wanting to be healthy and live well”. If you have no desire or requirement, you’ve already failed.

10. TRAINERS- Every celebrity seems to have one right? Every gym employs trainers. In most cases they will involve some cost on your part. If you’re new to the gym a trainer can teach you to use the many confusing machines or equipment and they can give you a plan (go back to number 6). Most gyms will give you a few free sessions with a trainer. Take them. Learn so you can do your best and most importantly avoid later injury from improper training. Trainers are also good because they will help motivate you. And just because a trainer looks like a bodybuilder or gymnast does not mean they are good. Talk to them; ask where they went to school and if they have a certification. Law does not presently require trainers to have any type of document to support their education. However and trainer serious about his/her art will have a recognized certification,

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