Along with a well-balanced diet, working out regularly is an important ingredient in living a healthy life. It makes you feel happier, improves your energy levels, and boosts your brain health and memory. If you have been working out for months but experience none of these benefits, it might be time to better optimize your next workout.
When it comes to your workout routine, small changes can go a long way. In fact, regularly changing or upgrading your workout routine ensures that you won’t lose the motivation to continue with your efforts. The more diverse your workout is, the more excited you’ll be to sweat and burn those calories.
For you to optimize your next workout, don’t forget to follow these tips:
1. Wear The Right Gear
The gear you wear during your workout can influence your ability to use gym equipment or follow your instructor’s lead. Clothes that are too tight will make it hard for you to move while baggy clothes can get in the way of your workout.
When working out at the gym, make sure to wear the right workout clothes such as those made from acrylic, nylon, and polypropylene. Cotton might be the most common, but it’s not suitable as it can hold moisture and become heavy as it gets wet.
Wearing the right pair of shoes can also impact your performance in the gym. Wearing the most comfortable pair of training shoes will make it easy for you to run around and jump up and down. Don’t forget to wear socks when working out, too.
If you see yourself tired in the middle of a simple workout, wearing the wrong clothes might be the culprit. When you wear something too thick or thin, you’ll be conscious about your appearance, and lose the focus to work out.
2. Get A Workout Partner
For you to enjoy the benefits of working out, you should be committed to doing it long-term.
Working out for a week and then returning to your unhealthy lifestyle won’t do any good for your overall health and wellness.
To make your workout more enjoyable, get yourself a workout partner. When you work out with someone who shares the same fitness goals as you do, you won’t mind spending another hour in the exercise bikes or treadmills. Working out won’t become boring once you have a workout partner you can talk to.
A workout partner also makes it easy for you to wake up in the morning, put on your workout clothes, and visit the gym every day. Your workout partner can convince you to work out more when you feel lazy and vice versa.
3. Regularly Push Yourself
If you have been working out for quite some time, you might already be familiar with the routines you do at the gym and how to effectively use the equipment there. However, when it comes to working out, sticking to a single routine can get boring over time. Routines can slow down your progress and limit your physical capabilities.
When working out, don’t forget to push yourself regularly. If you have been using certain gym equipment for an hour, extend for a couple of minutes more.
If you want to try out a total body workout and avoid the gym, push yourself by adding repetitions or increasing the intensity. If you’re used to planking for a minute, strive to hold the pose for another minute.
4. Warm Up Before Going To The Gym
Warming up is always required before working out. When you warm up, you’ll be able to prepare your body for rigorous exercise by increasing your blood circulation and heart rate. Warming up can also loosen the joints in your body, decreasing your chances of suffering from injuries when working out.
Instead of waiting for your turn to use cardio equipment at the gym to warm up, choose to walk, run, or cycle on your way to the gym. Doing any of these for at least five minutes is already a good warm-up.
Since your body is prepared for the workout, you don’t have to waste time at the gym. You can immediately work out and skip using any cardio equipment.
5. Put Your Phone On Airplane Mode
If you have been spending long hours at the gym but don’t see any changes in the weighing scale, your phone might be the reason why. Having your phone next to you at the gym can tempt you to jump into group chats or reply to comments online. The next thing you know, you have already spent an hour talking with your friends on social media.
Steer away from this direction and put your phone on airplane mode. Doing this allows you to listen to music and prevent yourself from being distracted. For a foolproof solution, leave your phone in the locker and only check your social media profiles after you’re done working out.
6. Improved Results
You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know how vital regular exercise is. Working out can boost your bodily functions while keeping you safe from illnesses and diseases. However, keep in mind that not all workouts are created the same or warrant the same result. An optimized workout means achieving your fitness goals faster, and using your time more wisely.
