Going to the gym is a great way to help yourself become the best you can be! You can literally improve yourself, your mind set, your health, your physique, and so much more! But what if you’re not helping yourself as much as you’d like to?
Here I will go over 3 simple steps to improve everything about your workout, so you are getting the most out of each training session, and truly helping yourself become the best your can be!
Find Your Plan
Some people go to the gym all the time without any plan. Walk in not knowing what to do, how to do it, or even what their goals are! You need to know what you are working for in order to achieve it! So finding the right plan for you based on your goals will help you progress much faster than trying some random exercises and hoping it works for you. Once you have a definite goal in mind, you can now work towards that goal by performing the best exercise program for yourself. By doing so, each workout will be done with a purpose rather than wasting time or doing more harm than good! So make each gym session count!
Pre Workout Meal
In order to make each workout the best it can be, you need the right nutrients before hitting the gym! Consuming the right pre workout meal about an hour before your workout, you can increase your energy levels, supply your muscle with more nutrients, and be even more productive in a shorter time. You want to mainly focus on getting about 50 – 80 grams of carbohydrates and 30 grams of protein before any workout to support protein synthesis, and fuel your muscles for the upcoming training session. This can come from oatmeal, rice, pasta, a beagle, chicken, eggs, beef, and many more options. These amounts should keep you feeling satisfied but not to full throughout your time in the gym. If you plan on taking a pre workout supplement, try having your pre workout meal about 1.5 – 2 hours before your workout. I always feel a pre workout supplement works better when I haven’t eaten for over an hour. Lastly, be sure to drink plenty of water before and during your workout to stay hydrated and focused!
Get Enough Rest
Getting a good workout session is great, and obviously is a big part of your progress! But it is not all that counts. Actually what is most important is how you let your body recover. When you go to the gym, you tear up your muscle fibers which need to heal and become stronger. This does not occur at during your workout. It happens after you leave, and over the next 24 – 48 hours. So make sure you get 7 – 8 hours of sleep if possible to help your body rebuild and re-energize to optimize your next workout. If you haven’t done it yet, it sucks to workout when you’re tired and haven’t allowed your body to recover. And worst of all, you’re not making near as much progress if you don’t get enough sleep. Also, allow about 48 hours for each muscle group you worked to recover, and take 1 – 2 days active rest per week. It help your body catch up and prepare for the coming workouts over the next couple days. A good workout split would look something like this
Monday: Chest and Shoulders
Tuesday: Back and Arms
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Active Rest – Cardio and some Abs
Friday: Chest and Back
Saturday: Legs
Sunday: Active Rest – Light Cardio and some Abs
Thank you for reading and I hope it helps you optimize your workouts to make yourself even more productive in and out of the gym! For your own result driven science backed workout programs and nutrition guides, feel free to visit my Membership Page for access to my fitness app!