Are you tired of boring workouts that yield minimal results? Are you struggling to get the most out of every session? Here are four easy tips to ensure that your workouts are always productive!
Plan out your time
Time is one of our most precious commodities in the gym. You cannot afford to lackadaisically go about your workouts. Taking your time between sets is one thing, but dragging your feet from one station to the next is a training session killer. By building your sessions around high intensity exercises, you will be able to push yourself with more reps in less time. Completing a total-body workout in 10-15 minutes will always be more productive than slugging around the weight room for an hour.
Resting between sets is important for recovery, but too much time can be counterproductive.
Switch it up
Working out can be quite mundane with the same routine. Avoid this by mixing in different exercises to work the same muscle groups. For example, if you usually do bench press or incline for chest days, work in some pec flies, decline bench and push-ups. On leg days, try replacing your normal squats with deadlift, cleans or weighted lunges.
Spice up your workouts
Introduce a little flavor in your workouts by adding supersets, burnouts and negatives. Supersets combine two or more exercises consecutively without rest. Make sure to rest properly after each set.
Burnouts are when you complete as many reps as possible during a set. Save these for the end of your workouts, because they will leave you completely exhausted.
Negatives focus on slowly stabilizing resistance in the downward motion (or negative) of a lift. You can stabilize more weight than you can lift, so be sure to use a spotter when completing these sets. Always do your research or consult an experienced professional before attempting any negative weight training.
Focus with distractions
Being focused and distracted at the same time sounds contradictory, but actually works wonders in the gym. Some individuals listen to music or read or even watch television while working out. Part of their attention is on one task while their body is working on another. Listening to your favorite jam can motivate you to push through a challenging set. Watching a funny video may distract you while logging that extra mile on the bike. Reading a suspense novel could help you ignore the pain in your body as you complete your walk on the treadmill.
Whether you are going to the gym or staying home, working out can be a drag if you don’t plan accordingly. Preparation is vital to having productive workouts. Use your time wisely so that you get the most out of every second that you commit to training. Keep your routines fresh with new exercises that challenge your body in a variety of ways. When necessary, keep your mind off of the pain and fatigue with simple distractions. Take control of your workouts by making them more efficient.
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