010816 Make your workouts more productive
Commit to working out with a good training partner
Many people who want to work out find that exercising is more productive when they do it with a friend. This leads to competition during the period. Unless you are highly self-motivated, it’s easier to make an excuse and not exercise your hardest if you are doing it by yourself. However, with a friend, it is more likely that you will follow through because you don’t want to be a pansy.
You only cheat yourself by not working hard or even worse, missing a session.
Find a gym that fits your personality
Some gyms are exhibition halls of tank tops and spandex for the younger crowd. If you are not already in good shape, these may be intimidating. Men and women do not want to go into these gyms because feel like they are a course on the body buffet. The point being is you want to be comfortable with those around you while you’re exercising. This means you want to be with people similar in age, overall appearance and exercise ability.
Hire a trainer or instructor.
If you have never exercised before, or if you used to exercise three or more years in the past, then first up would be a hirer a trainer because things have changed. When doing so, ask them what certifications and qualifications they have. The top certifications are from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). These trainers can show you how to use the equipment the correct way. This minimizes your exposure to injury.
They will guide you along in developing excellent technique for each of the exercises. Once you become somewhat familiar with doing them, you are going to be enjoying yourself more in the gym. You don’t have to be with these trainers forever, but do learn the basics and then strike out in your own. Periodically it might be wise to hook back up with the trainer just to check out how you doing with your exercise technique and your program.
Pick activities you like to do
Your interest in the exercise is going to determine whether you stick with it. If you feel like walking, then walk. If you like to socialize then get involved with a socializing activity such as bowling or some sort of recreational league sport. If you want to get stronger, then lift and cut the jawboning. All this does is cuts into the exercise time with unproductive results and at worse take up air someone else could be using. That being said, if all you want to do is socialize then go to a gym with lots of machines. They take no brains or instructions to use and are ideal for idle chitchat.
If you like constant movement, try some dancing or endurance running. Strength training can be both a social and individually focused activity, depending on your ultimate goal. If social, go to a social club and leave the hardcore lifters to a hardcore gym.
End each session with something challenging
If you find that doing Bulgarian split squats is something that, even though you know are highly beneficial, but really don’t like to do, then get those out of the way right off the bat when you’re fresh and eager. This serves you in two ways: one, the exercise is over and secondly you know that the rest of the workout is going to be more fun now that they are done. You can now leave the gym with good memories of doing your last exercises.
Keep records
Keeping an exercise logbook is essential to tracking your progress and for successfully reaching your goals. You can get as detailed as you want by listing things that you eat, drink, the quality of your sleep, the number of hours you slept, how you felt doing exercise, the weight used, the repetitions performed, the sequence of the session, how much you weigh going in and leaving, the restorative methods used… This record keeping is up to you. If you use it, it will serve you well.
By following these tips, you will set yourself up for success in achieving your exercise goals each day, each week, and each month.
