As a personal trainer, I have had people ask me; "how do I get the most out of training?" Well, there are a few different factors to address. To get the most out of training, not only do you have to perform well but you have to be structured. To answer the question, I'll walk you through what it takes to perform well and then how to utilize structure for efficiency and effectiveness in the gym. Sound good? (even if it doesn't this is what I've decided)
Our ability to perform mentally and physically is actually quite delicate. I wish there was some quick fix that could snap me out of a blah mood and get to me perform at 100%, but sadly I haven't found such a thing. Instead, there are systems you can check to help set you up for success. But also, life happens. No matter your systems, something may come up or life may be stressful. Have grace for yourself in those moments. Okay, back to the systems. Getting enough sleep, eating not only enough but properly, and being regularly active are ways to improve your performance and ensure you can make the most gainz in the gym.
The importance of sleep may seem obvious and yet one out of three Americans do not get enough of it. For sake of redundancy, sleep IS important. I'm talking about eight or nine hours of actual sleep. It may seem like a lot and you may feel as though you can operate off of less, which you technically can survive with. However, if you want to set yourself up for success then get extra sleep. During sleep, your body releases anabolic hormones, these are the muscle building hormones. Sleep is a key factor in building muscle, as well as recovering from the physical stressors your body has gone through during the day. Prioritize eight hours of sleep for one month and see how different you feel.
To function consistently, our body needs to feel safe. When we are in a stressed state, our body is fighting and flighting all over the place. Nutrition is vital to feeling safe. If you are starving, your body starts restricting its internal activity to the more essential functions. Losing fat and building muscle are not essential functions. Muscle is hard to gain and easy to lose. Fat is easy to gain and hard to lose. Eating properly is key to turning the dial in your favor. If you are nourished your body will feel safe enough to devote the resources to building muscle, which is expensive! The same is true for losing fat, though a bit more tricky. You don't want to make the common mistake of eating far less than what you ought to be. While you will lose weight, it will mostly be muscle and water. To sustainably lose fat eating just a couple hundred calories less than normal, while being active, is key. You do not want to trigger starvation mode, but rather be in the lower end of the safety zone. It is also important to understand what you eat matters. (check out out blog about macros) Eating carbs prior to your workout will help energize you and eating them post workout will help you recover. Aim for 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily for optimal muscle building. Remember, it is a marathon and not a race. It takes time, stick with the process and you will see the results.
I believe 2-3 workout sessions that are strength-training based is the ideal frequency for the majority of people. HOWEVER, if that is the only time you move throughout the week then something needs to change. Daily activity is soo important. The reason to stay active is to keep blood flowing and the muscles moving. Activity promotes better blood flow which in turn results in better delivery of the resources carried by our blood to where it is needed (blood brings the fuel for gainz to the muscles). Not to mention the benefits to literally every other aspect of life if you spend more time moving than you do still. If you work at a desk, stand up every 20 minutes and shake your legs out. Go walk even for 2 minutes every hour. If people stare, send them this blog.
Now on to structure. To be the most efficient and effective in the gym, you have got to have some sort of routine. This can be as simple as knowing what muscle groups or movement patterns you're going to target each session during the week. Or it can be as involved as knowing which exercises you'll do at what weight with a set rest time in-between. Either way, having some game plan established at the start of the week helps decrease the amount of motivation you need to muster because you're operating out of discipline instead. While getting into the routine may require a couple of weeks of motivation, once the habit is formed it just takes discipline to keep. Don't want to spend the time to create your own routine? There are loads of free generic routines online. (oorrr hit up your friendly blog writing personal trainer who also offers online coaching with custom made workout programs aanndd accountability) Either way, having a routine is a game changer that will help your time in the gym be more effective because you'll know exactly what to do rather than figuring it out on the fly.
The last tip I want to cover is progressing. Progressing simply is improving what you do overtime. This can look like lifting more weight, more reps, better form, decreased rest time, and better ability to recover. Some people are afraid to progress because they think that by getting stronger they will bulk up into the Hulk. Trust me, I wish it was that easy! Rather, progressing keeps your body adapting. You will gain some muscle but you will not turn into the Hulk. You'll get stronger. You will feel better after your workouts and recover sooner. You will have more capacity in the day-to-day. Sounds pretty awesome right, so how do we progress? Well the two easiest ways to progress are to lift more weight or to lift more reps. This is why having a routine is helpful. Track how much you lift and how many reps for a certain exercise. Next week, either try to lift heavier for around the same amount of reps, or lift the same and aim for 2-5 more reps. That is a super simple and easy to follow progression scheme. If you haven't tracked your progress, give it a go for a few months and you'll be amazed.
To finish I just want to say the best strategy for the gym is to be consistent. Someone can have the best written workout program but if they are inconsistent with it, they will see less results than the person with a mediocre routine yet executes it consistently. Keep it up. Have grace for yourself because fitness is a life-long game. Don't expect immediate results. Build the discipline and stay consistent for a few months then you'll start seeing changes. Best of luck.
Author: John Behage
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