Everyone who goes to the gym do so because they want to get ripped, so-so results are simply not on the agenda. However, a lot of people don’t really know how to make the most of their gym sessions and workouts for maximum results. The good news is, there is plenty of science that will tell you exactly what you need to do for the best…
Play music
According to the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, people who listen to slow relaxing music post-workout recover faster than those people who do not listen to music at all. Not only that but there are numerous studies to suggest that listening to high-tempo music during your workout can help you to work harder and do more.
Carb-load
A lot of people think you should eat protein before a workout, but actually, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that, if you eat carbs before a workout, you can put more effort in and perform even better than you would have otherwise. This is particularly true if you’re doing a high-intensity exercise where energy is important because carbs contain far more energy than protein, but it can help you to boost your performance whatever activity you’re doing. Obviously, eating a candy bar or a mountain of pancakes is a bad idea, but a slice of toast or a bowl of oatmeal is ideal.
Lift weights
Whether it’s a quick chest building workout or a long session at the weight bench, lifting heavy things is the best thing you can do to build muscle, tone up and lose weight fast. It doesn’t have to be the only thing you do — combining it with cardio is a great way to maintain physical health — but it should make up a regular part of your routine, and according to the Harvard School of Public Health, just 20 minutes per day of weight training is all you need to fight off weight gain and tone up.
Try interval training
High-intensity interval training helps you to burn more calories and melt more fat than slower forms of exercise. It’s also better for your heart health too. In fact, you can burn as many as 15 calories per minute when interval training, compared with only 7 calories per minute when running at a steady pace. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, then, it’s clear that you should be using intervals, and it’s actually really easy to incorporate them into your workouts.
Drink plenty of water
How much water do you drink before, after and during your workouts? If you’re not drinking any water you could be in trouble;e. Why? Because you can lose as much as 10 percent of the water in your body when exercising and that can negatively affect your performance, slowing your down and making every new rep seem so much harder than the last one. Oh, and you’ll take longer to recover too. So, whatever you do, make sure you always have a bottle of water at the ready.
Get more sleep
It’s not just what you do in the gym that can improve or hinder your workouts – it’s what you do at home too. For example, the less sleep you get, the less well you will perform at the gym and the fewer calories you will burn on average. Sleep is also vital for your body’s repair systems and hen you don’t get enough you could end up with more injuries and a lesser ability to complete your regular workouts. So, whatever you do, ensure that you get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night even if that means turning Netflix off an hour early.
Mix things up
Switching things up in the gym is a great way to prevent burnout and boredom, but according to the East Tennessee State University, it is also a good way to experience greater gains in the gym. Why? Quite simply because the more different exercises you do, the more muscles you will work and the better you will look and feel overall.
Workout with a friend
Some studies have shown that people who work out with a friend are able to exercise for as much as twice as long as individuals who exercise alone. Having a workout buddy can also increase motivation and make your time in the gym more fun, so what do you have to lose?
The more you get out of your workouts, the fitter, healthier and stronger you will be!