For some, exercise is a necessity in their everyday life. For others, it can be a struggle to make it happen. Whether you enjoy exercise or don’t, would you ever want to make a trip to the gym useless or a waste of time?!? Heck no! Your time is precious and you need to make sure that every bit of time you are allocating to yourself (because it may not be much!) is very worthwhile.
They say that showing up is half the battle. That is true for some things… But fitness isn’t one of them. Whether you are into fitness or new to fitness, here are 15 tips to take your workout and your fitness to the next level and get the results you want.
1. Find Something You Enjoy
Don’t make your fitness any more challenging than it needs to be. Find something that lights a spark! You may not want to go every day but it should excite you most days. Love it and you will do it long term.
2. Schedule It and Be Consistent
If it isn’t scheduled, you may not do it. Each week make a plan and book it in your calendar. If you can, try to keep it consistent so that it becomes routine.
3. Have a Plan
Do not go to the gym without a plan. So much time will be waisted trying to figure something out and your workout time will be done before you know it. And when you don’t plan, you don’t get in everything you need. Best case, find a coach or a program that develops a well-rounded program for you to keep planning out of the picture. Everything else is hard enough!
4. Grab a Buddy (A Good One)
The best thing you can do is get an accountability partner. You will push each other and make sure one another goes. But don’t choose your slacker buddy. Choose someone you can count on.
5. Be Present
It isn’t good enough just to show up. You need to be present so that you are completing your plan properly and completing all of the exercising properly. Not just to reduce the chance of injury but to increase your results.
6. Be Ready to Work
Hard Work Pays Off. Nothing complicated about this one – just put in the work!
7. No Phone (Or Airplane Mode)
No need for distractions. It is gym time now – your time now. Leave the distractions at the door so you can put in the work needed.
8. Embrace the Foam Roller
Before every workout (or at another time of day) get on that foam roller and roll it out. Your body will be primed and ready to take on work.
9. Incorporate Strength, Conditioning and Mobility – not just cardio
Cardio, Cardio, Cardio. No, that isn’t how you “lose weight”. Well maybe muscle… Body composition results cannot be achieved without a combination of both strength and conditioning and you don’t even need to do that much conditioning. Build a plan incorporating both and add in some mobility to enhance your movement patterns and reduce the chance of injury.
10. Do Compound Movements Often
Yes! Who doesn’t like burpees?!?! A compound movement works multiple muscle groups at once. Double the pleasure, double the results!
11. Challenge Yourself
Your workout shouldn’t be easy. If you are going to the gym and aren’t out of breath at some point, could wear your current clothes out somewhere or don’t feel accomplished, you need to up your game. Challenge yourself and push harder.
12. Pick a Challenging Weight
Many women think that using heavy weights are going to make them “bulky”. But really, picking a “light” weight that doesn’t challenge you is not going to get you the results you want. Make your muscles work!
13. Track Your Progress
How often do you perform the exact same workout? Day after day? Month after month? Year after year? Performing the exact same workout over and over (especially at the same weight) can lead to training plateaus – progress and fun come to a screeching halt. Keep a journal and keep track of: exercise, reps and the amount of weight you used. You will then know what to use next time.
14. Wear a Heart Rate Monitor
Monitor your conditioning workouts with a heart rate monitor and make sure you are pushing yourself. Get rewarded by seeing your results when you are done.
15. Take a Rest Day
Our body’s need mental and physical rest. Make sure you are giving yourself 1-2 days of rest per week to recovery and grow. 🙂
If these 15 things seem a bit overwhelming to get done right away, not to worry, pick one or two and make them happen.
For me, I am just finishing up a current plan and need to come up with a new plan and schedule for my next fitness goal. 🙂 Cheers to the planning stage!
So, here is your homework. Pick one or two of the items listed above and implement them this week. What could the one or two things on this list be that could be a game-changer for you? Want the results you are looking for, pick something and focus on it. And then one by one we will implement them all.
And then – you will have the results you want from your fitness program. 🤩
