Nothing feels quite as good as seeing our fitness results unfold, both in our endurance and in our physique. There is an ocean of information out there that can help us along our fitness journey, tips and tricks from pro athletes that have helped countless gym-goers and home athletes alike.
In our last blog post, we discussed 3 pieces of advice – based on studies – that are extremely beneficial when implemented into a fitness routine. They included weight lifting, incorporating intervals and using free weights during your workouts.
Now, let’s take a look at more ways on how to get the most out of our gym workout. You can find part I here.
Drink More Water
During a workout, it’s possible to lose 2% of your body’s weight through the loss of fluids. In fact, many gym-rats lose up to 10%! Losing these fluids can hinder performance during a workout, and can also hinder your body’s recovery rate after a workout, according to this study. Amanda Carlson-Phillips, VP of nutrition and research at EXOS has said the following, ‘We find that many people are dehydrated when they show up to the gym.’
Beyond the dangers of working out dehydrated, drinking consistent water throughout the day has many other benefits, such as helping clear the body of any toxins, keeping our skin healthy and our brain functioning optimally. Water is the essence of life after all!
As a general rule of thumb, try to drink a minimum of 2.5l of water a day, or 5 cups.
Swap stretching for warmups
Stretching is the bane of many gym-goers out there. For others, it is seen as the salvation from any future injury.
Unfortunately for those who worship stretching, an Austin State University study shows that those who warmed up with lightweight exercises, such as leg extensions, were able to lift 8.4% more weight in their squat session. The study showed that those who warmed up with lighter weights had 22.7% more stability in their lower bodies. Doing light weight exercises – on the focused muscle group of that day – as your warm-up increases blood flow to those muscles, and furthermore, will increase your range of motion.
So, for example, if you’re hitting a 90 minute session of chest, start your workout with a few rounds of pushups and triceps dips.
Switch things up
Doing the same workout regime month after month can get tedious and boring. Thankfully, it benefits any gym-rat to shake things up every month. A study from the East Tennessee State University showed that those who did variations of squats gained more muscle than those who did not variate their exercise.
Conclusion:
Tips and guidance from science and professionals are what we should be looking at the most. Rest assured that if you drink enough water, shake up your workout regime, and warm up with dynamic exercises, you will reap many benefits.
