Best tips to make any work out more effective

It’s no secret that committing to working out regularly can benefit your body, both physically and mentally. Being healthy may benefit you through improved sleep, mood, energy and so much more.
There’s a lot of information available about heart rate zones, gadgets you can buy and different programs that you can try, but you don’t need to be a fitness expert in order to get results, here are some great tips to help you: 

Best tips to make any work out more effective

No matter which type of training you’re doing, these tips will help you to maximise training benefits: 

Remember to warm-up

A good warm-up prepares your body for the challenges of working out, and can help to reduce the risk of injury. It also mentally prepares you for your workout session, creating a break between your day and the time you’re dedicating to yourself. 

Warm up using movement or stretching to increase your range of motion and get the blood flowing to your muscles.

Include strength training

No matter what your key training goals are, including strength training will help you to reach them sooner. One benefit of resistance training is that it can help to make your body more resilient, reducing the likelihood of experiencing a fitness setback such as injury. 

Bodyweight exercises like push-ups, step-ups, pull-ups, planks or lunges, can be done anywhere – including at the end of a run or walk – for a quick strength session. 

Include carbs in a pre-workout snack

Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for most workouts. Try eating healthy snacks like apple slices with peanut butter, a fruit cup or eggs on toast before a workout. Keep the snack small so you don’t feel ill during your workout.

Focus on hydration

It’s important to be hydrated to make the most of your workout because your muscles are actually around 70 percent water! Good hydration also helps you to recover faster from a workout. 

Carrying a water bottle with you can remind you to take regular sips. If you find it hard to drink plain water, try infusing your water with fresh fruit. 

Make sleep a priority

Good sleep can help to maximise the benefits of your training. During sleep, your nervous system, muscles and your whole body rests and resets. Sleep is important to ensure that you are able to perform at your best in everything you do — from your work to your workouts. 

Train with a friend

Exercising with friends is a great way to have fun while training and will also keep you accountable to your training schedule and fitness goals. When you know there’s someone else counting on you to show up for your workout, you are much more likely to go!

If none of your friends are into fitness, then get them to meet you for coffee afterwards. Your workout buddy doesn’t have to do the workout with you every time, there are other ways they can provide you with motivation and support.

Allow time to rest

Rest is so important to your training schedule! A proper rest day can actually help to boost your performance for both cardio and strength training. Taking rest at the right time can help your body’s immune system stay strong and also helps to prevent injury from overtraining.

Remember to cool down

Allow for 5-10 minutes of stretching after each workout. This helps your heart rate return to normal and can prevent injury. Taking the time to stretch gives you a moment to reflect on the workout you’ve just done.

Make exercise a priority — no excuses

Schedule in exercise on a regular basis, and stick to your plan. Stop sweating the details — all you have to do is show up.

You don’t have to do a 45-minute workout every time. If you are short on time, commit to a few quick exercises or try one of our RAW workouts. Make showing up a habit, and over time your excuses will become white noise.