Workouts and fitness routines can help you achieve your fitness and wellness goals, whether to lose weight, gain strength or get in better shape for an athletic event like a marathon or triathlon. But to reap these rewards, it’s important to understand the dos and don’ts of your workout routine so you can maximize your efforts and prevent injuries along the way. Here are 10 tips to make sure you’re getting the most out of every workout and reducing the risk of injuries in the process.
1. Getting Started
Getting motivated to work out can be hard, but focusing on your goals can help you stay on track. If you’re looking for a healthy way to lose weight, focusing on health and wellness-related goals like reducing body fat or increasing muscle tone can keep your motivation high when there isn’t an end date in sight. Keeping a workout journal or setting up reminders in an app like Google Calendar are other great ways to keep yourself motivated throughout your workout routine.
2. Listen to your Body
In order to benefit from your workout, you should understand how to reduce soreness or when to stop. For example, if you’re sore from your last day at the gym, don’t go back to the gym for another high intensity workout. Muscle soreness, such as DOMS, is normal and part of every fitness journey. There are numerous tips to help alleviate soreness, including taking CBD supplements such as Delta 9 THC Gummies for example. CBD can reduce the effects of muscle pain and help you get back to your fitness routine faster. But massages and warm baths are also effective. You can also consider active resting days, where you train at a lower intensity to keep your body moving and overcome soreness.
Another key factor in listening to your body is knowing when to stop. Muscle soreness is a type of pain that’s normal. On the other hand, sharp pain during your workout is a sign for you to stop before you cause an injury.
3. Nutrition
Nutrition is an important factor to consider if you’re trying to optimize your workout. You need to fuel your muscles and keep them in healthy working order. That said, dieting and restricting yourself too much can have a negative impact on muscle growth (i.e., by limiting protein intake). If you want to improve your body composition, stick to balanced diets that feature protein-rich foods like lean meat, fish, and eggs.
4. Exercise Duration
This will be different for every person. Ideally, you should train your body hard enough that you fail before you’ve gone too long and risk injury. But if you don’t push yourself, you won’t make any progress at all, so start with 15 minutes a day and see how your body responds over time.
There is no clear guidance as to how long you should train, as it depends on the following:
- Your fitness level
- The type of exercise you’re doing
- Your schedule
- Your goals
- Your preferences
That’s precisely why it’s important to listen to your body!
5. Workout Gears & Know-How
You can’t get the most out of your workout routine without proper gear. When shopping for workout gear, it’s important to make sure you don’t just choose what looks good; you need the right protective gear and knowledge to avoid injuries. If you’re into running or tennis, a comfortable pair of shoes is essential—make sure they fit well and have proper support.
Many sports have specialist safety gear, such as a helmet or pads. It can be helpful to spend some time researching the best accessories for your safety, so you can train without risking hurting yourself.
6. Keep Challenging Yourself
Your workout needs to have the right balance of enjoyment and challenge. No workout should be a walk in the park, as it means it is far too easy for your fitness level. Yet, it shouldn’t exhaust you to the point where you need a prolonged recovery period or can’t function for the rest of the day. Challenge yourself but respect your body at the same time. The workout should feel a little tough without being impossible. It’s the best way to reach your goals!
7, Warm-Up/Cool Down
Warming up and cooling down are important for getting a great workout—but it’s even more important for preventing injuries. It’s just as important to cool down from a workout as it is to warm up, but most people don’t think about it. After a workout, stretching your muscles can help prevent soreness or cramping that can occur when you work out strenuously; moreover, cooling down helps reduce blood pressure and heart rate so that your body returns quickly to normal after you exercise.
8. Create a Healthier Lifestyle
A key component of making fitness a habit is understanding how exercise, nutrition, and sleep impact your overall health. Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on gym memberships and health clubs that are seldom used after just a few months. Why? Because they don’t make it part of a fully-rounded lifestyle. To make fitness a long-term habit in your life, it’s important to pay attention not only to what you do (like working out), but also to how you live (like eating and sleeping right). Sleep and nutrition are key to maximizing your gains!
9. Train with Friends or in a Group
If you’re trying to get fit, ask around for people who also want to get fit or join a gym or a fitness class. Not only will it help keep you accountable, but a little friendly competition might also push you harder than if you were working out on your own.
10. Track Your Progress and Performance
Most apps and online programs will allow you to track your workout performance. Make sure you do so, as it will help you see what aspects of your routine need tweaking. For example, if running is causing a lot of hip pain, change up your run schedule and replace it with something less impactful, like swimming or biking. If weight lifting is getting too easy, you can pile up more weight.
Having your workout routine is one thing, but understanding how to make it work for you is another. Hopefully, these tips can help you build a fitness routine that works for you.
