We have our daily routines: we wake up, take a shower, have coffee and/or eat breakfast, drive or commute to work, and spend the day in the office. After work, we head to the shop, to a restaurant, or go home, have supper, watch the telly or read, and then go to sleep. But some of us have an additional routine: going to the gym for a good workout.
If your aim is to have a good workout, you must have your own routine as well. But whilst every one of us has a different way of preparing for a gym visit, there are some preparations that never fail. By following these tips, you are guaranteed to be completely prepared and will be able to maximise your workout for all that it's worth.
Have a good meal
If you visit the gym on an empty stomach, you will quickly realise that you don't have enough energy. Then you will easily tire out even with the simplest exercises, and your gym visit will not be as satisfactory. This might even put you off from going to the gym next time. So it is essential that you eat a good pre-workout snack or meal. But this is where it becomes tricky, as you don't want to be too full right before you visit the gym. There has to be the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fats in your body. Some tried and tested combinations include a medium-sized banana, a cup of yoghurt, and some fruit. You can also have a slice of bread (preferably wholegrain), a cup of cottage cheese, and a small piece of chicken breast or turkey.
Physical warm-ups
When you are getting ready to do your routine, one thing you should never neglect is your warm-up. If you are planning to lift weights, for instance, you should do it on warm - and not cold - muscles. If you lift weights on muscles that are ‘cold,' you are more liable to get sore or even injured, and you may not even be able to use your muscles to their full potential.
There are different ways to do warm-ups - some individuals like to lift small weights or dumbbells, while others stick to cardio exercises. Ideally, you should spend at least twenty minutes warming up. If you want, you can do a few minutes on the treadmill or rowing machine. Afterwards, you can do some stretching to loosen your muscles. Once you are adequately warmed up, you are already mentally as well as physically prepared to do your routine.
Mental focus
To prepare yourself completely for a workout, you should also take some time to get focused mentally. What you can do before you begin is sit down for just a minute or two and concentrate on getting your mind blank - forget about everything, including your worries, chores, work, and other topics. Instead, visualise what you are going to do in the gym today, and focus on finishing your tasks and giving it your all. Before you know it, you are almost done with your routine and truly feel that you have accomplished something great on your path to fitness.
To make your gym visit more effective, you should also be prepared with what you bring, as the experts at gyms in Dublin like One Escape will tell you. Incidentally, if you're looking for boxing classes Dublin has plenty of options, including One Escape in the city centre (find out about all its services at www.oneescape.ie). Make sure you have a towel, a water bottle, and some music. You should have a gym bag where you can place everything you need - being more organised this way contributes to an effective gym visit as well.
