Essential Tips and Techniques for the Gym

Whether you are brand new to the gym, you’ve been going for a while and you’re not seeing results, or you’re looking to hone your fitness routine, we’ve got some top tips to help you on your way!

Be sure to be safe

Unsure of how to set up a piece of equipment? Want to check if your posture is correct? Always seek advice from an instructor or a personal trainer on the most safe and effective ways to complete any exercise. 

Consistency is key

Working out isn’t all about how much you can lift or how far you can run, consistency can have many long-term benefits and results compared to other fitness goals. Find a routine that works for you, and an exercise that you enjoy, as the most ideal programme will be something that you stick to. There is no “perfect” programme to follow or best way to exercise!

Prioritise rest

Recovery for the body is just as important as the workout. Exercising puts a lot of strain on our body and muscles, and they need to recover from that to get stronger. Ensure you have dedicated rest days every week and get a good amount of sleep each night to properly recuperate.

Fuel up

Food is fuel! We should all aim to eat a healthy, varied diet when physically active, as our bodies will use up more energy (calories). The benefits of good nutrition and hydration go way past burning calories; a healthy diet also helps to boost recovery and preserve muscle. Meal plans can be a helpful resource for keeping organised with nutrition.

Be realistic

There are a lot of influencers on social media who promote beauty standards that are quite often unattainable; often showing their shredded physiques to sell a product. In reality, this isn’t something that can happen overnight. Working towards a goal should be fun and achievable in the time frame you’re looking to accomplish it in.

Warm up & cool down

A workout isn’t complete without starting with a brief warmup and finishing with a quick cool down. Sure, it may add a couple of extra minutes to your routine, but it might also help to reduce stress on your muscles. Stretching is one example of something that can fit in to both warming up and cooling down.

Showing up and being consistent is only half the work, the other half is ensuring that you’re training smartly and efficiently! As the saying goes, anything worth doing is worth doing right, whatever level of fitness you’re at

As your confidence grows and your goals are set, a fitness routine and lifestyle that keeps you energised, happy, and fit will be in closer reach.

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Sources: When and how to spend a rest day (Medical News Today) | 6 Expert Tips For Setting Realistic Fitness Goals (Forbes Health) | Eat Well (NHS) | Nutrition for sports and exercise (British Nutrition Foundation) | Aerobic Exercise: How to warm up and cool down (Mayo Clinic) | Here’s Why Consistency Is Your Biggest Workout Win (Greatist)