Messaging, chatting, watching TV and reading should all be left at the door of the gym before you start your workout. This is your moment to move and challenge your body. We have limited time and focus so now is not the time to multitask.
If you’ve read the excellent book The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan, you know that multi-tasking is an efficiency myth. According to a quote from Steve Uzzell in the book, multitasking is merely the opportunity to screw up more than one thing at a time! Jumping from one task to another slows the completion of all those tasks and also reduces the quality of the work. Focusing on just one thing until it is completed massively increases productivity and efficiency.
This is our challenge in the gym, to focus on one thing at a time.
I was at the gym last night and I took a little survey. At one point in the free weights section, out of the fifteen people there, five were messaging on their phone, three were chatting with friends while three others were staring blankly into space or at a nearby TV. Only four were exercising.
Granted the eleven that were not exercising could have been in the middle of their rest period between sets. However, looking at their relaxed body language and breathing rate, that was highly unlikely.
That got me thinking…in a 60 minute “workout” how much time are people wasting? I understand that some people come to the gym to relax but if that’s the case I’m hoping they’re exercising hard at home or in the park. People have made the effort to get to the gym but, once there, they are not making it count. How can we get the most out of ourselves and our time during sessions?
Here are ten things you can do to perform better and get the most out of your gym time:
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Mentally Prepare
I get nervous before all my gym sessions. Why? It’s because my body and mind know that something challenging is about to happen. A little more adrenaline starts to pump in my veins and my breathing elevates. I’m always very grateful for this nervousness. My body is preparing and this helps reduce the chances of injury. Think about the workout that you are about to do. Visualize it a little before stepping through the doors of the gym and enjoy the feeling of being ready.
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Limit Phone Use
Unless you’re using a training app or listening to music on your phone, it’s best to leave it in your locker. In the gym a phone is a distracter or an interrupter. Both waste time and both mess with our focus.
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Warm up by Mirroring your Workout
Move your body in a way that prepares it for the movements that are to come. If you are going to lift weights, warm up with weights by doing the same or similar exercises with little or no weight to start. Then build up to your full weight. I always like to begin a workout with some cardio just to get my blood pumping. From there I work with a barbell until I’m sweating and breathing like I would during my routine (check out the video below). At this point you have brought your body up to speed. This phase should be no more than ten minutes.
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Form Check Please!
The trainers that are floating around the gym are there to help you so please use them. Ask them to check your form and range of movement in all of your exercises. They will be happy to give you some tips and feedback. This helps you get the most out of every rep which, overall, will give you faster gains.
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Break a Sweat
Sweating can be a good indicator of how intense your workout is. I often use it to gauge if I need to increase my intensity. I often sweat the most during the first two weeks of a new programme. My body wrestles with the change and works hard to cope with it. Take things up a notch and see how your body reacts.
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Tone your Arms and Strengthen your Legs
Attack those arms ladies! Unless you’re lifting very heavy weight (as in you can only lift to 5 or 6 reps) and training like a woman possessed, you will not add bulk to your arms. Aim for 10 to 12 reps with a weight that has you struggling on the final two reps. Toned arms are beautiful so go get them! Men, you need to work on your legs. They prevent the rest of your body from collapsing in a heap on the floor. Many of us neglect these large muscles in favour of smaller muscles like biceps. Attack those legs with big compound movements like back squats, front squats and lunges. Give me bulging quadriceps instead of big biceps any day!
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Limit Conversation
Working out with music is great for this. It acts as a Do Not Disturb sign. People respect that you are in your zone and tend not to bother you. Having no earphones in is like an open invitation to chat. There is a time when having music blasting in your ears may not be the right choice as it can affect your performance. This is especially true when you are performing quick or explosive compound exercises that need total concentration to prevent injury. However, having a barrier up prevents you from getting caught up in chit chat and allows you to totally focus on your body position, breathing and effort.
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Use the Power of the High Five!
Need a little boost before you go for your next set? Grab a high five from someone close by. Few people can resist a high five, even from total strangers! My brother (who was kind of illegally cycling beside me) got me through the last 6 miles of my first marathon on the power of high fives. Each one is a little energy boost. You get an immediate zap of electricity that acts like a spark to push you forward while putting a smile on your face. Two big positives from one small action.
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Turn on the Muscle Switch
You want more muscle on your body so you can burn fat and calories all day. Look at the gym as a place to turn on the muscle switch. The more muscle you create by training with focus and intensity, the more calories you will burn outside the gym. That means, over time, a much leaner and stronger you.
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Get In and Get Out
Make your time in the gym count. One hour is more than enough time to complete a session. I complete a great warm up, intense routine and a relaxing cool down in under sixty minutes. Do not be in there any longer than you need to be. I love the gym but I’m not spending an extra second in there once my work is done. We all have busy lives with lots of things to do. Intensity is everything.
Do you struggle to stay on schedule in the gym? Are you easily distracted? I’d love to hear about your successes and challenges during your workouts so please leave a comment!