5 ways to improve your training day

Improving your training day can be one of the most difficult things you can do in the gym. With so many variables that make up a workout at the gym there are a number of things that can be manipulated to create a more improved and taxing workout. Obviously certain aspects to training are out of your domain, such as how crowded the gym is and the temperature of the day you train but there are still a whole list of aspects you can change. Here is a list of my 5 top tips for improving your training day. I use each and every one of these to help improve my training. The best thing is that these 5 tips can be applied to every method of training e.g. weight lose, endurance, strength, bodybuilding. [caption id="attachment_3243" align="aligncenter" width="673" class=" "] Listening to music can help your concentration levels[/caption]

Training Day Tip #1: Listen to music

One of the best things I can recommend for improving your training day is to listen to music. Music is a very powerful partner when it comes to training hard and the best thing is, depending on how/what you are training there is a music companion for it. When I first started training I never used to listen to music and found my training and attention to my workout fell whilst having everybody’s conversation and background music buzzing around you. As soon as I started using my iPod I was able to focus so much more and fade into my own world and concentrate on the gym. In terms of the music I use, I love dance, happy hardcore something with a fast tempo and a heavy bass line. Not only does this help when powering out on the bike but also helps when pumping iron. Whether it is a placebo effect or not I feel like I get an adrenaline rush, making me feel more in the groove and just ready for the next set. With cardio, music is absolutely crucial for me. I find cardio workouts so boring and long, although I would never delete it from me workout. Here is where I like to listen to the most fast aced music and it feels like the tempo transfers into my legs and makes me pedal faster and harder.

Training Day Tip #2: Stay hydrated

Another tip for improving your training day is simple, drink a lot of water. Not only does it stop that terrible dry mouth, but it also keeps you fully hydrated. The water also helps flush your system of toxins so drinking it through out the day has a great effect on your body. Another great way to help your body is take an intra-workout to help your body ingest premium amino acids.

Training Day Tip #3: Set yourself daily goals

One of the most major problems I have found, both via friends and personal experience is that setting long distance and possibly “unrealistic” goals can be a killer blow to your training day. Setting reachable & realistic goals each day creates a snowball effect to your long-term goals. I found that my training day improved massively once I began to employ daily goals. Depending on the type of training I did the goals varied. For example if I was trying to lose weight my daily goals would be to steadily increase the range at which I cycle when doing cardio-vascular work, or making sure I can complete 5 sets of 15 repetitions each day. These simple but very effective goals help improve your training day by making you increase your limit everyday, which over the course of weeks, months and eventually years will add up to huge gains. [caption id="attachment_3240" align="aligncenter" width="550" class=" "] A training partner can raise your motivation[/caption]

Training Day Tip #4: Have a training partner

This aspect for improving your training is one that has maybe the biggest amount of inconsistency to it. One day your training partner might have work or be ill or have other commitments that don’t match your gym times but having someone to compete and fight against whilst working out can be fantastic. Picking a training partner can be difficult as most people like to use friends (obviously someone you are comfortable with is a good idea) but having someone who is of similar strength and ability as you with the same goals in mind with do you both good as you can feed off each others energy. The most crucial points to having a training partner is you have someone to help push you all the way, someone to help psych you up for each set and rep and most importantly, someone to help spot you when the pumping gets rough.

Training Day Tip #5: Properly warm up

My final tip is one that is neglected so much in the modern gym by so many people who want to just walk in and start bench pressing like Schwarzenegger and squatting like Terry Hollands and get the biceps of Lou Ferrigno. The basic fact is, without a proper warm up you are exposing yourself to a whole raft of dangers which can result in muscle injuries, some of which can have you out of action for months at a time. My advice for improving your training day is to start how you mean to go on. If you are warm, fully stretched and flexible you will get more out of your workout whilst pinning the injury doll to the floor under your weight of your monster deadlift. Using a medium resistance to warm up with helps gets your heart rate up and the blood pumping around (it also has the added effect of loosening your sore muscles, if you have any). The key to stretching is to take your time, hold the stretch and don’t neglect any part of the body. Also if I am focusing on what aspect of my training e.g. chest day, I will add in some more stretches for the pectorals and arms to make sure they are fully ready for the workout. There you go, my top 5 tips for improving your training day, try incorporating these into your workout to see how much of a difference they make to you!