Your Gym Advice

We don’t know about you, but when we hit the gym, we waste a helluva lot of time doing all sorts of things that don’t vaguely resemble anything productive. We wander over to the drinking fountain 5 too many times, chat with our buddies for 20 minutes prior to starting, and sit on a bench and gaze around the gym at the hotties for 5 extra minutes per body part. Is all this necessary? Well, it depends how you look at it. We personally think that drooling over eye candy is never a waste of time. And, if you are unemployed and don’t have much but the gym going on, it probably doesn’t matter from a time management standpoint, whereas it would matter if you worked a full day and needed to get in and out of the gym in order to have personal time in the evening with family.

But productivity doesn’t just speak to time constraints, it speaks to overall effectiveness and how much you can accomplish during any single period of time, and that’s the real point. How can you maximize the time you spend in the gym to make nearly everything you do productive and meaningful? We have 10 tips that might help!

Workout Log

Workout logs may seem tedious and old-fashioned, but there are no shortcuts to keeping track of what you’re doing. A workout log can also tell you if you are generally productive or not when in the gym, based on seeing your rest times in black and white and your progress in a body composition test. Assessing productivity is a good start because it allows you to see which elements of your program are effective and which are not. Plus, you have a well-detailed map of exactly what you’ve been doing in past weeks so that you can determine where to take the next phase of your workouts. Ultimately, this is highly productive because it allows you to pare down until you find what is both effective and productive. There are plenty of pre-printed workout logs available or you might find a format you like online.

When Resting in Between Heavy Sets of Legs, Do Abs

This is a great trick of the trade because it shaves off at least 15 minutes that you normally devote to working abs or calves at the end of your workout. Not only does this same time, but it also lets you work abs or calves prior to being more physically exhausted and mentally distracted. We recommend that you work a body part like abdominals in between sets of unrelated body parts, like legs, whereas we recommend you work a body part like calves in between heavy sets of back or chest. This allows you to completely rest the surrounding areas of the major body part you are working, so you don’t further exhaust yourself or compromise your primary workout.

Gather Tools You Need Ahead of Time

Prior to starting to work on a particular body part, gather dumbbells, plan out paths to machines and generally equip yourself in one particular area of the gym. Generally, gyms are planned out this way, so that convenience and easy access to the same family of machines is possible. But if you’re going to superset or do giant sets or a circuit, it’s important to plan before starting. This is particularly true when you are taking little rest between sets and are training, unrelated, body parts in between. For instance, if you are doing legs and planning on doing sets of crunches in between, grab a workout mat and set it by the squat rack so you can drop and do 50. Planning on doing biceps in between sets of squats? Bring straight bars and dumbbells over to the squat rack.

Headphones

Headphones—with or without music flowing through them—send a clear message to other gym members to leave you alone during workouts. This allows you to get on with your business without interruption. Many professional athletes and celebrities have done this to keep autograph hounds at bay, and get their workouts in without a disruption of the flow of things. Choose something upbeat and motivational if you are, in fact, playing music. If they’re just props, make sure the cord is tucked in so no one guesses your ruse!

Plan Before Going In

It’s good to work your body in an instinctive way, but leave instinct for the fine points of each workout, and not the plan for the day. Have an idea, either by way of using a log or just making a mental note, of what you’re going to do on any given day so that you go in prepared to walk right to the area and get busy. No one said you can’t change elements of your workout based on how you feel on that day, but having a plan allows you to get down to business fast and prevent wasted time deciding which exercises you’ll do.

Use a Training Partner to Keep You on Track

A training partner can keep you on track by keeping you focused, motivated, and on a set rest time between sets schedule. Focus is important because it allows you the intensity you need to build mass and put your mind in your muscle. Motivation is also an element that cannot be overlooked because it keeps you coming back and excited about your workout. The more enthusiastic you become about things, the more care you’ll take planning and executing workouts. And who can beat a built-in spotter or someone who keeps your rest times timed perfectly?

Incorporate Cardio Into Workout Itself

Cardio workouts are usually something a person does either before, but usually at the end, of a workout. While getting on a bike can be a nice relief to stretch out tight muscles and get pooled blood out of the legs, it can be the one thing we all sacrifice when time is a factor. If time is tight, rather than risk not getting your cardio workout in for that day, why not incorporate it into your actual workout, and get out of the gym twice as fast? Circuit training isn’t just for the inexperienced trainee; it can actually be a great way to learn to build endurance while maintaining strength. And while, mentally, you may not feel as though you’re doing quite as much, or being as intense, it’s merely the difference between drawing intensity from weight hoisted, and drawing intensity from pace and endurance.

Stretch in Between Sets

The debate about stretching before or after a workout rages on to this day. We’ve always felt that stretching after being warmed up is much safer, but there’s no reason to tack on extra time at the end of your grueling workout getting some stretching in. Why not stretch during those 1-2 minute rest periods instead? Over time, it can truly help increase your range of motion, and in the interim, can help you rid your body of the build up of lactic acid and pooled blood that accumulates during a heavy set. Stretching in between will make you more comfortable and productive during your next set, as well as providing a means to recover faster the next time.

Tight Schedule? Do Half Body Circuit Workouts During Busy Weeks

Think circuits are for sissies and newbies? Think again! Not only are they great time savers, they can also jumpstart your workouts again by confusing the body into a much-needed change of rhythm. During a busy week, try doing upper body Monday, lower body Tuesday, rest on Wednesday and then repeat it on Thursday and Friday and take the weekend off. Chances are, after a busy workweek, a good lazy weekend is in order. You can also do your upper and lower body splits on the weekend, back to back, and do a full body circuit on a Wednesday during a really busy week. This may sound like it isn’t enough, but if you move at an intense pace, keep your weights up, and use plenty of superset type work, you can get a lot accomplished in a little time. Sometimes, less is more.

Work Out at Times When the Gym is Least Crowded

This is a great efficiency tool because you can move freely between machines without risking that there will be a line or that you’ll have to stumble over bodies to get to your next exercise. Whether it’s an hour before close, or its 5am, choosing these unpopular time slots can be rewarding in terms of getting the work done with fewer distractions.

Source: BodybuildingToday.com

If you are like me, then you will probably know that using free weights and machines is the fastest and most efficient way there is to improve your metabolism and strength but for many reasons these may not be convenient or readily accessible to you.

You may also have no access to a commercial gym, home gym or are on business trip, but there can be a solution, a strength-training workout without the need of expensive machines.

As with any exercise, whether you are using your own body weight, machines or free weights, if the resistance doesn’t increase, your muscles won’t be worked to their maximum capacity and the stimulus these fibres need to grow will be missing.

Exercises done correctly will build the lean muscle and increase your metabolism in the same way as performing exercises at a gymnasium, but without the time constraints and associated costs.

These exercises can be easily done in a bedroom, hotel room, a park, school yard, ceiling rafters in a garage or in a doorway and all you have to do is use your imagination. There will always be a way to add more resistance to your workouts.

Please remember: It doesn’t matter where you are working out – at home, a hotel, or a park – always warm up properly before beginning your session, and cool down and stretch when you are finished.

Leg Exercises

Squats -

They build muscle in the thighs, shape the buttocks and improve endurance. Position your feet about 13 to 17 inches apart or at shoulder width, keeping the back straight and your head up. If you want you can use something that will give you some support, i.e. a desk, bookcase, sink etc.

Now squat down to where the tops of the thighs are parallel to the floor, hold for a second and then stand up, but don’t bounce at the bottom of the movement, use a nice fluid motion. Always exhale your breath as you stand up.

Lunges -

Stand straight in correct posture; now stand with one leg forward and one leg back. Keeping your abdominal muscles tight and chest up, lower your upper body down, bending your leg (don’t step out too far).

You should have about one to two feet between your feet at this stage, the further forward you step, and the more your gluteus and hamstring muscles will have to work.

Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down and stop where your feel comfortable (try not to let your back come forward) then push directly back up. Do all your reps on one leg then switch legs and do all your reps on the other leg.

Back Exercises

Chin-ups -

Chin-ups are a great upper body workout, particularly targeting your biceps, deltoid and lat muscles. Use a doorway chin-up bar, ceiling rafters in a garage or grab the moulding of your door frame, position your hands with an under hand grip and hang down stretching the lats, slowly raise your body until your chin reaches the bar level.

Pause a moment before slowly lowering yourself back to the starting position. Don’t swing or use momentum to get your body to the top, just use the target muscles. Doorway chinning bars remove from the doorway when you are not using them and can be put up and taken down in seconds.

Bent Over Row -

Take up a position with your right hand and right knee braced on a sturdy bed or some other flat surface that will provide a good support. Now pick up a dumbbell or something heavy that you can hold onto with your left hand.

Visualize your arms as hooks and slowly bring the dumbbell or object up to the side of your chest, keeping your back straight, then lower the weight back down to arms length, no lower, on extremes, safe form only please.

Concentrate on your back muscles. Reverse the whole procedure and do the exercise now with your right arm.

Chest Exercises

Push-Up -

The push up is used for building chest, shoulders and arms. Lie face down on the floor with your hands about shoulder width apart and keeping your palms turned slightly inward. Now push-up until your arms are straight, lower and repeat for repetitions.

To make it more difficult elevate your feet. Try placing the toes of your feet on a stable, elevated surface such as a bench, chair or a stair.

Straightening your body, position your hands on the floor at shoulder width, lower your body until your chest touches the floor at the bottom, and then return to the starting position in a nice fluid motion.

Dips -

This exercise can be done between two sturdy chairs or other surfaces that provide stability. The dip is another great upper body exercise. It’s a compound movement as well and involves working all the muscles that the push up works.

Keep your head up and body as vertical as possible. For the beginning of the movement, start at the top (arms fully extended) and lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the seat of the chairs, hold and then push up to the top of the movement until your arms are fully extended again.

Keep looking straight ahead and don’t bounce at the bottom of the movement.

Adding Weight

Although the simple weight of your own body is enough resistance to provide an effective workout we need progressive overload (added resistance) to become stronger.

So all we need to do is add some weight wherever we can find some. Because there are no metal plates and fancy machines to use it doesn’t matter because the body doesn’t care where it is as long as it’s receiving resistance of some kind.

You can use heavy books clasped in your hands. You can buy some cheap weighted dumbbells or ankle weights. A weighted vest will also allow you to add resistance for both chin-ups and push-ups.

Try to buy one that will let you remove and add weight as you see fit. Also a backpack filled with books can be perfect for most of the exercises and is a cheap alternative.

How about a couple of buckets and fill them with a certain level of water? As you get stronger fill them with more water. This is perfect because depending on the exercise, all you need to do is to increase or decrease the amount of water in the buckets for the required amount of resistance.

To wrap things up we know that using free weights and machines are the fastest and most efficient way there is to gain lean muscle and strength, but by performing the exercises in this article you’ll find that they will provide you with the same benefits as going to a gymnasium but without the ongoing costs and time constraints.

If you want to get into peak physical condition, build muscle mass, lose excess weight and develop healthy cardiovascular conditioning, it is crucial to workout on a consistent basis. Inconsistency is definitely not your friend where working out is concerned. A few years ago, the only place one could find quality exercise equipment was in an actual gym or fitness center. Now, many people are instead choosing to purchase home gyms and other types of exercise equipment for their private use.

The Cost Advantage

Many people decide that a home workout program is a better option than paying membership fees at a local gym or health club. Instead of spending money every month on a local gym membership with older equipment, home fitness gyms allow users to make a one time payment for a piece of exercise equipment that can give a total body workout and should last many years. Though it may cost more up front, buying a home gym is a lot easier and less expensive in the long run than joining a fitness club, and you’re more likely to use the home gym, unlike the club membership. Most people who sign up for gym memberships quit after just a few months. Purchasing a home gym is actually an investment, because it will offer years of wellness, decrease the likelihood of disease, and may even lower your health insurance premiums.

The Time Advantage

People find many excuses why they are unable to exercise, from time constraints to tight budgets. However with home fitness gyms, users can not only save money, but workout quickly in their free time, freeing up extra time each day to relax and spend time with friends and family. Parents know how hard it can be to find the time to exercise when they have to pick the children up from school or daycare, take them to sports practices, cook dinner in between, and somehow get their kids to do their homework. With a home gym, they can easily exercise in half an hour, the time it would take just to drive to a local gym, and shower before dinner’s ready.

The Convenience Advantage

Another advantage of using a home gym is that you have the choice of working out whenever you want at your own convenience. This isn’t always the case with health club memberships. While some health clubs are open 24 hours and thus cater to all types of schedules, you may have to wait for machines or free weights to become available because someone else is using them. Especially if the club is extremely busy, it can be difficult to even get your heart rate up because you’re continually waiting for other people to finish. That’s not the case with a home gym. You can work out any time you want to and you never have to wait for anyone to finish if you’re the only person using it.

As with anything in life, it is going to take hard work if you ever hope to achieve the results that you’re looking for. However, that isn’t to say that working out can’t also be enjoyable. If you work out in the privacy of your own home, you can play some music you love while you work out, or watch your favorite TV program if you work out in front of the television. It’s important to do whatever it takes to keep your workouts both fun and interesting. If you remember that, you will have a better chance of sticking with your routine and you’ll be that much closer to achieving the results you want. The benefits of working out at home are numerous, but the most important thing you have to do is make a commitment to yourself to workout regularly. If you can’t commit to it, then you will be wasting your money no matter whether you purchase a home gym or a club membership. Don’t get discouraged if the results you want aren’t immediate, as long as you continue to work towards your goal, you will eventually achieve it.