Tips for Effective Training

Map Out Your Journey

Before you set out on your training adventure, make sure you sit down and write out goals for what you want to achieve through training. Decide which activities will lead you there and how much time is needed to achieve each of your goals.

Be Consistent

Make sure that you stick to your training program. It is very easy to fall off track in the beginning. This could ultimately lead you to give up on your program all together. If you absolutely can’t train, make sure you make up for it in your other sessions.

Sleep/Rest

It is important to give your body time to recover after a workout. Your body will need a well-rested sleep so that you won’t be sluggish when you train. Make sure to not overtrain.  Your body needs the time to heal itself.

Eat Properly

Be aware of what you are eating throughout the day. You want to eat several meals that include protein, fat and carbohydrates. Your body needs quality calories to help you get through your workouts and also for the recovery process. If you are trying to lose weight, try and eliminate empty calories. For example, if you drink a couple sodas a day, replace them with water. You will reduce your caloric intake and increase your hydration level.

Stay Hydrated

Water plays a vital role in many processes in the body. If you are training hard, you will need more water than usual to replenish the fluids you lose during exercise. Be conscious about staying hydrated throughout the day and not just when you are at the gym. You can also use a scale that gives you your hydration level to make sure that you are in the normal range.

Variety of Activities

In order to keep the body productive, you have to keep your mind stimulated. Make sure that you try new exercises or activities to keep you excited about training.

Switch up your program

Over time your body will adapt to any given routine. It is smart to change up your workout program every 4-6 weeks to try and stimulate further gains. It will also reduce the chances of facing the dreaded plateau effect.

Good Form and Technique

Don’t sacrifice technique to move more weight. Chances are you won’t be getting the best possible contraction and you will also be putting yourself at risk for an injury. Take your time and be aware of your range of motion and the strength of each contraction. 

Breath

You want to develop good breathing technique. Why do we breathe? The simple answer is to create energy. We need this energy to create an optimal contraction. People often hold their breath when they are training. This puts tremendous strain on our body. You want to breathe out during the “hard” (upward or concentric) contraction and breath in during the “easy” (downward or eccentric) contraction. It is also important to be conscious about our breathing throughout the day. Set aside a few minutes each day to focus on your breathing. 

Keep a journal

A training journal is an excellent way to keep track of your workouts. It gives you the ability to look back and see what forms of training worked for you. You can go the old-fashion way and write it out or keep track using a spreadsheet on your computer. Keep notes on how the workout was (challenging, good energy, long…) and the exercises you completed.

Educate yourself

There are many places to find information about training and good nutrition. Read about different types of training and research the group activities in your area. You would be surprised by the number of inexpensive activities available in your area. If you are losing motivation, there are many motivational stories and groups to help you out on the internet. It is also wise to have a good understanding of the mechanics of the body. 

Set Benchmarks

Keeping detailed numbers about yourself allows you to compare where you are now to where you once were and to see how close you are to the goals you have set. The more numbers you have, the better you can measure. Some basic numbers are weight, and current clothing size. It is a good idea to have more detailed numbers. These include body fat percentage, various body measurements (arms, legs, waist, etc.).