At this time of the year, as is customary, the gyms are crowded. Whether you are a regular at the gym or a beginner, here’s how to plan your workouts to maximize your time and achieve maximum results.
Walk into the gym with a plan
Having a plan of action before you step foot in the gym can help you avoid wandering aimlessly around while you decide what to do next. This indecisiveness not only adds time to your workout, it also makes it less efficient, since you’re letting your heart rate drop. A clear plan is your secret weapon. Know what exercises you’re going to do, where you’re going to do them, and in what order.
It’s also a good idea to have a plan B, just in case the machine or floor space you were planning to use is taken. Move on to other parts of your workout and come back or be armed with a backup exercise in mind that utilizes different equipment.
Minimize rest
Cut down your rest intervals. By taking minimal rest, you’re automatically upping the intensity of your workout and keeping your heart rate elevated throughout your weightlifting or interval training session. This cardio challenge trains your body (and mind) to work efficiently and persevere through fatigue. When you do cardiovascular training regularly, your body gets better at delivering fresh oxygen to your muscles, so you’ll actually get better at pushing through your workouts even when you’re tired.
The right amount of rest varies depending on the workout and the person, but as a rule of thumb, you should aim to take just enough that you can go hard during your next set, but not so much that you’re totally recovered.
Incorporate compound movements to hit more muscles at once
Compound exercises recruit multiple muscle groups and two or more joints at once. That’s opposed to isolation exercises, which target one muscle group (like bicep curls). Because they help you get more done in less time, they’re great for increasing overall mass and they also burn more calories because they require more energy output. Compound exercises can be single moves that put multiple groups to work at the same time (like lunges and squats), or they can be two moves strung together (like bicep curls to shoulder presses).
To make the most of the time you put in at the gym, you should aim for compound moves to take up 70 percent to 80 percent of your workout (and target the specific muscles you want to work with isolation exercises the rest of the time).
Further, choose a time that fits your schedule. Don’t feel pressured to workout just in the mornings.
