Everyone has their favourite area in the gym, but this can lead us to undertaking an unbalanced workout as we stick to the things we enjoy the most.
Utilising a wide spectrum of equipment gives you the best chance of getting the most out of your gym sessions and ultimately provides you with value-for-money for your membership fees.
Read on for our top five ways to get the most out of your gym sessions.
Use your upper body during cardio sessions
If your typical cardio session focuses on the treadmill and stationary bike you’re not burning as many calories as you could be. Using your upper-body muscles will develop your endurance and increase your total calorie count.
Incorporate time on a total-body elliptical machine, and include intervals focusing on your upper and lower body. Mix things up using an upper-body arm bike that forces you to raise your heart rate using only your upper half.
Push yourself
You visit the gym for an hour a day, but how much of that time are you genuinely intensely exercising?
If you spend your time on your mobile phone using your Casumo Casino Bonus followed by the same weight machine circuit, you’re probably not seeing the results you want.
Research has shown that upping your levels of activity brings about greater health benefits and noticeably improves fitness and appearance.
Utilise the gym staff
If your gym has personal trainers, physical therapists, nutritionists or registered dietitians make sure you use them.
A trained expert can speed up your progress and results as well as prevent you from burning out and under-eating.
This is particularly important if your goal is weight loss. What you eat is incredibly important, especially if you’re regularly exercising.
Train unilaterally
Every time you use a leg press, leg extension or leg curl machine at the gym, you work both legs together at same the time.
However, this could cause some muscular imbalances in your body. Most of us do not have equal muscle fitness in our legs and when you exercise both together the stronger one tends to do a bit more of the work.
Try using less weight and doing a full set on your weaker side first. Then, switch legs and do a full set with your stronger side. Training like this will help you balance the strength between the right and left sides of your body.
Don’t skip your post-workout stretch
Always make sure you stretch your muscles after a workout as they will be warm and flowing with oxygen-rich blood.
All adults should stretch at least three times a week, starting with the front side of your body. The tighter muscles on the front of the body can reduce flexibility in the back.
Before beginning your warm-down, give yourself a few minutes for your heart rate to lower and then perform some slow, gentle exercises before heading to the shower.
