How do you prepare for a
hard workout?
For many people the
preparation begins 20-30 minutes beforehand so their pre-workout can kick in.
This can give you a
small buzz and a rush of brief energy. Taking supplements is a general practice
to prepare for a workout but it is not the most effective.
I am not against
supplements, if they are added to a proper and beneficial workout preparation they
can be a great thing. The only issue I have with them is that people use them
as a crutch due to their lack of energy instead of using them as an aid to get
extra benefits.
In proper workout
preparation, the steps are continuous not off and on.
What are some things you need to focus on
to ALWAYS be workout ready?
- Sleep– this is one of the most overlooked things in people’s lives but
one of the most important things you can do for yourself. How much, plus the
quality of your sleep the night before will have lasting impacts on your day.
Lack
of sleep will increase your cortisol levels (the stress hormone), make your
more hungry, give you less energy, make it harder to build muscle, and make it
harder to recover.
You
must make sleep a priority. If you have a routine to get ready for the gym, you
should have one for sleeping as well. Prioritize your sleep schedule by making
sure you are in bed the same time each night, limit the use of electronics 1-2
hours before sleep, and creating a comfortable environment for quality sleep.
- Food–
the food you eat leading up to a workout is very important to how you perform
in that workout. The main goal here is to have a full balanced meal (with whole
foods!), meaning carbs, fats, and proteins 1-2 hours before your workouts.
Another way to look at it is, the meal PRIOR
to your exercise should be very balanced and nutritious. This is for the people
who are up for early morning workouts. This would mean that your meal prior to
going to bed will be your “pre-workout” meal.
For
people who are cutting down on calories and have more limited amounts of
macronutrients to work with, try utilizing your carbs around your workouts. Pre
and post workout will be the best time to use most of your carbohydrate sources
if you are on a limited supply.
- Hydration– please do not forget to hydrate your body prior to exercise. It is
used as one of the main sources of energy for your body and you will feel
better, perform better, and recover better if you are properly hydrated
throughout the day compared to if you are deprived. Make it a priority and in
many cases you will have to remind yourself to drink water. With some people I
have had to put reminders on their phone every so often to get them to drink up
throughout the day.
- Know what you are doing– know what you are going to the gym to
accomplish on each day. If you are going in for a mobility and core day then
you know that you will not need to be too “hyped-up” but you still need to be
connected to your muscles to be able to mobilize your body in the correct way.
On the other hand if you are going into the gym to maximize strength with 5×5’s
then you know what will be expected of you when the time comes. If you have a
trainer then ask them what the plan is for the next week so you can have an
idea what to expect each day.
- Recover– recovery is a giant part to how your body will react to the stress
you have placed on it. If you are not recovering well your body will let you
know it by showing signs of decrease performance in the gym, with your quality
of sleep, and with how you feel throughout the day. The best way to recover is
to get into a parasympathetic state post workout. This is getting you out of
the “fight-or-flight” state and into a state where recovery is optimal, the
“rest-and-digest” state. One way this can be done in an effective manner is by
belly breathing. Practicing this technique will help you get into this
parasympathetic state much faster and begin the recovery process.
All of these steps play
a role into how well you will perform and recover for a workout. They will also
help you on the track to a healthy lifestyle.
The importance of one
does not outweigh the importance of another; in fact all of these factors play
major roles into the function of our body in an optimal way.
JNHealthandFitness@aol.com
