5 Simple Strategies to Get the Most From Your Workout

You've made the effort to get to the gym, now make that sweat session count. With busy schedules and countless distractions, it's easy to go through the motions of a workout without truly maximising your time. But with a few simple strategies, you can get more out of each exercise and crush your fitness goals. These seven tips will help you make the most of your workout and get the results you want. Stop wasting reps and start optimising your gym time with these simple yet effective techniques. Your body and your goals will thank you. Now drop and give me 20—effective reps, that is!

Choose a Workout You Enjoy

Choosing a workout you genuinely enjoy is key to sticking with it and getting the most from your efforts.

• Find physical activities that match your interests. If you love sports, try sports specific workout routines.

• Mix it up. Do not do the same routine every time or you'll get bored. Try alternating between kickboxing, strength training and stretching/yoga. Take a MMA class one day and go for circuit training the next. Adding variety will keep you engaged.

• Work out with a friend. Having an exercise partner can make the time pass more quickly and motivate you to push yourself. You can also try friendly competition to boost your performance. Just be sure to choose a partner with similar fitness goals.

The most effective workout is the one you'll stick with consistently. So, take your time finding physical activities you genuinely enjoy and look forward to doing. Your motivation and results will soar, allowing you to get the absolute most from all your efforts.

Focus on Functional Exercises

When it comes to losing fat and gaining lean muscle, functional training and exercises are among the best options. Functional training focuses on movements that mimic activities you do in daily life. This type of training improves your endurance, mobility, balance, coordination, and overall fitness. Functional exercises use your own body weight as resistance and work multiple muscle groups at once. They prepare you for everyday tasks like lifting groceries, carrying kids, playing sports and climbing stairs. This full-body approach has several benefits over traditional isolation exercises.

First, functional training promotes fat loss and muscle gain by challenging your muscles from multiple angles and ranges of motion. You burn more calories during and after a functional workout compared to isolated lifting. The variety of movements also prevents your muscles from adapting too quickly.

Second, functional exercises build more functional strength. They strengthen the smaller stabiliser muscles that support your major muscle groups. This improves joint stability and reduces your risk of injury during daily activities and sports.

Third, functional training enhances mobility and flexibility. The large range of motion involved in bodyweight exercises helps improve posture, balance and coordination. This translates to better performance in sports and reduced pain from repetitive strain.

Increase the Intensity

To get the most from your workout, increasing the intensity is key. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone will boost your endurance and strength. Here are a few ways to turn up the heat:

Increase your speed

If you run slow, try speed sprints or fast jogging for 1-2 minutes. Start with just 30-60 seconds of increased intensity and build up from there. The short bursts will get your heart pumping and make the rest of your workout feel easier. Push yourself every time to be better than the day before in class. This also could be that you need better suited training wear and shoes, it's important to equip yourself with the right gear.

Add intervals

Interval or circuit training involves short periods of intense exercise followed by recovery periods. For example, finish a kettlebell routine for 1 minute, then recover for 1 minute. Start with a 2:1 interval of exercise to recover and build up as your endurance improves. 2 minutes of going at it and then resting for 1 minute.

Use heavier weights

If you strength train, increase the amount of weight you lift for each exercise. Choose a weight that fatigues your muscles by 10 reps. You should struggle to complete the final reps with good form. Increase weights gradually over weeks and months as your strength builds. Heavier weights will stimulate muscle growth and increase your metabolism.

Add an extra set

For bodyweight exercises like pushups, squats, and lunges, add an extra set to your routine. If you currently do 2 sets of 15-20 reps, try 3 sets. The increased volume will boost your endurance and muscle endurance. Start with just one extra set and build up over time as your fitness improves. Pushing into the discomfort zone during your workout will produce results. Start gradually, listen to your body, and increase intensity over weeks and months. The fitter you get, the more you'll be able to challenge yourself. Increased intensity is the key to continuous progress.

Add Variety to Your Routine

To get the maximum benefit from your workout, you need to keep your body guessing. Doing the exact same routine day after day will cause your results to plateau. Mixing up your workout is key to continued progress. At OctaFit this forms the core belief as to why we have martial formats mixed with functional training. This has proven to be a success.

Add Different Exercises

Mix the workouts with kettlebells, barbells, dumbbells, calisthenics etc. Each of these have a focus area for example OctaFit focuses on barbell based compound movements through body pump class while our circuit classes focuses more on calisthenics and bodyweight which includes short burst energy systems mixed in like sprints and jumps.

Change Up Your Reps and Sets

Increase or decrease the number of reps and sets to shake up your routine. If you usually do 3 sets of 10-12 reps, try 5 sets of 6-8 reps. Or go the other way and do just 2 sets of 15-20 reps. Changing the volume and intensity will keep your body adapting.

Cross-Train with lighter activities

Add in short cardio bursts or different activities like swimming, biking or yoga on your off days. Cross-training improves your endurance and flexibility, and works your muscles in new ways. Even just 20-30 minutes a couple times a week can significantly boost your results.

Take a Break

It's okay to take a day or two off from your workout each week. Rest days are just as important as training days. Your muscles need time to recover in order to get stronger. Schedule in one or two days of light activity like walking, gentle yoga or just complete rest. You'll return to your routine recharged and ready to push yourself again.

Mixing up your workout routine with different exercises, changing your reps and sets, cross-training and taking occasional rest days is key to continued progress. Keep your body guessing and you'll get better results from all your hard work. Consistency is important, but variety is the spice of fitness!

Set Specific and Measurable Goals

What do you want to achieve? Lose weight? Gain muscle? Improve endurance? Be as detailed as possible. Saying you want to “get in shape” is too vague. Aim for 5-6 kgs of weight loss per month, or improving your plank time from 1 minute to 3 minutes. These are examples of quantifiable targets to work toward.

Break down your big goals into smaller milestones. Losing 10 kgs all of sudden in the first month seems overwhelming, so focus on dropping 5 Kgs in the first month. Upping your endurance and stamina won’t happen overnight, so try increasing it by 5- 10 mins each week. Celebrate achieving these smaller wins to stay motivated for the next ones.

Track your progress to make sure you’re making them. Use a workout log, calendar, or app to record details like weights lifted, times, distances, and more. Compare where you started to where you are now. If you’re not progressing, you may need to switch up your routine. Don’t get discouraged—plateaus happen. Make changes and push through.

Review and revise your goals regularly. As your fitness improves, your goals will change. Maybe you’ll want to shave more time off your run or lift progressively heavier weights. Adjust your targets to keep challenging yourself, and you’ll continue achieving maximum results from all your hard work. Success is a journey, not a destination, so keep setting those goals and crushing them!

Conclusion

So there you have it, five simple ways to maximise your workout and get the results you want. The key is consistency and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Don't settle for mediocrity or the bare minimum - you deserve to achieve your fitness goals and feel strong and confident. Make the time for exercise, try new routines to challenge your body, focus on form over quantity, and stay hydrated. You've got this! Getting in shape is challenging, but with the right mindset and motivation, you can transform your health and fitness. Keep at it and don't give up. The rewards of improved health, increased energy and a rocking body will make all the effort worthwhile. Now get out there and crush your workout!