#1. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated prevents fatigue and ensures you bring your best self to the gym.
Many people suffer from dehydration disguised as chronic fatigue.
Dehydration is the easiest thing in the world to fix. Just drink more water!
Your body is 70% water so drink up. Every body function requires you to be adequately hydrated to work properly.
I drink almost 2 gallons of fresh water every day.
Drink Water as Soon as You Wake Up
Each night before bed, I fill a 32-ounce mason jar with fresh filtered water from my Brita Pitcher water filter, and set it on my nightstand.
The first thing I do each morning when I wake up is grab the mason jar and slam the water. Then I get ready for my morning workout.
I carry my water bottle with me everywhere I go. I recommend you do as well.
#2. Meal Prep
The importance of nutrition CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED.
The quality and quantity of food you eat has a direct impact on your results.
Keep your nutrition on point and keep your energy levels up all day with Meal prep.
Meal prep ensures you have healthy homemade meals ready to eat at all times.
You’ll hit all your minimum nutrition requirement and avoid bad calories.
#3. Plan Your Workouts in Advance
Ideally, you have your workout program written out 8-12 weeks at a time.
A consistent workout routine is best for beginners to see progress.
At the very least, you should write down tomorrow’s workout the day before you actually train.
Write out the exercises, the sets, reps range, and weight you will use.
This allows you to focus on lifting, and only lifting, while you’re in the gym.
Distractions kill momentum and momentum is needed to blast through a workout.
You want to move from one exercise to another without having to think about it.
You will lift harder and faster because you already did your thinking yesterday.
It only takes a few minutes of planning and preparation but it makes a world of difference.
#4. Track Every Workout
Track every exercise, every set, every rep you do and the weight used.
It’s necessary to keep making progress in the gym by doing more than you did the previous workout.
Having a workout log to document training details is important. It will push you forward and not allow you to loaf.
If it’s squat day, look at the weight you used last time you squatted and increase the weight this time. Do this for every exercise.
This is a simple technique but will keep you honest and keep you moving forward.
It’s a very simple, yet is very powerful.
Take notes of how you feel while training. How is you energy? Did you feel strong or weak? Note any alterations/adjustments to your form or new exercises you tried that felt good.
This is very helpful as well because you will forget observations you made in the moment. When you get a thought that is useful, note it down, then forget about it and get back to focus 100% on your workout. You can look through your notes later for the information.
#5. Pack Your Gym Bag the Night Before
Nothing happens if you don’t get to gym prepared in the first place:
Pack your gym shoes, gym clothes, and clean street clothes for after the workout.
Bring soap and a towel if you shower at the gym. Don’t wait until morning to pack your gym bag. Mornings are hectic and you should focus on the value-add actions, not piecing your outfit together.
Take care of your gym gear the night before and have one less thing to worry about.
Wake up knowing you’re ready for a kick-ass workout today.
These steps are especially useful for those that have trouble getting to the gym in the first place.
It forces you to make a prior investment in time and put thought into the workout before you even step foot in the gym.
This makes you more likely to follow through and will ensure you have a better workout.
#6. Pack Your Meals and Supplements
Pack your meals in a cooler/lunchbox so you stay on track with nutrition.
Supplements can give you an edge. The best supplements are
- Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
- Protein Powder
- Desiccated Beef Liver Tablets
Branch Chain Amino Acids
BCAAs prevent muscle wasting. They are helpful to take if you workout on an empty stomach. BCAAs don’t require digestion and are absorbed upon ingestion for quick energy.
BCAAs are also great while in a calorie deficit, because they shield muscles from catabolism.
Protein Powder
You should be getting at least one gram of quality protein for each pound of body weight.
Getting protein in your body right after a hard workout is also important. It allows for better absorption into the muscles so the recovery process can start sooner and more effectively.
I use Optimum Nutrition whey protein. I put two scoops in my blender bottle, screw the cap on, then toss it in my gym bag for a post-workout protein shake.
Desiccated Beef Liver Tablets
Beef Liver Tabs are an absolute treasure. These things give you energy and boost your strength and endurance. I can train longer and harder when I take liver tablets before my workout.
#7. Pick the Right Time to Workout
Trining time is all personal preference. I’ve trained at all times of the day, but early morning training is by far my favorite.
Early morning training is great to kickstart your day. I have a sense of calm, mental focus and a general sense of well-being that lasts all day after a good morning workout.
Plus, the gym is less crowded in the morning and the people there mean business.
Afternoon training is good for hard, high volume, super-intense workouts. My morning workouts are typically lower volume and more strength focused so I don’t exhaust myself.
Afternoon workouts I leave all my energy in the gym, them go home, eat a big dinner, maybe do a little work then go to bed.
The gym is typically very crowded at 5:00PM as people leave work. By 6:30PM, however, the gym starts to clear out. So all equipment is available to you when you need it.
#8. Get Your Head Right
Mindset is key in the gym just like it is in other aspects of life.
Get in the gym with a purpose. Dig in and work hard for 60 minutes. Don’t just go through the Motions. Put your headphones on and get busy.
FOCUS on your training for the entire time you’re in the gym for best results.
Put it all together
With these steps I wake up and just grab my gym bag as I’m leaving for work. I don’t think about gathering up all my gym stuff while I’m at work or worry about forgetting something.
I don’t think about what exercises to do while I’m at the gym. I already know.
I don’t have to worry about eating right or getting enough protein – It’s already prepared.
All I have to do is lift. So, ease your mind, focus on what’s important, and enjoy better, faster workouts.
Do you have any rituals or tips for better workouts? Let me know about it below!
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