Going to the gym is always a commendable effort, as it means that you want to better yourself and build on a healthier lifestyle. However, even if your recent lifestyle choices are looking good, your preparations might not be.

Many people go to the gym without knowing some basic elements that truly make the difference between a great workout and a mediocre one. Alternatively, taking it all down one notch, it can be the difference between a good workout and a completely terrible one. In this article, we will be looking at some of the most important things to do before starting the workout session.

Fuel up

Many people go to the gym on an empty stomach without realizing how bad that is. The simplest way to put it is this: If you don’t give your body energy, you won’t have any to spend during the workout thus not being able to complete exercises and routines but also not developing since your body doesn’t have the nutrients it needs to build on.

Make sure you have a big enough meal about two hours before going to the gym so that the food has time to settle without your body losing that short term energy. You can even go the extra mile and get something like quest-nutrition for the extra push.

Warm up and protection

Don’t start working out as soon as you get into the gym. It is very important to warm up prior to any kind of physical effort so that your muscles are loose, and so are your tendons and ligaments. This will help tremendously with preventing injuries but also being flexible enough to get workouts done correctly and efficiently. For things like squats you can even wear knee straps to prevent any accidents. Continue reading →