Everybody has their own reasons to train. It could be for a specific sport or it could just be to lose fat for the holiday they have booked in 8 week's time. My reasons are quite simple really:
I want to get as strong as I possibly can
I want to ensure I stay as healthy and mobile as possible whilst I age
To see how far I can push my body with different challenges
To look good
In order to achieve these goals, I train just 3 days a week for 1 1/2 hours (1/2 an hour of this will be a warm up including lots of foam roller and mobility work). So my actual training sessions last for around an hour from the moment I pick up a weight to finishing my last set. Each session will have a goal or purpose. I plan exactly what I am going to do in advance of the session, which includes time to reflect on the previous week's sessions so I can ensure progression week on week.
Looking back a few years, I can honestly say that I wasted a lot of time. I would spend more than two hours in the gym because I had no real plan for my sessions. I would just potter around spending a lot of time deciding what I would do next. This would include checking my phone and maybe sending a text whilst I was sat on a machine. I would regularly stop and chat to other people. Does this sound familiar to you?
Over the months of training, I realised I was never really progressing despite spending upwards of 10 hours in a gym a week. I was spending so long in the gym that the intensity of my workouts was low. I was wasting time because I was taking unnecessary rest periods between sets and was failing to push myself out of my comfort zone.
No matter how long you spend in the gym, it is not possible to achieve results if you only put in 30-40% effort. Instead, take yourself out of your comfort zone and start to give 100%. This is true regardless of your experience or level of fitness. If you want to change your body, you will only get out what you put in.
For example, if you are walking on a treadmill and holding a full conversation with your friend you are not working hard enough. Doing that for an hour is not going to be as effective as 20 minutes at 70-80% of your max heart rate (with no chatting). If you are lifting weights and wondering what’s for dinner then put the weight up! Take the weight up until you start to struggle with the last 2-3 reps. Forget all that rubbish about getting big and bulky, it isn’t that easy. Think about it, your body adapts to the stresses of exercise so if you don’t work hard enough your body has no reason to change.
Here are some tips to make your training more time efficient and productive:
Tip 1: Plan your sessions in advance
Go to the gym with a plan so you know exactly what you are going to do. Write it in a note book or use an App. Make sure you take the time to build on the previous week's sessions, this will help you to ensure progression. Increase weight, reps or sets each session.
Tip 2: Avoid distractions
Leave your phone outside of gym, this will ensure that you are not distracted by work or social media. Alternatively, put your phone onto 'Do not disturb' mode. Catch up with friends outside of the gym. You are there to train, not socialise.
Tip 3: Complete your session in one hour
Plan your sessions so that they will be finished within the hour and stick to the one hour slot. Make sure you have alternative exercises in mind in case the equipment you need is in use.
Tip 4: Keep rest periods to a minimum
When you feel you need to stop, push a little harder I guarantee there is still some more left to give then take a short rest before starting the next set/exercise.
Tip 5: Ask for help from an instructor
Don’t be afraid to ask an instructor for help if you are unsure of what to do in the gym. That is what they are there for and they should be happy to help. The instructor may be able to suggest a more time-efficient exercise.
Need further advice? Contact us today to enquire about our semi PT memberships. The sessions are carefully planned to take up one hour with progression built in to our 5 to 6 week blocks.
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