Several individual and group exercise formats are offered by fitness centers, such as those that are choreographed to music like dance and aerobics classes. Many offer boot camp, fall prevention, sculpting, kickboxing, indoor cycling, yoga, Pilates and core conditioning. Group exercises expose you to a fun and social environment. Your workout is effectively and safely designed.
One of the most common reasons why people do not complete any exercise program is boredom. Lack of motivation is another factor. Here are some hacks that will help you improve your fitness workout.
1. Be part of a group
There are some workout programs that are done in groups although some of the exercises are performed individually, such as in Pilates and yoga. What is more important is not to be in a collective group but a group where you are part of, such as team sports. You will have greater motivation to exercise because your efforts count in the team’s success. Group fitness classes on the other hand, provide you great support from the instructor and participants. The classes also become social events as you meet people, form friendships, have fun while struggling through routines.
2. Mental and physical pacing
Not everyone is ready for a HIIT program. To get your body and brain going throughout the day as well as to stay healthy, you only need a moderate workout. For improving your cardiovascular health according to the American Heart Association, you need about 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. If you are able to perform more vigorous activities, you only need to do it for 25 minutes three times a week. If you continue to do this you’ll be able to improve your endurance.
3. Think of the long-term benefits
Morning workouts are great for relieving stress and getting the energy boost to keep you going for the rest of the day. Beyond exercising, it is better for improving your workout if you are able to visualize the long term benefits of what you are doing. This is a technique that many athletes, such as Michael Phelps employ to improve performance and increase motivation. Such a study was published in an issue of the Psychology of Sport and Exercise.
4. Improve your workout form
Working out is not just about doing the recommended exercises. You have to pay attention to the form in order to realize the results and prevent injuries. For example, when doing squats, your toes should point forward, and knees aligned to your toes to properly target the hamstrings and quads. Moving the feet slightly outward will target the outer and inner thighs.
Maintain better back alignment when doing shoulder press, bicep curls and lateral presses by squeezing your abs and your glutes.
A lower bench when doing step-up targets the quad while increasing the height of the bench will help target the hamstrings as well. Positioning your hands wider during push-ups will target the upper back muscles slightly and your outer chest muscles. Placing your hands closer together almost in a triangle position will result in higher engagement of your triceps.
5. Use free weights
Jordan D. Metzl, M.D., a doctor of sports medicine and author of the “The Exercise Cure” recommends that you use free weights. Machines only move in one plane, whereas you train your body for every day movements with free weights that provide you better balance. Free weights allow you to move the way your body moves and they are easier to use.
It is your choice if you want to improve your workout, as there are many options available. Group fitness training classes offer the most benefits for many individuals and many individuals also reap great benefits when working alone. You should keep in mind to get proper sleep, drink lots of water, improve your nutrition and even change your workout music if one of your goals it to improve your workout performance.
Content supplied by Nate Roberts