Ever felt like you wanted to level up yourworkouts?
SELF asked five top trainers for advice on how to get a super-effective workout every time.
Take a moment to just breathe.
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The first step to an awesome workout is getting in the right mindset.
Once you’re feeling focused, remind yourself that you’ve got this.
I start with positive self-talk to prevent myself from giving up or being overly critical, says Carnevale.
I tell myself, It’s my time now.
Put on pump-up music.
Positive self-talk isn’t the only way to get in the right mindset.
One of her top workout tips is to repeat her favorite tracks a few times during her training session.
Your workout is the time where being self-absorbed is a good thing, so focus on you.
Have a clear plan.
(A surefire way to lose your workout momentum is frantically searching for a piece of equipment midprogram!)
The same goes for cardio equipment you might want to use.
Find a flight of stairs, or hit the treadmill on an incline, says Mader.
Start your workout with foam rolling.
Foam rollinghelps break up ‘knots’ in muscles that can inhibit full mobility, explains DiDomenico.
This is also known as self-myofascial release because you’rereleasing tightnessand knots in your fascia, or connective tissue.
Improved mobility also means you’ll be able to get deeper into exercises like squats and lunges.
Literally tap the muscles youre using.
To get the best workout, you want to verify the muscles youre targeting are fully turned on.
One easy way to do that?
Getting this kind of external feedback helps your nervous system activate in the area, Jamison says.
9. confirm youre not too hungry.
Arriving at the gym ravenous is a bad idea on several counts.
So if you want the best workout possible, its super important to properly fuel up beforehand.
You dont need to do a million different exercises to get a great workout.
In fact, its often better to keep things simple, says Jamison.
By limiting the amount of equipment you use (think two types of equipment, or even fewer!)
Your progress is more evident when youre doing the same move [frequently], explains Jamison.
You cant get better at a move by switching to another!
Know that not every workout needs to leave you exhausted.
Listen, you’re entitled to take it easy when you need or want to!
If it turns out you’re really not feeling your workout for some reason, thats more than okay.
Not every session will leave you feeling ultra energized and on top of the worldespecially right now.
Maybe you’ll decide to go through the motions and do the workout without maximizing your effort.
