Prepare a good plan
Consultation with a trainer will help you identify specific training goals and choose the right methods and exercises to help you achieve them. With a plan, you know exactly what to do, where, how, in what order, and how many repetitions to do. This way, you don’t waste time thinking and improvising during the training session.
Avoid “rush hours” at the gym
Every gym or fitness club has its “rush hours”, during which users outnumber the available stations. If possible – try to choose a different time for training. You will then have easy access to the equipment and avoid waiting until it’s free or sharing it with others. This minimises unplanned interruptions to your training.
Shorten the intervals between exercises
Some rest between series of exercises is necessary, but just a dozen such moments can significantly prolong the workout. If you can, increase the intensity of the exercises by shortening the intervals. This will also help you avoid distractions such as browsing on your phone or chatting with friends.
Leave your phone in the locker room
Speaking of phones... They’re real time thieves – also during workouts. Scrolling the screen, urgent conversations, chatting between series or taking a sports selfie – all make us exercise longer, but less effectively. It is better to leave your phone in the locker room to avoid unnecessary interruptions and focus on the correct technique of performing the exercises.
Take advantage of group classes
If you lack motivation or discipline, sign up for group classes. The very decision to participate in such classes has a motivating effect, and the trainers make sure that there is no room for boredom. Group classes are also a good idea to try out new types of activities under the guidance of a professional – this type of training is conducted using proven and verified methods, and working in a group encourages more intense effort.
Opt for interval training
If your health and fitness permit, consider higher-intensity workouts, such as interval or cross-training. Such sessions, performed either individually or in a group, are usually shorter than classic cardio exercises, while still allowing to burn a fair number of calories. They are often as effective, and sometimes even more effective than typical aerobic exercise.
Train shorter, but more intensively
Excessively long training sessions may not only fail to produce the desired results, but even thwart the set training goals. If you exercise intensely for more than 60 minutes, your body’s cortisol levels increase significantly. This hormone allows you to adapt to increased exertion, but at the same time – it makes it difficult to burn fat and build muscle mass. Therefore, if you care about intensity, shorten the training time, but increase the load or focus on fewer exercises with more repetitions.
Engage multiple muscle groups
If you want to improve your overall strength and endurance in the shortest possible time, make sure your training plan includes exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. You can do such a workout with free weights, on machines, with kettlebells, or exercise using your own body weight.
Take care of the technique
Exercise technique is not just a theory, but the key to effectively using the energy you put into exercise. Properly performed workouts are more effective than those in which you “cheat” at certain stages. In addition, good technique translates into better muscle and joint mobility and ensures safety, protecting against injury and trauma.
Choose a place to exercise close to home or work
If you live in a big city, you can easily find a fitness club near your home or work – and that’s a good thing! This saves you time by avoiding cumbersome and time-consuming commutes, and training does not involve additional costs and sacrifices. You might as well train at home or outdoors. You can find sports facilities available with the MultiSport card in your city using our search engine.
... or take care of NEAT
NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) is the energy spent on daily, spontaneous forms of activity. Although they are not intense, they help counteract the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, burn extra calories and support the building of habits that are beneficial to health. Walk when you can, instead of using transportation. Find, for a change, a facility farther away from your location, get off a stop earlier, park a little farther than usual, choose stairs instead of a lift. Let every step work in your favour!
Get your loved ones involved!
Are you worried that the time spent on physical activity will take a toll on your family and social life? Invite your loved ones to join you in sports activities! Even if not everyone gets involved right away, you will definitely get a better understanding of your training plans. And if someone in the family catches the sports bug, you will gain additional motivation and more opportunities to spend time together. See the MultiSport card types for children and seniors.
Surprised that it’s so easy? So are we! It turns out that you don’t have to be a master of time management to make the most of the effectiveness of regular training. As in many other areas of life, common sense is the key to success.