Whether you’re a novice to the world of exercise and fitness or an expert veteran, you can always improve your training session. Training sessions differ every day, with some days being more productive than others. You may think that you have little control over how your body performs on any given day, however, this could not be further from the truth! With minor adjustments and careful planning, you can ensure that almost every training session you have is fruitful. 

We’ll admit that some factors, such as getting sick or injured, are inevitable,  however, you can still ensure that the majority of your training sessions are worthy of your time, money and energy. By implementing effective strategies in your life, picking up the healthy eating habits and developing a determined and resilient mindset, you can take control of your body and life.

We’ve laid out our favourite tips for ensuring that you can perform at your best during your next training session. While many of our tips are related to the physical aspect of your training session, remember that your mental and emotional health also impact your performance. 

• #1 Ensure you know what your goal is and why you have itThere are many reasons for exercising; you may want to lose weight, improve your strength or simply maintain your fitness. It’s important that you zero-in on your goal so that you can target your routine towards achieving it. Another aspect of this goal is determining why it’s your goal. Do you want to live longer to be there for your kids? Do you have an important event coming up? Once you come up with the reason why this is a goal, your mind becomes much more motivated towards it.
• #2 Always favour consistency over intensityWhile it may seem like a good idea to train as hard as you possibly can, this isn’t always the best approach. When you push yourself too hard, you end up burning out your body and damaging your muscles. This leads to a long and sometimes, painful recovery time, allowing you to become disenchanted with your routine and unmotivated. It’s better to slowly build up your workout routine and instead, focus on exercising consistently rather than intensely. This strategy is more guaranteed to produce results, give you a more productive training session and do less damage to your body.
• #3 Never forget to warm up and cool down Warming up and cooling down are integral to muscle recovery and a productive training session. A warm-up gradually accelerates your cardiovascular system and increases blood flow to your muscles, preparing your body for the surge of intensity during your training session. Cooldowns are not taken as seriously as warm-ups, however, they are equally important. A cooldown session allows your heart rate to gradually recover and your blood pressure to reduce. This is pertinent for ensuring that your body slowly returns to its normal state. Without a cool down, you could risk passing out or feeling sick.
• #4 Master foundational exercises before diverting
  It can be tempting to jump into the more challenging techniques first, however, if you haven’t mastered foundational exercises such as squats, push-ups and sit-ups, your efforts could be to no avail. Many of these basic exercises are the foundation of more challenging and intense routines. To get the most out of your session, master the basics first and then move onto the more impressive techniques. Your body will have a much easier time adjusting to the routine and will be more likely complete each step of the technique correctly.