10 Hacks To Boost Your Gym Performance

Your time and energy are two of the most valuable commodities you have. You can’t afford to waste either of them! Use these hacks to ensure that every minute you spend in the gym is as productive as possible.

1. Make sure you are well fed, well hydrated, and well-rested before you start (0:08)

If you want to change your body, you are going to have to challenge it, and that means training with plenty of adaptation-triggering intensity. If you don't train hard enough, you won't get the results you want. The foundations of any good workout are food, water, and sleep.

Make sure you hit your calorie and macro goals for the day, are well hydrated, and do your best to get eight hours of sleep per night. Master these basics, and you’ll have all the energy you need to train like a boss.

2. Set training goals (0:29)

Get better results from your workouts by setting specific training goals. You should have long-term goals that may take years to reach, medium-term goals that are several months away, and short-term goals for each and every workout.

Training without goals is like going on a long journey without a map – there is no guarantee you’ll ever reach your destination. Having goals increases focus and determination. Make sure your workouts match your goals.

3. Record your workouts (0:58)

The only way to keep making progress is to gradually increase workout intensity, volume, or duration from one week to the next. If you keep doing the same workout over and over again, your progress will soon grind to a halt.

Keeping records makes it easier to increase the difficulty of your workouts. Whatever you did in your last workout, you need to try and beat it the next time you train.

4. Work out with a training partner (1:15)

While there is nothing especially wrong with training on your own, you’ll get better results if you work out with a buddy. A training partner will help keep you accountable. Knowing that they’re at the gym waiting for you means you are less likely to skip out on your workout – even on leg day!

A good training partner will also push you to lift more weight or do more reps and spot you to keep you safe when you are pushing yourself to the max. Working with a training partner is invaluable, but it's a two-way street; what they do for you, you do for them.

5. Train to music (1:35)

Music can have a massive impact on your mindset, so create a playlist that never fails to get you pumped up to train. Keep adding to your playlist until you have a massive library of motivating music. Then, when it's time to train, put on your headphones, pump up the volume, hit play, and let the music lift and motivate you to new levels of performance.

6. Mix things up (1:52)

If you always do what you have always done, you’ll always get what you have always got! While it’s okay to have favorite exercises and workouts, if you do them too often, your body will soon get used to them, and your progress will come to a standstill.

Keep your workouts fresh and productive by injecting them with plenty of variety. Good options include:

• Switching from machines to free weights
• Switching from barbells to dumbbells
• Switching from free weights to bodyweight exercises
• Doing more reps per set
• Resting less between sets
• Lifting more weight
• Doing more sets per exercise
• Adopting a new split

7. Speed up recovery with foam rolling (2:15)

The sooner you can recover from your last workout, the sooner you can get back in the gym and do it all over again. Foam rolling is one of the best ways to speed up recovery, eliminate aches and pains, and make sure you are ready for your next workout.

Foam rolling is a form of soft tissue massage, and while it can be uncomfortable, it's an excellent recovery tool. A few minutes of rolling for the muscles you have just trained will have a big impact on how you feel.

8. Warm-up (2:38)

A great workout starts with a proper warm-up. Warming up prepares your body and mind for what you are about to do, making sure that every set of your workout is as safe and productive as possible.

A good warm-up should only take a few minutes but could save you months of wasted time by keeping you free from injuries. Do a few minutes of light cardio, some dynamic stretches for the body parts you are about to train, and a couple of light sets of your main exercises.

9. Cool down and stretch after your workout (3:04)

As beneficial as working out is, training can leave your muscles feeling short and tight. Left in this state, blood flow is impeded, and accumulated waste products are left in the muscles. This will delay recovery.

Fix these problems by spending a few minutes stretching the muscles you have just trained. Hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds, but don’t stretch too aggressively – that could result in injury. Instead, ease into each stretch and hold it at the point where you feel tension but no pain.

10. Use the right supplements (3:28)

Supplements can speed up recovery, boost your energy, burn fat, and build muscle faster. Think of supplements as effort multipliers – the harder you work, the more effective they will be. Good supplement options include:

Perform

Perform for Men & Women contains a blend of ingredients to boost mental and physical energy. It's a nootropic, so it also increases focus and determination while lowering stress. Loaded with multivitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids, this product will ensure that you are at your best for each and every workout.

Beyond BCAA

Intense workouts take a lot out of your body, and this product is designed to put those recourses back in. Loaded with branch chain amino acids, the building blocks of muscle growth, Beyond BCAA is refreshing, hydrating, and will enhance recovery while reducing muscle soreness. It contains electrolytes to replace the minerals lost when you sweat.

OxyShred

OxyShred is a high-caffeine fat burner that is also a great pre-workout energizer. As well as caffeine, it contains L-carnitine, which is an amino acid that helps transport fatty acids to your fat-burning cells.

PSI

Caffeine is a great energizer and fat burner, but it's not suitable for everyone. Some people find that too much caffeine leaves them feeling anxious or jittery, and even unable to sleep. PSI is a stim-free pre-workout, so it's ideal for caffeine-sensitive exercisers and anyone who trains at night and doesn't want to consume caffeine too close to bedtime. It also contains vasodilators that increase blood flow for more energy, less fatigue, and amazing muscle pumps.

Wrap-up (5:08)

Use these hacks to make every one of your workouts as productive as possible. Each one is easy to implement but will still have a noticeable impact on your performance. If you are training hard but aren’t seeing the results you want, these tips could be just what you need to take the brakes off progress and deliver the results you deserve.