Most people underestimate the importance of what can be done before and after your workout to greatly improve the chances of you hitting your goal and feeling amazing!
The difference between achieving your goals and not can often be as easy as tweaking a few simple things. Before you give up thinking “I’m doing everything I can!”, read our checklist: 3 things to do pre and post workout.
Pre Workout
Hydrate
Your body performs much better when it is hydrated. As a general rule, aim to drink at least 1 glass of water 20-30 minutes before your workout.
Foam roll
Foam rolling is a great way of loosening up any tight spots in your body and greatly increases your mobility, allowing you to move better. Spend around 3-5 minutes here, targeting the main muscles you plan to train in your workout.
Watch these short video’s on how to foam roll
Fuel up
Having energy in your system to burn is a must when it comes to performing your best.
Fuel up with a small carb snack within an hour of your workout. For example a snacking on a banana or piece of toast is perfect.
If you are into an early morning workout routine and prefer not to have anything before-hand, go for it! However if you are feeling light headed in your workouts, having something small before hand can often help.
Post workout
Stretch
Once you have finished your workout, it’s important to stretch down for 5-10 minutes. This allows the muscles to cool down gradually and can help minimise muscle soreness.
Stretch the muscles used in your workout by holding them for 30 seconds each.
Fuel up
Something pretty cool happens up to 2 hours after your workout. This is what is known as your metabolic window. This is the time you want to have a nutrient dense meal full of rich carbs and protein and will make a big difference to how you feel and recover.
If you’re caught for time, having a protein shake post workout is a quick effective way of getting nutrients back into your body.
Rest
Whether you are training for weight loss, muscle gain or performance, rest is crucial to your overall results. Adequate rest allows your mind, muscles and cells time to repair. Without rest, sooner or later your body will burn out. So too your mind. This is known as neural fatigue.
Finding the right balance of activity and rest is important in maximising your results and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
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