1. Develop mental muscles-People that get the most out of their workouts are enthusiastic; they actually want to be there! Excuses don’t apply to them. The mental aspect of exercising is probably the most important. Not only to drive you, but to get better results. Research has shown that there is a mind-muscle connection where the workout can be more effective if you concentrate on the muscles you are exercising.
2. Have a game plan-Have you ever gone into a gym and found that you wandered around, puttering from machine to machine? Stop wasting your time! Always come with a plan of action for when you get to your workout. Either get a trainer or get an effective workout program on paper for you to follow. That will prevent you from skipping out on those hard exercises, keep you from wandering around with a blank stare like most guys in Victoria’s Secret, and will maximize the time you spend in the gym.
3. Use proper nutrition-You can’t outrun your mouth. The oldest mistake around is assuming what you do during your workout gives you free will to eat what you want. You absolutely HAVE to eat properly to get results. Nutrition is even more crucial for females because they don’t carry as calorie burning lean muscle mass. The average workout lasts an hour or so, what you do in the other 23 hours will determine a lot of your success.
4. Always use proper form-Form is everything when it comes to exercise. Always know what muscles you are supposed to be working, so you can concentrate on using them the whole time as opposed to just trying to go through a movement. Proper from leads to fewer injuries and better results.
5. Keep showing up-Consistency is the key. You have to make exercise and nutrition a habit and a part of your everyday routine. Working out really hard for one month and then taking the next month off will not get the job done.
6. Be well rounded-Your body is used to that strict routine of 100 Thighmaster squeezes, 12 minutes on your Shake Weights, and 10 minutes on your machine that you strap the belt around your waist and it shakes the pounds off. You have to change it up because variety is vital. The body can adapt really quick, so change your program at least once every six weeks.
7. Bring the intensity-Take a look at anyone’s body you admire and want to look like. Chances are they work extremely hard to look like that. Going through the motions and having an “I don’t like to sweat” attitude will not get you the results you want. You’re stronger than you think, don’t be scared of a little hard work!