One of the biggest struggles to being successful in the gym is just showing up! After you’ve mastered this hurdle take a look at these simple and manageable tips for a better workout.

1. Staying up really late on a Friday night and getting up to kill a Saturday workout is nearly an entirely wasted gym effort. Getting good nights sleep is obvious but do you know why? Hormones linked to muscle anabolism and a variety of restorative interactions occur in your body while you’re sleeping. Be fair and give your body the rest it needs. Whether it be turning off the TV and placing your phone in another room or getting a new mattress and addressing sleep issues to help yourself get more benefits out of your hard work in the gym.
2. The food choice you make leading up to your workout can determine a lot of your success because it’s the one that your body will get fuel and have the essential nutrients to develop muscle growth. Great options are carbs like sweet potatoes, rice, and oats. Protein such as chicken breast, ground turkey, or white fish.
3. All of the motivational quotes and pictures of fitness models for motivation are great but so is the facility that you place yourself in. Obviously, not everyone has the time or budget to train in elite facilities but making little steps to make your workout space motivating for your goals can make all the difference.
4. Like-minded individuals can be a crucial piece of your success in the gym. Find a workout partner or a group of people who share your passion or perhaps someone who is a bit bigger or more knowledgeable than you. Training with them can make you work harder which can help push you to the next level. If it means a few extra reps, an exercise you’ve never tried, or a technique from a well-trained eye, it’s worth a shot!
5. Warming up isn’t always exciting but it is necessary. Your reward will be the ability to lift more weight, reduce your chance of injury, and the gauntlet of information that supports that a good warm up can reduce post workout muscled soreness.
6. Mind body connectedness is more important than the weight of the dumbbells. Connect the movement of feeling the muscles, awareness of the stretch and contraction, and working through the pain instead of focusing on an arbitrary rep count.