8 Factors that Influence your Gym Performance and Results
Maximum gym productivity is something that every gym goer wants to achieve but only a handful manage to accomplish.
Though every individual person is different and the results you see in one person may differ in another in spite of doing the exact same things due to a difference in genetics.
But to be quite honest, the effect of genetics is not something to be overly concerned about.
The core aspects that determine your gym performances & output are totally under your control and if followed religiously in an optimal way will leave you admiring what’s in front of you when you are in front of the mirror.
Here are the 8 most important factors that will speed up your quest of achieving your desired physique.
Hard work
There’s no substitute for hard work.
If you want great results, then you’ve to put in the hard yards in the gym.
You have to try to work your body to the maximum levels possible in every single workout, targeting all the muscle groups in your body, in a week.
Along with hard work, the intensity is also crucial when it comes to producing great results.
You need to be aiming at total exhaustion – working your muscles to fatigue by the end of your workout.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you are going to lift the heaviest dumbbell/weight you first put your eyes on in the gym.
That is foolishness, not hard work and could very well lead to an injury that will keep you away from the gym for weeks, or even months.
Zero in on appropriate weights for every exercise according to your current capacity and follow proper form while executing them.
Then as you get stronger, look to increase the weights gradually.
One of the most significant things to always remember is to never ever compromise on form, especially when lifting heavier weights.
Discipline
You may have heard of the old adage, “Do one thing at a time” and it certainly makes perfect sense when it comes to working out in the gym.
To get the best possible results, you need to be totally focused in the gym, that means no use of mobiles or other devices between repetitions or at any time whatsoever.
The focus is vital when it comes to performing at your max levels in the gym.
There will certainly be times when you would have to make an urgent call or are expecting one, but overall you need to be making all the efforts possible from your end to stay away from technological devices or other distracting things when in the gym.
Consistency
Skipping workouts is certainly not what you want to be doing if you want to see results in a short period of time.
You can’t be working out on a Monday and then show up straight away on a Friday or Saturday.
Consistency is a must for getting results as quickly as possible and you need to be working out regularly to reap the maximum benefits possible.
Nutrition
The foods & beverages you consume daily to account for the most critical factor when it comes to your productivity in the gym and the ensuing results afterward.
Depending on your age, height, weight and activity level, you need to be consuming adequate amounts of protein to facilitate muscle repair and rebuilding.
After protein, the next most important macronutrient is carbohydrates, which is the main fuel for your gym efforts and is required for replenishing depleted muscle glycogen and for recovery.
Ideally, you should be consuming complex carbohydrates throughout the day and simple carbohydrates immediately after a workout.
The third macronutrient which has a bad reputation attached to it but is certainly very much required for a healthy body and for optimum workout efforts & results is fats.
Predominantly due to its name, consumption of fats is thought to increase body fat levels, but that is certainly not the case.
Dietary fat is very important for our bodies and is the preferred energy source after carbohydrates.
It is known to assist in the absorption of vitamins & proper growth and development.
Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids is known to reduce exercise-related inflammation while medium-chain triglycerides(MCTs) and saturated fat are also purported to have workout-related perks.
Water intake
Exercise, particularly intense exercises lead to a deficit in water levels in the body as a result of sweating.
So it is absolutely vital that you drink adequate amounts of water throughout the day in addition to before, during and after a workout.
Regular water consumption throughout the day is also essential to keeping up appropriate fluid balance and regulation of body temperature.
Sleep
Along with hard work and nutrition, sleep is the most important of factors when it comes to achieving your fitness goals.
Substantial amounts of sleep are absolutely essential for muscle gain and fat loss, to perform at your peak levels in the gym and to subsequently recover from it for the following workout.
A good sleep of around 7-9 hours helps in retaining stamina and energy during the whole of the day, along with supporting the balance in hormonal levels which has a profound effect on body fat and body weight.
Not getting enough sleep has an adverse effect on your progress with an increase in cortisol one of the main reasons.
Cortisol is known to counter the effects of muscle building hormones like testosterone, HGH (human growth hormone) and more.
Day off
Abstaining from workouts and any other strenuous physical exercise at least one day in a week is imperative for peak results and performances.
One day off is a bare minimum though, people who are not hardcore gym enthusiasts are recommended a rest of a couple of days from the gym.
Taking days off from the gym aids the recovery process between workouts.
Warm up, Stretching and Cool down
Three very important but often overlooked elements of a complete workout are warm-up exercises, stretching and cool down.
To begin with, warm-up exercises prepare your body physically for an intense workout by causing a steady rise in temperature and heart rate.
Muscles get warmed up while the flexibility of tendons & ligaments is enhanced, thus decreasing the chances of tears and injury.
Stretching also improves flexibility while cool down after a workout is important to prevent the occurrence of dizziness and even fainting.
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