It's not always a good idea to hit the ground running as much as you want to throw yourself to your workout and get started on the heavy stuff immediately. Performing exercise routines as a warm-up before exercising is the smart way to increase performance and lower the risk of injuries.
Which pre-workout routine to do will depend on what your main workout will be. However, most pre-workout exercises have a tendency to involve warming up and stretching the muscles. There are also plenty of things fitness fanatics can perform before workouts, which will have significant beneficial effects no matter what kind of workout you're doing.
Supplements Before Working Out
When people think of supplements, it brings to mind popular post-workout aids like protein or BCAA products. These supplements are focused more on your recovery and muscle-building rather than increasing your workout performance. However, incorporating a pre workout supplement into your routine can do wonders for your performance levels.
Protein supplementation before exercising has been shown to improve muscle building at a similar rate of protein ingestion post-workout, challenging the notion that there is a small window of opportunity after workouts to maximize muscle development through protein. When choosing supplements before workouts, you are able to prioritize carbohydrates as they will assist you to fuel your workout.
Stretching Routines
Performing a sufficient degree of stretching before working out could be absolutely crucial to your performance levels. Rushing parts of your muscles straight into a heavy workout without starting to warm up is a disaster waiting to happen and will significantly diminish your overall performance levels. It's not only important for your immediate performance but additionally plays a crucial role in your rate of recovery after your exercise.
Inadequate or non-existent stretching routines result in sore muscles after working out, which could persist for days, diminishing your subsequent performance levels in the days ahead. While static stretching was for many years, the main form of stretching, another variety of limbering up called dynamic stretching, is now all the rage. Whereas static stretching involves holding stretches in place for 10-20 seconds, dynamic stretching entails repeating full-body movements that stretch muscles just for a couple of seconds at a time.
Get Your Diet On Point
What you eat and drink is the very fuel which will power your workout, so it makes sense that a poor diet plan can lead to a poor workout. Eating healthy isn't the only concern when it comes to your pre-workout diet; you need to ensure you're eating the right foods at the correct time too. This means keeping away from junk foods and avoiding eating right before workouts.
Getting enough carbs is vital to supply your body with the fuel it requires. Without carbs, your body resorts to burning up muscle mass as a source of energy, and all your hard work during a workout session disappears. Timing your meal correctly before your exercise routine is also essential. You should eat 1-2 hours before your workout and avoid stuffing yourself, or perhaps your workout performance will suffer consequently.
Warm Up Relevant Muscle Groups
Just as stretching loosens your muscles and improves blood flow, a brief pre-workout exercise will further increase blood circulation and get your heart rate ready to go. While any kind of exercise will be your workout, it's advisable to tailor your pre-workout to match your main workout so that the relevant muscle groups are targeted. For example, if you are doing the heavy lifting together with your upper body, spending 5-10 minutes on the rowing machine will target the correct muscles.
Keeping Hydrated
As you push the body to its limit, you'll lose a lot of water through perspiration as the body sweats to cool down. It certainly is a good idea to hydrate sufficiently before your workout and bring a bottle of water along to sip during your workout. Dehydration is, at best, a substantial hindrance to your workout performance and, at worst, a reputable threat to your physical wellbeing. Lacking the necessary water reserves, you'll soon find the body slowing down, so be sure to drink up 10-20 minutes before your workout to prevent this from happening. However, avoid excessive consumption of water, or you'll just start to feel bloated and sluggish.
Conclusion
There are lots of things you can do before and during a good work out to drastically improve your athletic performance at the time. Ensure your body has enough fuel and nutrients to get through the workout. Carbohydrates are the friend in pre-workout meals, while high-protein foods will also be very beneficial and choice supplements may take your game to the next level. Perhaps most significant of all is to strike the best balance in your pre-workout routine and do not neglect any of the areas mentioned above.