Your pre-workout can be just as essential as the workout itself and post-workout. Completing a pre-workout should get your body ready for the work your body is going to endure to achieve muscle gain and good health.
It’s important to improve your health by regular exercise. The proper steps that can be taken depend on the amount of time you put into planning out a goal for your results. Below are 7 essential steps to take to have a great pre-workout that will improve gains and get you off to a great start.
1.Pre-workout Supplements
Before considering supplements it’s first important to consider what your body is needing before the workout. The most common supplement for gains would be protein supplements. There is a different protein powder for women and men. There are specialized stores that offer protein supplements and they can even be found at grocery stores or online. If you are unsure you can always consult a personal coach or a nutritionist.
2. Pre-workout Warm-Ups
Pre-workout warm-ups are necessary because they allow your body a proper stretch prior to a rigorous workout. If gains are the goal then some moderate cardio can offer proper blood circulation to the muscles to allow them to absorb protein to gain strength, recover and grow properly.
Consider what body improvements you’re looking for so you know what section of the body needs the most training, whether it’s arms, legs, core or general strength. Yoga is a full-body pre-stretch, it’s very simple and easy to learn. However, hot yoga can be considered a regular workout, not a pre-workout.
3. Pre-workout Mindset
Building a proper pre-workout plan includes having a positive mindset. The research discusses the mood improvements of exercise and how they can affect the outcome of work-out positivity. A positive mindset can be achieved by meditating, yoga, pre-planning, and determination. Through these four separate options, they can be combined to get you on the right track and get you started on your pre-workout regimen.
If you start your workout with a negative mindset, which can be due to outside elements like work and family life, it can take away from your ability to achieve your fitness goals. It’s good to enjoy your workout so you can boost morale. Improving your pre-workout mindset will ensure a more enjoyable workout experience.
4. General Health
Your general health is important to consider prior to committing to a workout plan. A reputed health society recommends action planning with health care providers which in some cases is a nutritionist. If the goal is to transfer body fat into muscle gain, consider your general health prior to making this transition. Too much wear on the heart is not healthy. Pre-workouts are necessary to evaluate the amount of stress your body may be able to take prior to committing to a full workout routine.
5. Scheduling Workouts
Scheduling a workout will depend on your availability, your preferred workout time of day and your home life. Working out at home can supplement the need for travelling to a gym. When possible, consider working out in the gym, it can provide you with more tools for more gains.
Working out during the day may be useful for people who have later work shifts or school schedules. Working out at night may be useful for people who have extra energy and would like to use their energy reserves prior to going to bed. It’s important to know your schedule so you can plan your workout accordingly. This will allow you to be more dedicated to your regime. This should be arranged prior to your next workout week.
6. Pre-workout Meals
Finding a proper meal plan for your workout routine will ultimately depend on what you’re trying to gain from your workout goals. If you’re looking for small gains and to boost your energy, a protein and carb combo would be more in the right direction (this includes fruits and vegetables). If you’re looking more for heavy bulking you may have to rotate your carb-loading days from your protein days.
Carb-loading days will allow you to bulk up prior to the workout so your body can redistribute your carbohydrates to your muscles for muscle gain and energy boosts. For many who are ketogenic, getting more fats in your diet can supplement the need for carbohydrates. While the body is in ketosis it will convert those fats into energy.
The choice in the diet is very essential to the progress and endurance of the workout. This is considered a pre-workout essential because this is something you will have to consider prior to the workout. In order to have enough energy, you will need to consume the proper energy source for your selected diet routine. Below is a small list of pre-workout snacks that are often consumed directly before a workout.
- Protein bars
- Peanuts and peanut butter (no added sugar is a better option)
- Unprocessed/uncured meat sticks and jerky
- Protein shakes
7. Sleep Quality
When you wake up in the morning and you have a crank in your neck with sore arms and legs, it is important to consider how your body will react to a full workout routine and how you got to this point. Pre-workout meals and stretching can relieve aches and sore muscles prior to a full-body workout. However, the quality of sleep received prior to this workout would be the most essential thing to consider for recovery and fitness sustainability each day.
As mentioned before, it’s good to know what time of day you want to schedule a workout, discusses how the time of day you exercise can affect your sleep quality. Getting a proper night’s rest can allow you to be rejuvenated for a morning workout or help you sustain enough energy throughout the day to reach your nighttime workout. Consider your place of rest and ensure it is not causing you unnecessary strain.
All in all, working out is very important to keep in good health and provide proper body function. When working on building muscle or bulking up, it is essential to have a good quality plan that will help you work through difficult training days and proper diet balance.