Things to do before and after a workout!

Before your workout:

1. Prioritize getting enough good quality sleep.

The most imperative thing in any fitness program starts the minute you go to sleep—that’s where all the magic happens. Being well-rested not only energizes you through every burpee or sprint, but it also keeps your hunger hormones in check, so you're not undoing your efforts in the gym by overeating the rest of the day.

If you can't do seven, at least try for six and a half hours . Set boundaries with electronics before bed so the light doesn't keep them awake. A good sleep is also super important after a workout, too—that's when muscles really get to recover.

2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

You already know that drinking your H20 is crucial to overall health, but it plays an especially important role in a fitness routine—when you're sweating it out, you need to make sure your body is properly hydrated since you're losing water. Plus, being hydrated will make sure your energy levels are where they need to be.

Just look at the parallels between oil in a car and water in a body—a car can’t run without oil, a body can't run without water. You should be sipping it before, during, and after a workout.

Exact water needs vary from person to person If your urine is dark, it probably means you're not hydrated enough.

3. Grab a snack.

If you're really not feeling a pre-workout snack, there's no need to force food down ahead of time, but don't ignore your body if you feel like you need some fuel. "If there’s no food in, there’s no energy out," .

4. Make sure you're wearing the right clothes and footwear for the workout you're doing.

Being able to move, jump, run, stretch, and get into certain positions and poses is about more than just your athletic prowess or your mobility and flexibility. It's also about having the right gear for the job. Wearing the right sneakers on a long run will mean way more comfort, which could translate to better endurance and a more enjoyable workout. There's nothing worse than arriving at the gym or setting out the door only to discover you're actually a little (or a lot) uncomfortable. Before you head out the door, do a once over and make sure you're outfitted properly.

5. Work in a dynamic warm-up.

Skipping your warm-up is a definite no-no—even if your workout is only 10 minutes long. The warm-up is meant to give your body the opportunity to raise your body temperature, increase range of motion, and prepare yourself for what you’re about to do. It also helps decrease your chance of injury when you ease into your workout, rather than jumping straight from a resting state to the hard work.

Increasing your range of motion can help you make the most of your workout, because you'll be able to recruit more muscles during an exercise (for example, getting deeper into a spot means putting more muscles to work). This is done through a dynamic warm-up, which essentially means moving through stretches that aren't held in place.

After your workout:

6. Stretch it out.

Use static stretching to cool down and reset after a workout. A cool-down brings your body back to a resting position—the way you walked into the gym is the way you want to leave. Stretching may also be beneficial for joint mobility and range of motion. This is the opposite of the stretches you do in a warm-up—after a workout, you should hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds each.And because muscles are best stretched when they're warm, you definitely don't want to go straight from your workout to a seated position, like at a desk or in a car.

7. And use a foam roller.

Foam rolling can help you recover from workouts and might also increase your range of motion. Experts also recommend it as a way to minimize post-workout soreness, which it does by increasing blood flow to the tissues you used while exercising. Foam rolling regularly (and properly) is a great way to speed up recovery.

8. Refuel with post-workout nutrition.

A pre-workout snack is more optional than a post-workout one. Giving your body the fuel it needs to recover after a tough sweat is essential. After a tough workout, your body looks for carbohydrates and protein to help replenish glycogen stores and rebuild muscle, respectively, so getting your body the nutrition it needs to recover in a timely manner is important.

Plus, not eating after a workout can leave you feeling ravenous later on. And no one likes to be hungry and tired.

9. Log your workout.

Keeping track of what you did in every workout will help you keep challenging yourself each time you exercise. It's also a great way to make sure that overall your workout routine is giving you what you want. Each week you can look back at what you did and how you felt while doing it and decide when it's time to go a little heavier or a little faster or do a few more reps, or maybe when it's time to slow down and take it a little easier. And after a few weeks or months, look back at all the time you've put in and the progress you've made and pat yourself on the back.

Thank you for taking time to check out my blog.

By IYEAL T.I

NASM CPT

Check out our other blogs:

1. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/do-you-know-the-mental-and-emotional-benefits-of-exercise

2. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/why-proper-nutrition-is-prime-important

3. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/why-you-shouldn-t-skip-a-good-stretching-routine

4. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/awesome-benefits-of-group-training

5. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/do-you-want-to-improve-your-grip-strength

6. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/amazing-benefits-of-listening-to-music-while-exercising

7. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/why-glute-strength-is-very-significant

8. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/why-you-should-try-circuit-training

9. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/do-you-struggle-sticking-to-a-workout-routine

10. https://www.dyofitx.com/post/do-you-want-to-overcome-your-fitness-barriers

REFERENCES:

• https://www.self.com/story/8-things-to-do-before-and-after-a-workout-to-get-better-results