Low Hanging Fruit To Improve Your Training
Low Hanging Fruit To Improve Your Training
There’s lots of information out there about how to boost your lifts. This accessory exercise, that squat program, this complex, that recovery method. This post outlines some things you can do immediately in your next training session to improve your lifts in training without changing much about the way your training is structured. These are meant to be simple (not necessarily easy), actionable behaviors you can implement immediately.
Put your phone away during training. To some degree, it is dangerous to have a loaded barbell in your hands or on your back without being focused on what you’re doing…at the very least you’re not preparing yourself to have any sort of success with the barbell. Our phones are built to hold our attention and when you’re looking at it, you’re inherently not focused. I get that life is happening outside the gym but to the extent you can, be where your feet are. This is the single biggest training hack I know.
Show up hydrated and fueled. Your body needs energy to perform. Showing up to train properly hydrated and fueled will make an immediate difference. You’ve already done the most challenging part; getting yourself through the gym door. Drink enough water and make sure you’ve got some carbs on board so you can actually have success now that you’re in the gym.
Learn how to create tension in your trunk and feet. These two things are essential to lifting well. Any lift that you’re doing on your feet mandates that you root your feet into the ground to provide a solid base to lift from. Proper trunk bracing will allow you to transfer force into the implement more easily and protect your spine optimally.
Time your rest periods with a stopwatch. This practice keeps you accountable and ensures you’re resting just the right amount for your training goals. A latent benefit is that it keeps your mind focused on the next set. When all you’re doing between sets is breathing and timing your rest periods, you stay focused and have better quality reps, sets, training sessions, and training cycles.
Wear the right shoes. Depending on what you’re doing, wear weightlifting shoes or flat soled cross trainers. Running shoes often have too much cushioning and can seriously mess with your stability and balance. If you plan on moving some weight with a barbell, get yourself a pair of weightlifting shoes. No one ever has used them and disliked them. If you’re sprinting and jumping, yes you’ll want some cushion but you can’t apply force to the ground when the bottom of your shoe is basically a cloud.
Schedule your training. When it’s on the calendar, it’s more likely to happen. If it’s not, that time tends to get gobbled up by other things. Treat it like an important appointment—you’re showing up for your goals.
Keep a handwritten training log. Logging your workouts by hand makes you more mindful of your progress and goals. It doesn’t have to be fancy; just jotting down sets, reps, and how you felt after can go a long way. This habit builds self-awareness, tracks improvement, and serves as motivation when you look back at your gains over time. This simple tool gives meaning and structure to your training. When you track your training, it gives you an awareness that your workout isn’t just for today. It’s part of a long term process.
Best of luck with your training today!
With Thanks,