You’d be surprised just what can stand in the way of you sticking to a new training program. Sometimes it’s just a simple lack of conviction, energy or time that prevents you from keeping to your original plans but in these cases you also really aren’t helped by a number of little inconveniences that end up making it that much harder to be good… Things like having to pack your gym kit, or like having to share the lockers with large hairy men can sometimes be the straws that break the camel’s back and end up keeping you at home.
Fortunately, with the right tricks many of these challenges can be overcome. Read on and we’ll look at some of the best hacks that can make your gym-going life that much easier…
Pack Your Bag the Night Before
This is one of those tips that everyone knows really but no-one follows. But if you can convince yourself to stick to this one, then you’ll find there’s a lot less standing between you and a workout when you next try to convince yourself to train.
Wear Swim Shorts
Wearing swimming shorts is a great way to make far less washing for yourself and make packing your bag quicker and easier. This way you don’t need to wear underwear and you can wear your shorts in the shower to wash them. Then you can stick them in the drier they have in some changing rooms or hang them on a radiator when you get home and they’ll be clean and dry ready to put in your bag by evening.
Unload Barbells Much More Quickly
If you’ve been doing deadlifts or presses with a loose barbell, then you’ll need to take all those weights off and put them away once you’re finished – which involves dragging the first few off one by one along the ground or while trying to lift the bar at the same time.
The solution is to take a small weights plate and to stand one end of the barbell on that. Now with the weights raised off the ground, you’ll be able to slide them off much more easily several at a time. When you’re done you can then just upend the bar and the weights on the other side will simply slide off.
The Squat Rack Is a Great Bodyweight Station
If the gym is relatively empty then there’s much more you can do with a squat rack other than simply squats. One great use is to lay two barbells across the supports and then use it for doing dips. Hang underneath the bar at any height meanwhile and it can be used for pull ups, leg raises or even muscle-ups – it provides much more space than a conventional bodyweight station.
Multitasking
If you struggle to find time to go to the gym, or you don’t find working out stimulating enough and end up getting bored, then there are many ways you can multitask while you’re at the gym. Downloading podcasts is the most popular way to entertain yourself while at the gym as it doesn’t require you to look at anything as you train.
Also, if you’re on a treadmill or rowing machine there’s nothing to stop you setting up a smartphone or tablet and watching films or TV on YouTube or Netflix. You can also read eBooks if you make the font large enough and have an easy way to turn the pages, or call friends to catch up if your gym allows it.
Wear a Jumper
Wearing a large jumper has a number of advantages when you’re working out and could be a good fit for your goals if you are trying to lose a lot of weight or increase mass.
Not only does wearing a thick jumper help to provide padding against painful barbells across your back or chest, but it’s also a great way to increase your body temperature and thus improve fat burning. You may find that it helps you fight through tiredness too by making the whole session at least a little more ‘cosy’.
Pick Nearby Equipment
Want to save time doing a workout at the gym? Then plan a workout that uses just one corner of the gym so that you can cut down rest, travel and set-up time while also avoiding queues. If you’re working on your biceps then you can complete your entire training session using one set of dumbbells (hammer curls, overhand grip curls, underhand grip curls, dumbbell runners, forced reps) or just a single cable pulley.
The Perfect Playlist
According to research, the perfect playlist for encouraging an intense workout is one that starts with a slow (but steady) tempo and then gradually picks up the pace. This will get your body to ‘synchronise’ to an extent and will then gradually speed you up as the music gets faster.