Health and Fitness

When it comes to Health and Fitness, you probably already know the basics. But, have you ever broken your workout down and explored each part? If not, you may find that exploring each phase of your workout, from getting ready to cooling down, provides a a deeper understanding of what a typical workout looks like and the areas that cause the most problems when it comes to being consistent.

Below, you’ll learn the anatomy of a workout and get tips and information for how to get the most out of your workout time.

Getting Prepared for your Workout

Not to depress you, but your workout actually starts well before your scheduled exercise time. This is one fact many people overlook and one reason some people find it hard to stick with an exercise program. The reason is that preparing for your workout is crucial to your success…if you have what you need and know what you’re doing, you’re that much closer to completing your workout. If you don’t, you have one more reason to skip your workout.

For that reason, preparing for your workout is just as important as doing the workout. Start with these simple steps:

  1. Schedule your workout. Carving out time and having it written down in your calendar makes exercise a priority in your schedule and in your mind. Even if you split your routine throughout the day, it’s important to have that time set aside just for that purpose, even if it’s only 10 minutes.
  2. Plan what you’ll do. Some people can wing it, but most of us do better when we know exactly what we’re going to do during our workout time. For each workout you schedule, make a note of the following:
    • What type of workout you’re doing (e.g., cardio, strength, yoga,  pilates, etc.)
    • Your goal for that workout (e.g., to build endurance, work on flexibility, build strength, etc.)
    • How long you’ll exercise
    • Exactly what you’ll do during your workout (e.g., running intervals on the treadmill for 30 minutes and 30 minutes doing upper body strength exercises)
  3. Gather your workout gear. The night before, get ready for the next day’s workout by gathering everything you need to complete your workout. This might mean packing a gym bag, setting out your workout clothes, cueing up your video and/or getting out any other gear you need (water bottle, snacks, heart rate monitor, sunscreen, etc.). Having everything ready ahead of time will make it much easier to do your workout.
  4. Prepare body for exercise. Another important part of preparation is making sure your body is ready for what’s to come. That means you want to be well-fueled and well-hydrated. An hour or two before your workout, have a light snack and drink some water. If you’re doing morning workouts, try to get up a little early to have some water, fruit or a sports drink before you exercise.

Once you have all these elements in place, it’s time to face one of the toughest parts of your workout – getting started. Click on the following links to go to know more about specific activity type.