What’s up guys, Coach Tyler here and this monthly blog will be addressing how you can prevent a bad workout, and get the most out of every workout you do.

I’ve seen this time and time again, myself included, when things just aren’t going right at the start of the workout. You roll your eyes, sigh, knowing that it’s going to be one of “those” days that you’re going to have to get through anyways. I started a basic system that’s helped me and the clients I train to figure out what can be the cause of a “bad workout”, as well as feelings of fatigue and irritability throughout the day. There are always 3 things we go through when something seems seriously off, and then how to deal with each 

FOOD - If you’ve had a session with me before you know I love to eat, before class, a little bit during, and certainly after. Whenever my own workouts aren’t going well and I don’t feel as strong, I can usually attribute this to a poor food intake the day of, and how I likely didn’t eat anything within a couple hours of working out. My clients that have experienced this before are typically lightheaded, aren’t as energetic, and seem weak in comparison to what they normally can do. To prevent this I recommend first and foremost make sure you’re eating enough throughout the day. Worst case scenario, if you haven’t had enough and it’s getting close to workout time, have at least a small snack with carbohydrates. They’re your body’s main source of energy and easy to process.

WATER - I’ve made posts about this before and am certainly hypocritical, but water intake, especially during this summer heat is vital. For every pound lost in sweat, you need to drink at least 16-24 oz of water to reduce risks of dehydration and heat stress. Similar to food intake, whenever I or anyone I train had an unusually rough session due to fatigue, this can be blamed on low water intake during the day. Especially if they have an outdoor job! If you look up how much water you need daily based on your weight and gender, you’ll be shocked. And that’s not counting what you need to make up for the water lost in a workout. In addition to water intake being taken care of, I really recommend a small sports drink or electrolyte supplement to help replenish electrolytes lost from sweat. 

SLEEP - I have yet to meet someone who is proud of how much sleep they normally get. In this day and age, with more electronics than ever before, and entertainment just a couple of swipes away, it’s difficult to not be distracted and to get to bed on time. The number one cause of fatigue is a lack of sleep - it’s right there on google! I found this out myself a few weeks ago when I was shocked at how my workouts weren’t going the way they were supposed to. Just like the other two factors discussed, sleep is a major contributor to exercise performance. A couple of tricks that have helped me fix my recent problems include turning off lights earlier, not necessarily going straight to bed but limiting the amount of lights on in my apartment. Another strategy that has helped is stretching right before bed. It’s a healthy habit to start that increases joint flexibility and longevity. Having a nighttime routine can certainly help you achieve another couple hours of sleep. 

With all that being said, you’re also only human. Not every workout is going to be perfect, and not all 3 factors can always be in control due to life circumstances. However, when you strive to focus on what you can control, I can guarantee you’ll be feeling much better during your workouts at the gym! Come in next time hydrated, fueled up, and well-rested and I GUARANTEE you’ll experience one of your best workouts yet!