‘My body is a temple’. It’s a term used a lot for gym goers who take it seriously. Taking care of your body should be an essential as we all need it to function correctly. Doing exercise in the gym is one way we do this, but even after it’s done or before, we tend to slack on how we treat our body. With a bit of education however we can help you to learn what’s best for you to make sure your body’s treated just like that temple that was mentioned.
Before
It’s most likely that you have a regular schedule when it comes to your gym routine. With that in mind, your body needs to be given the time to rest and recover from the day before when you would have trained. Not only does this apply physically, but also mentally. If you’re waking up after a restless sleep the chances are that you’ll feel tired and in a bad mood. This won’t be a good mindset to have before heading to the gym. Try to avoid using electrical objects such as your mobile phone also as this can tend to keep you awake from the bright light.
Not warming before you start to train at the gym is a definite recipe for disaster. It’ll result in your backside on the floor rather than being worked out on the squat machine. Fitting in a light warm up in your routine raises your body temperature and gets the blood flowing. It also increases the range of motion in your body so there’s less chance of pulling a muscle. It essentially prepares your body for the more intense training you’re about to perform.
Being hydrated before you workout will help you to cope with the loss of fluids you lose through sweating. It’ll also make your workout easier as you’re less likely to feel dizzy whilst pushing those weights. A good way to judge whether you’re lacking in hydration is through the colour of your urine. If it’s dark that suggests you could do with some H2O.
After
Although you’ve just bought some of the nicest fitness clothing , you’ve trained in them and now they smell and feel damp, why would you want to keep them on? That sheer feel of the sweat should be enough to take them off as soon as you head to the changing room, but another reason to take them off includes the clogging of pores due to the sweat build up. It can also cause bacteria build up and infections if it gets trapped.
Hydration is so important with training we’ve put it in here twice. As well as hydrating before it’s also worth noting that drinking more water after the workout is just as important. You only would have had some water before your session, but after there would have still been plenty of fluids you would have lost. Especially after a long intense session.
After an intense session your body needs to refuel after the energy you’ve used at the gym. Your body will want to look for proteins to help repair the muscles that would have been torn but also carbs to get you through the rest of the day. You may also feel very hungry after.1
By Alice Porter
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