Having a great pre-workout routine is important since leads to a great and effective workout performance. A lazy pre- workout routine, on the other hand, can lead to sluggish workouts or even injury. Here are four things that I do right before working out.
(credit: WorkoutLabs)
A great pre-workout meal or snack gives you the energy to power through a tough workout. Working out on an empty stomach can make you feel lazy and sluggish, which leads to a sloppy workout session. Another negative consequence would be the loss of muscle since your body will feed on muscle as an alternate energy source.
What you eat and when you eat before a workout depends on you and your digestion. Some people digest food faster than others, but I would recommend having your meal or snack between 30 minutes to an hour before your workout. An hour before I workout I eat two slices of toasted bread with peanut butter, a banana and a greek yogurt, which is a good combination of fat, protein and carbohydrates. In the past I would have protein shakes or protein bars before exercising, and I would recommend both.
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Not drinking enough water before a workout will hurt your performance because of dehydration. Being properly hydrated before and during a workout will help you perform your exercises at a higher level than if you were dehydrated. The recommended amount of water before a workout is 20 ounces, but don't chug it all right before your workout since you'll end up using the bathroom repeatedly. I begin drinking water as soon as I wake up and have about 24 ounces of water in my system before I workout.
Post workout hydration is important as well since your body will be depleted of electrolytes due to sweat loss. Sports drinks like Gatorade help to replenish those electrolytes. A healthier and natural alternative to sports drinks that I currently drink is coconut water. Coconut water is sugar free and doesn't contain the artificial sweeteners and dyes that are in sports drinks.
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A good warm up before any type of physical activity leads to a better overall performance. The main benefit of warming up is that it reduces the risk of getting injured during a workout. A warm up can be between 10-15 minutes and there are many ways to warm up. Some ways to warm up include doing a light cardio session, loosening up with foam rollers, stretching, or calisthenics.
I use a combination of calisthenics, light cardio and stretching. For example, if I'm doing chest and back I'll do a combination of slow rep push ups and pull ups, followed by a few minutes of high knees and finishing up some stretches like arm circles and toe touches.
(credit: WorkoutLabs)
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