3 things you can start doing right away to improve your performance in the gym.

In this week's article I hope to provide some basic principles we can follow if we want to prioritise our performance in the gym and try to maximise our return on investment when it comes to the hours spent training! To many, these may seem basic - but ask yourself. Are you truly maximising your efforts in each area? In my experience there is often always something we can improve upon in each of these areas if performance and true potential is your goal!

Have a plan.

While getting to the gym itself even once a week is a huge milestone for those looking to get into health and fitness. Those of us who are looking to maximise our return on investment and chase better performance ideally need to be working in the parameter of 2 to 5 sessions per week depending on the goal and/or other sports played. Following a structured program for the gym which you can repeat week to week and progress as able is going to give the majority of people the best environment to progress and get stronger. 

Gains are made in the kitchen!

While time, effort and execution are hugely important variables when it comes to your performance - what you do in the kitchen plays a role that is almost equal! Things we can do from a nutritional standpoint to improve performance are quite straightforward in the majority of cases. Making sure you are eating enough first and foremost - ensuring you are going into training sessions with energy levels in a good place - if this isn't the case you are probably under fueling! Ideally positioning carbohydrate sources before and after gym sessions is a great place to start when it comes to your performance. Combining these with a high protein source will further help to improve your overall nutritional structure when it comes to your further optimizing for performance. From a hydration standpoint - for most people a minimum of 2-3L of water per day is where we want to be - on training days this will likely fluctuate upwards depending on the intensity of our session.

Train hard? Recover harder!

The old cliche - if we are going to train hard in the gym - we need to start improving the environment outside the gym where we spend most of our time. First and foremost this will include our sleep and stress management - key pillars which can influence performance, recovery and in some cases risk of injury. Setting ourselves up with sufficient time to recover when no training, getting at least 6-7 hours sleep per night and ensuring we are taking at least 2-3 rest days across the week where possible is a great place to be to best facilitate your recovery and will likely positively impact your ability to perform at your best!

If you are on the fence about online coaching and want to know a little bit more about the process - just email me the word “ready” and I will be in touch! Please get in touch through the contact information below to check availability and avoid disappointment as spaces are limited! Please visit my new website www.coachedbycashel.com for more info!

Lastly, I would also like to clarify that I am not a registered dietician. All advice disclosed here is simply advisory based on my qualifications as a fitness professional and personal experience and knowledge gained working with individuals and helping them reach their goals. The advice given is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. 

I hope someone out there found some of this information useful here, just some food for thought. For any questions in relation to this topic or training, nutrition, etc. or for coaching inquiries simply message me on my business page on instagram @coachedbycashel_ or by email - contact@coachedbycashel.com