You know it’s something you need to do but it’s not something you always want to do. Exercising isn’t always easy, but there are ways to make the experience more pleasant. With a few simple changes, you’ll be looking forward to your workouts again!
Foam Roll Before Your Next Workout
A foam roller is a piece of firm foam formed into a cylinder. Rolling with a foam roller is like an additional form of stretching before a workout. Physical therapists use them on clients to reduce muscle stiffness and increase range-of-motion and you can foam roll before workouts to do the same thing. Rolling your thighs, calves, back, and glutes will help you loosen up and make your workout more pleasant and productive.
Foam rolling has some of the same benefits as a deep tissue massage. It helps loosen tight muscles and get the blood flowing to your muscles. It takes less than 10 minutes, so it won’t take up significant time in your busy day. Foam roll before your workouts and you’ll notice huge improvements in how you feel while exercising. Your muscles will feel less tight, and your movements will be more fluid. Give it a try!
Wear the Right Clothing
Wear the right clothes when working out. Wearing the right clothes can make a huge difference in how comfortable you feel while working out. Choose loose-fitting clothes that don’t restrict any movement or get in your way when performing specific exercises or movements and don’t overdress. Overheating your body by wearing too much clothing will make your workout feel harder. Also, wear a pair of supportive shoes that have plenty of padding around the ankles and heels for extra comfort during long workouts.
Change Your Playlist
If your playlist is monotonous, it’s time to change things up. According to a quote published on www.brainyquote.com, “Music is a universal language that can transcend words.” The right tunes can help get you pumped up to hit that next rep or even help you run faster by distracting you from discomfort. An intense workout deserves fast-paced music with a beat that motivates you.
Choose your music based on the type of workout you’re doing. A yoga workout requires a different type of music than a high-intensity interval training session. Choose songs with a familiar melody. This makes them easier for your brain to process and helps distract your mind from the discomfort of exercise. But whatever you do, don’t let your playlist get stale.
Focus on Hydration
If you aren’t well-hydrated, your workout will feel harder, and you may not perform as well. Why is it so important to drink enough fluid? Under-hydration increases your core body temperature and a rise in core body temperature makes your workout feel more challenging.
The best way to rehydrate is to drink fluids before and after a workout. Water is typically the best fluid for this purpose because it’s readily available. But if you’re exercising intensely, have lost a lot of fluids or are in hot weather, drink an electrolyte-enhanced beverage that replaces salts lost through sweat.
How much water should you drink? That depends on factors like your body weight, the temperature of your workout environment, the intensity of your activity level, and the type of exercise. In general, though, aim for drinking 16 ounces of water two hours before you work out, then 8 ounces every 20 minutes during exercise. Once you’ve finished, look at the color of your urine. If it’s not light yellow or lighter, you have some catching up to do!
Drink 2 Cups of Coffee One Hour Before Your Workout
Coffee not only improves exercise performance for moderate-intensity and possibly high-intensity exercise, but also makes a workout feel easier and more enjoyable.
How does coffee help exercise performance? Caffeine is a stimulant drug and pharmaceutical that stimulates the central nervous system by blocking the action of adenosine, one of your body’s natural stimulant chemicals. This stimulates the central nervous system, making you feel more alert and awake. Caffeine also boosts exercise performance by increasing adrenaline.
For years, athletes have used caffeine to improve their performance during training and competitions. A cup of coffee before a game might help an athlete perform better or longer than they would without caffeine on board. It also makes exercise feel easier.
Around 2 cups of coffee are enough to enhance exercise performance and consuming coffee an hour before a workout optimizes the benefits. The effects of caffeine last 3-4 hours, so it is important to consider this when timing your pre-training dosage.
Keep in mind that coffee can also elevate heart and blood pressure in some people. Talk to your doctor before consuming caffeine if you have heart disease or hypertension.
Choose Your Workout Time Wisely
You’ll enjoy your workouts more if you exercise at a time that’s right for you. If you’re a morning person, working out in the morning when your energy level is high will make your workouts more pleasurable. If you struggle to get out of bed before noon, exercising later in the day will work better. Experiment and find the time that works best for you. It can make all the difference.
Exercise to Feel Empowered
When working out, exercise, not just for results, but a sense of empowerment. You can feel empowered by feeling confident in your body, strong and fit, or even by doing something that was impossible for you before. If you are working towards a goal (e.g., a marathon) then this can be especially motivating and rewarding. You can also feel empowered by seeing progress over time; this will help keep up your motivation when times get tough!
The Bottom Line
With a few tweaks to your workouts, you can make exercise a more pleasant experience and that can help you be more consistent. Give these tips a try!
References:
- Van Soeren M, Mohr T, Kjaer M, Graham TE. Acute effects of caffeine ingestion at rest in humans with impaired epinephrine responses. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1996 Mar;80(3):999-1005. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1996.80.3.999. PMID: 8964766.
- Pickering C, Grgic J. Caffeine and Exercise: What Next? Sports Med. 2019 Jul;49(7):1007-1030. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01101-0. PMID: 30977054; PMCID: PMC6548757.”Tough Workouts? You Could Be Dehydrated | University of ….” 27 Mar. 2017, healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2017/03/workouts-dehydration.php.
- “Should You Use a Foam Roller Before a Workout or Run?.” 23 Aug. 2017, prosourcefit.com/blogs/news/should-you-foam-roll-before-a-workout.
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