3 Tips How to Maximize Your Time In The Gym

"Time is Precious.. it is valuable.. it is the only thing in life that you can not get back."

Time is something everyone has and doesn't want to waste. And your time in the gym shouldn't be wasted either.

Common ways to waste time in the gym include:

- longer than normal breaks

- constant phone interaction via social media, texting, etc..

- relaxing on the bench watching NBA Greatest Dunks 2001-02

Okay that last one sounds a little far fetched, but if we're looking to get bigger, stronger, leaner then we need to prioritize our time efficiently.

Below are three common tips to not waste time in the gym and success will be just a minute away.

Write or Type your workout plan

In a study published in 2017, the average person will spend nearly two hours (approximaelty 116 minutes) on social media everyday. Why not spend thirty minutes of that same time to do something productive for your health? Setting this up in your phone will not only be easily accessible, but allows you to accurately track the progress of your workouts. Plus there's plenty of apps to help you log your workouts such as Excel and HeavySet.

I know it sounds crazy, but before we had cell phones, people used good ole-fashion pen and paper to document their workouts. Using this method gave people a sense of accountability. It helps you realize the only thing keeping you away from your goals is you!

Depending on your goals, limit rest time

Rest time is key. Too little, and your exhausted beyond means. Too much, and you've just wasted all of that momentum from your previous workout set. For endurance: ideal rest time is between 0-45sec. For hypertrophy: ideal rest time is between 45-120sec. For strength/power: ideal rest time is between 2-5min. An easy way to remember rest time is the more demanding the exercise is on your body, the more rest you need. The less demanding the exercise on your body, the lest rest you need.

Focus on what you came there for

I remember back in college there were days that I told myself "I'm going to head to the recreation center and get in a good workout." And there I would be, typing in my College ID number for access and headed to the locker room to change into my workout attire. But then, something would happen.

"Shoes squeaking on the hardwood floor".

"People cracking jokes on the sideline" .

"The sound the net makes when the ball goes through at the exact perfect angle and trajectory".

All these sounds were the typical Monday night on the basketball court. Everyone had packed their basketball shoes in their backpacks stuffed with homework and books that never seen the light of day. Now, I have a tough decision to make. Do I do a little something in the weight room before heading to the court, workout and leave it at that, or just say scratch the damn workout all together? Sadly, 9/10 times I would either

a) just say scratch the damn workout OR..

b) do a small workout then head on over to the hardwood floor.

The problem here?.. I forgot what my focus was on entirely.

I should've concentrated my energy on the workout instead. Therefore accomplishing the workout would've given me the time to potentially play some basketball. Looking back at it, this is something that occurred numerous times and it's something that I should've worked on in the beginning. But knowing the knowledge I have know about the situation, my goal in writing this blog post is to help anyone else who has struggled to maximize their time in the gym.

What current tips do you have in maximizing your gym time? Let me now in the comments below!