We’re all busy. We’ve got an hour to get to the gym and that’s it, so we’ve got to make the most of it.
Unfortunately, a lot of people squander that precious gym time, often without even realizing it. This is how you waste time at the gym.
You wait for someone to finish with a piece of equipment.
Yes, you can and should take a rest between sets, but that rest needs to be on your terms for a length of time that you decide upon–not determined by whoever is using the piece of equipment you want next. It’s good to have a plan for the gym, but you need to have a backup if you can’t get what you want when you want it. Maybe triceps kickbacks instead of pull downs? Pec flies instead of bench presses? Otherwise, those precious minutes that could be spent working are wasted.
Same goes for cardio pieces. I like to use the treadmill, but if they’re all busy I get on the elliptical until one opens up.
You wait until you get to the gym to decide what you’re going to do.
You’ll make much better use of your time if you know what your workout is going to look like before you get there. Without a plan you’ll end up wandering around, hopping on and off equipment without really getting the workout you were hoping for.
You take too much rest.
Have a plan for how long you’re going to rest between sets–and time it. Better yet, rest your legs while you work your arms. My lifting routine always went like that: one set of lunges, one set of shoulder raises, then back to lunges. Arms are resting while legs are working and vice versa. You fit a lot more work into your hour.
You change clothes at the gym.
Now, granted, if you’re coming straight from work or you have to go somewhere directly afterward, yes, the gym is a great place to change and that’s what locker rooms are for. However, if you go to the gym directly from home, just put your workout clothes on at home (except the shoes) and wait until you get home to take them off and shower.
You get chatty with your workout partners.
There are a lot of benefits to having a workout buddy, but if he is distracting you from the task at hand, you’ve got to ditch him. You might think, “but we’re still doing an hour on the treadmill!” Yes, but if you’re talking throughout that hour, you’re not working as hard, you’re not focusing, and you’re not getting any mental benefits from your exercise. A conversation can also turn a two-minute rest into a five-minute rest pretty easily. Just be careful. It’s great to workout with someone, but don’t let it take away from your limited time in the gym.
Are you someone who wastes time at the gym? How do you make the most of your workout?