5 Ways to Make Your Workout More Effective

30 December 2022

We are constantly bombarded with different information on how to build strength, feel better, look better, lose weight, and reach our goals in as little time as possible. Unfortunately however, there are no shortcuts. Instead it's all about sustainable and healthy habits that you stick to for a long period of time. So, below are our top 5 tips to making your workout more sustainable and thereby more effective - which means faster and longer lasting results.

1. Make it sustainable

Whilst high intensity workouts like our BarreSIGNATURE, BarreSWEAT, BarreSCULPT and BarreADVANCED may seem like the best bang for your buck, the truth is if you only commit to this one style of training and don’t change up your routine with something of lower intensity, you’ll most likely find yourself burning out. You’ll soon lack energy to work as hard, maybe even lack the energy to turn up to your session at all!

For effective results, we need to think long term, and your body is going to need days of low intensity movement. Low intensity workouts may be along the lines of a BarreRESTORE class, yoga or Pilates class, or even a walk. All these options keep your body moving and active but don't cause extra stress to the muscles, meaning you give yourself a chance to rest, recover and can continue training at a higher intensity the next day.

Try adding in a low intensity day at least twice a week and see how you get on!

2. Keep it interesting

No one wants to be doing the same thing day in day out - the monotony is sure to drive you to a lack of motivation! Switching up your workouts is a great way of keeping you excited for each day. Results come from consistency, and one of the best ways to stay consistent is to make sure you are looking forward to your workouts. If you want to work on your cardio but hate running - why force yourself to run 4 days a week? Why not try a BarreSWEAT class or hopping on a bike instead? Taking part in exercise that you enjoy is going to make achieving your goals a much easier process. Take time to think about what you enjoy doing, and base most of your sessions around that.

We may be biased, but this is one of the reasons we love Barrecore so much - we constantly change the choreography and work with different props, not to mention having several different types of classes available on the schedule, so each class you take is different to the day before!

3. Focus on resistance training

Resistance training is the most effective way to build lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass makes you stronger, more sculpted, and also helps you burns calories around the clock. Resistance training is any form of training that involves working your body against an external weight or force. This can involve using weights, resistance bands, or even body weight.

If your aim is to build strength, you’re going to need to focus on resistance training in order to maintain or increase your muscle mass. Someone that only focuses on long periods of cardio will not be putting their muscles under the required stress to build strength and power - this is why marathon runners are so lean. By building lean muscle mass your body can burn more calories around the clock. This is why you may not measure a high calorie burn during a resistance training session, but rest assured you will continue to burn calories after. If we are burning more calories throughout the day, there is a higher chance of achieving a calorie deficit at the end of the day, so anyone aiming to lose weight is already off to a good start!

Lean muscle also takes up 20% less space in the body than fat does, so next time you’re burning and shaking your way through class, think about how much resistance you can add and reap the benefits!

4. Sleep well!

Sleep is so important in making workouts effective as it not only provides you with the energy required to complete a workout, but also aids in the recovery of your muscles after a training session. You’ll also find that by getting a decent night’s sleep your concentration, mood and focus will all be improved to help maximise your workout.

Aim to get a solid 7-8 hours a night, making sure you switch off from screens at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. It’s not just about being in bed for 8 hours, it’s about getting quality sleep during that time, so minimise any potential disturbances - turn your phone on airplane mode and don’t allow any screens in your bedroom - which will help your mind to switch off and begin to slow down before sleeping.

If you’re struggling to decide whether you should do a morning workout or get an extra hour of sleep, if you haven’t had the required 7-8 hours then prioritise your sleep!

5. Eat/drink well!

Nutrition is of course key to looking and feeling great. What we eat has a huge effect on how we feel. Make sure you are eating the right amount of food throughout the day - whether you are trying to lose weight - in which case you’ll need to be eating less calories than those you expend, gain weight - where you’ll need to be eating more, or just maintain, you’ll need to make sure you are eating to fuel your energy needs. Focus on eating non-processed foods where possible, and piling your plate high with veggies at meal times. Minimising sugar is key to your body functioning properly, as well as maintaining a healthy immune system (nothing worse than getting sick when you’re getting into your fitness groove!).

Eating well will help you power through workout, help your muscles to recover and it will improve your quality of sleep. Making sure you also drink at least 2 litres of water a day will ensure you stay hydrated, fuel your muscles and help you to get through a workout.

So if you’re trying to start a new fitness routine, or want to maximise your current one, we highly recommend thinking about the above 5 points and help yourself to reach your goals!