3 Top Tips To Help You Make Progress In The Gym

Making regular progress in the gym is hard. Whether you are a beginner or a veteran trainer, one thing we are all seeking in the gym is consistent progress.

There are many factors that ease you towards the results you seek which goes beyond training hard and eating healthier. Here are 3 key tips you may not have thought about that are going to help you continually make progress in the gym.

Ensure You Have A Suitable Program In Place To Reach Your Goals

Have you ever been in one of these scenarios?

1. Had a training goal in mind without a suitable training program in place for you to accomplish what you had hoped for?
2. Been going through the motions when you train because you had no goal to aspire towards?

If either of those situations describes you when it comes to your training then working on this area will make a world of difference. It can be easy to head to the gym and go through the motions by performing random exercises with little progress toward your goals.

Having an appropriate training plan in place will take the guesswork out of your training, give you a plan of action and allow you to keep making progress in the gym. This is where in a lot of scenarios, a coach can be of tremendous help.

Whether you want to structure your training yourself, or have somebody help you, some common traits of a good gym training program include:

• Directly work towards your main goal (or goals) week after week.
• Following the principles of progressive overload.
• Giving allocated rest days to recover from training – Not just when you’re exhausted!
• Being specific to the individuals' requirements, preferences and lifestyle.
• Repeatedly Practicing safe movements and correct execution of exercises.
• Incorporating areas of supplemental work for a well-balanced approach & injury prevention.
• Tracking exercises and workouts to understand progress.

Understand & Learn The Correct Technique For All The Exercises In Your Training

This is something that will be included in a good training program and is paramount to your progress. Learning the correct technique for each exercise you are performing will help you get the most out of each movement and prevent the risk of injury.

One of the most common causes of injury in a gym environment is from performing exercises poorly or incorrectly. If you learn the right technique as soon as possible in your gym journey, you are much safer from being on the sidelines and will find it much easier to make progress.

You’ll also find those exercises more effective with correct technique. Whether you are training for strength progress, muscle growth or the quantity of repetitions completed in a time-frame, proper technique will make it easier to progress.

After you have taken the time to learn the exercises and developed the skills necessary to perform the movements correctly, regularly review your technique and keep working on your mobility in your training. Sometimes it can be hard to notice bad habits creeping into your exercises, but regularly reviewing your form will prevent this.

If you train in a group with a coach or with a friend, ask them to watch you perform these more complicated exercises, or if you train on your own, film yourself.

*Top Tip: Stay away from ego-lifting!

Stay consistent And Closely Follow Your Routine

No matter how hard you train, what exercises you do or how good your nutrition is, you won’t make progress in the gym if you are not consistent. As the saying goes, consistency is the key to success.

All of those around you who have made progress in the last 6-12 months have all been consistent to get those results.

Look at your lifestyle, goals and time constraints to see how a training program can fit into your life without it taking over it. This is going to allow you to find a healthier balance with your training, meaning you are much more likely to stick to it.

Be patient and let the changes take place over time. Remember, it is better to train 3x per week for a year than to train 6x per week for a couple of months and then give up until next year.

Remember, slow progress is better than no progress and be patient as you make improvements over time. If you can get these 3 areas right, you’ll notice gradual progress and ever closer to your goals, whatever they may be.

Happy Training