Squat.

Most of here are not professional lifters. We have many obligations such as family and a career to fill our schedule. This means that when you step into the gym, you must get the most out of your limited time!
Every person that lifts or performs other workouts has made mistakes along the way. One of the biggest errors is wasting time. Before you know it, the lifting session is over. Here are five tips to maximize your time spent in the gym.

Workout Maximizers

1. Have a Plan.

   “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” My mother used to use that phrase to explain to me the importance of lesson planning as I was in graduate school. The concept applies to the gym as well. You should know your workout plan before you touch a weight, a sled, a treadmill, or anything else.

2. Monitor Rest Periods.

   In order to achieve your goals, you should be aware of a proper rest period. Also, the rest period should vary according to your objectives. Not only will this save you time, but it will make your workout more effective.

3. Include Compound Lifts.

   If you want to maximize your time gym, it makes sense to work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Free weight lifts like the squat, dead lift, overhead press and bench press are all excellent choices.

4. Be Creative With Conditioning

   Many people are looking “to get in better shape.” This doesn’t have to mean trotting away the hours on a treadmill. You can lift AND condition on the same days. Since we are focused on athlete training, strength development is important, however it won’t go far if the person is always fatigued. During pre season preparation, we include things like 6 x 30 yard hills, DB circuits, rope battling, and sledgehammer conditioning. Often, these exercises only take 10-12 minutes to perform at a high intensity.

5. Vary Your Training Techniques.

   Running out of time? Instead of skipping a lift, superset your last two lifts. Not enough time to finish out a set? Perform a dropset. There is always a way to get your training in!

These are general principles that can be adapted to fit your training goals. For example, my rest periods on maximal effort lifts are longer than on repetition and supplemental exercises. That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t pay attention to time, it just means I need to adapt the rest period to meet my goals.
With everything on your plate, your training session should be well paced and planned to be efficient and maximize results! Remember, make corrections, not excuses.