Going to the gym is always a commendable effort, as it means that you want to better yourself and build a healthier lifestyle. However, even if your recent lifestyle choices are looking good, your preparations might not be. Many people go to the gym without knowing some basic elements that truly make the difference between a great workout and a mediocre one. Alternatively, taking it all down one notch, it can be the difference between a good workout and a completely terrible one. In this article, we will be looking at some of the most important things to do before starting the workout session.

1. Fuel up

Many people go to the gym on an empty stomach without realising how bad that is. The simplest way to put it is this: If you don’t give your body energy, you won’t have any to spend during the workout thus not being able to complete exercises and routines but also not developing since your body doesn’t have the nutrients it needs to build on.

Make sure you have a big enough meal about two hours before going to the gym so that the food has time to settle without your body losing that short term energy. You can even go the extra mile and get something like quest-nutrition for the extra push.

2. Warm Up & Protection

Don’t start working out as soon as you get into the gym. It is very important to warm up prior to any kind of physical effort so that your muscles are loose, and so are your tendons and ligaments. This will help tremendously with preventing injuries but also being flexible enough to get workouts done correctly and efficiently. For things like squats, you can even wear knee straps to prevent any accidents.

3. Clean Up & Lock Up

Before starting your workout, you will probably head to the locker room to change and deposit your valuables in your assigned locker. Make sure to put all your clothes and objects into the locker so that they don’t get lost, but also make sure to lock the actual locker before leaving. This will avoid any complications later on.

4. Research & Homework

Make sure to watch some videos online as well as read a couple of articles about working out in general but also about specific elements regarding going to the gym. Look at different workouts and week planners so that when you step into the gym you know exactly what you’re going to do and for how long. If not, you risk being like of the other people, that spend a good chunk of time just wandering around the gym trying to figure out what to do next.