4 Things You Must Do If You Want Your Workouts To Result In Actual Body Changes

Simple, but insanely effective.

Marissa Gainsburg |

17 July 2018

workouts

Photograph by Freepik

Ready to kick-start serious changes, maximise your workouts and cement healthy habits? These little shifts from certified CrossFit coach Hannah Eden will help you make the most of every workout.

1. Tune In To Each Movement

“Focusing on your mind-to-muscle connection – by controlling every rep and feeling yourself engaging the muscle you’re targeting – reaps more rewards than squeezing in extra reps,” says Hannah. Even during intense intervals, think, “Lower, don’t drop; curl, don’t swing” etc.

2. Be Patient With Your Workouts

“I used to be in a rush to reach physical breakthroughs, but that can get you caught up in the now. And that’s when we make less-smart decisions” – like attempting advanced moves too soon or using too much weight. Challenge yourself, yes, but take baby steps: modify as needed and never increase weight more than two kilos at a time. “You’ll actually see better results by going slow.”

3. Refine Your Ahh Game

Concentrating on your breath is an ace way to power through ass-kicking moves. “I like to exhale during the hardest part of an exercise – it feels like you’re sighing through the pain, which can help lower your perceived exertion so you can keep going strong.”

4. Pause From Social Media

Our thoughts are just as crucial to our results as our actions. “Following others’ success should inspire you. If not, the mental rub-off can become toxic. If you find yourself having negative reactions – you feel like you’re not progressing enough or you feel more self-conscious – that’s a good sign you could use a break from your feed so you can focus on your progress, not someone else’s.”