How To Exercise Smarter!

The right kind of exercise with the right nutrition is the way to go, say experts. Here are 10 ways you can make every minute really count

Not having enough time is one of the biggest reasons why we don’t work out – but what if we told you that by working smarter you could cut your exercise time but not your results? “In the past, fitness athletes believed that training harder is the key to better performance but research has proven otherwise,” says Louis Chan, fitness coach, nutrition specialist and founder of Fitness Ironman (fitnessironman.com). More is not always better, says Louis, adding that training smarter is also a good way to prevent injuries. “The most important thing to learn is the right kind and amount of exercise to get the ideal response from your body.”

Focus on your exercise order

If your goal is to get flat abs, create stronger legs or improve your fitness, do the moves that will help you achieve that first. This way, you’re more likely to reach your goal. Because you’ve got more energy at the beginning of a workout, you can work the relevant muscles harder or go faster doing cardio.

For best results, do cardio after weight training as it will help improve overall fitness and endurance levels and also reduce body fats percentage, says Louis.

Get your rest time right

Long rests can eat up a lot of time in a workout. Rest for 60 seconds between sets, extending the time further if you find you can’t lift the same amount.

When strength training is involved however, longer rests are required as otherwise, the body can become fatigued and reach an “over-trained” state, says Louis. “As a general rule, you should not exercise the same muscle group two days in a row, and usually not more than three times a week.” So resting 24 hours between workouts is ideal so that the exercised muscles can complete their recovery processes.

Never walk if you can run