No matter how motivated you are to exercise, there will always be moments when you feel like you can’t do much more. This is because, during the most intense workouts, you are bound to feel your whole body on fire.
At this point, you will usually have to decide whether you want to keep on going or give up.
When it comes to making this decision, it’s crucial to be prepared by ensuring both your body and mind are ready for this challenge.
Below you will find a few key steps that will help you power through even the toughest and most intense workouts out there.
Establish Your Fitness Goals
If you have no goal in sight, it might be difficult to motivate yourself to push through those last few reps.
Therefore, it might be beneficial to set your fitness goals by thinking about what you want to achieve. Whether that’s weight loss, gaining muscle mass, or simply staying in shape, having a purpose of any kind is a great way to stay consistent and focused.
In general, goals that are fitness-based, such as learning how to do a handstand or completing a fitness challenge, will help you push through the most difficult parts of your workout.
Learn More About Pre-Workout Supplements
You may consider taking pre-workout supplements to increase your energy levels and improve your performance.
Ingredient Optimized can help you learn more about some of the most common pre-workout ingredients. If you are looking for the best pre-workout supplements, this guide is a great place to start.
As a result, you will get a better idea of seven common pre-workout ingredients, as well as how they work and what they do. Based on your personal goals and health, you can find out more about the ingredients that you are interested in.
Brands like Ingredient Optimized can help you prepare your body and mind effectively and improve your muscular endurance.
Picture Your Success
Sometimes when you are in the middle of a difficult set, it might be helpful to imagine that nice feeling you get after finishing a workout.
This can be a great way to visualize your success and develop your confidence. However, remember that visualization is most effective with things that you can control.
For example, you might not be able to control the weather when you go outside jogging, but you can control your response to the most difficult part of your workout.
When this time comes, it’s important to picture yourself completing the most challenging movements and feeling proud and accomplished.
Listen To Music
Music can have a powerful effect on your motivation to do your workout every day. Your favorite tunes can make the hardest work go by more quickly than anything. It might also be useful to match the style of music to the intensity and type of your workout.
For example, if you are doing a cardio session, you can try putting on some upbeat dance music. This will not only get you feeling more motivated, but it will also improve your mood. As a result, this can make a difference to the overall quality of your workout.
Change How You Think About Pain
When your muscles are on fire and you are out of breath, it’s easy to relate these feelings to unpleasant thoughts.
You might be thinking that you are out of shape or that everything hurts too much to continue. However, it’s crucial to reframe how you view pain and try to get rid of this type of negative self-talk.
Instead, focus on developing a positive attitude to working out. For example, if your muscles are burning, you can acknowledge that they are getting stronger. Also, you can focus on the fact that your endurance is improving, and you are getting better.
Drink Plenty Of Water
Staying hydrated before, during, and after exercise is key, as it can help you boost your energy levels and fuel your muscles. This is because you tend to lose a lot of fluid while exercising, mainly through breathing and sweating.
Therefore, if you don’t drink enough water, this can quickly lead to dehydration. As a result, you won’t be able to control your temperature, and you may get tired more easily.
It is especially important to drink more water in hot conditions to avoid heat stroke. Also, be sure to take a water bottle to all your workout sessions.
Divide Your Workout
If the thought of completing a whole workout overwhelms you, it might be helpful to divide your exercise session into smaller chunks.
Therefore, instead of worrying that you have five sets more to go and your muscles are already burning, focus on each set by setting small goals, such as improving your form or increasing your weights.
This will take your mind off the entire workout by making you concentrate on other aspects of your exercise routine. Achieving all of your small goals will also provide you with a sense of accomplishment.
Distract Your Mind
Another useful strategy can be to find something that your mind can focus on while you are busy doing your reps.
For example, you might want to try singing a song in your head or listening to an interesting podcast. Shifting your focus away from the pain will help you get through your workout faster.
You can also try focusing on another part of your body while running up a hill, such as how relaxed your hands feel. If you are trying to improve your balance and coordination, find a spot on the ground and focus on it.
Remember To Breathe
The simple act of breathing is often overlooked during exercise. However, if you don’t use proper breathing techniques while working out, even the easiest movements can become unnecessarily challenging.
If you want to learn how to manage the most difficult workouts, it’s important to focus on inhaling and exhaling deeply. Even during the most challenging sets, try to take deep breaths to improve your airflow and lower your heart rate.
In general, you should inhale through your nose and exhale completely through your mouth.
Track Your Progress
At times you may feel like you are not progressing at all, but the moment you check your fitness tracker, you notice that you have almost completed your goal.
This can be an instant energy boost, that can provide you with confidence and motivation to continue working out.
It’s advisable to find high-quality monitoring equipment that can show you accurate pace, distance, as well as heartbeat metrics.
Thus, you can gauge and adjust your efforts to get closer to your fitness goals. Moreover, looking at this data later on will give you an extra sense of satisfaction with your results.
Embrace The Discomfort
Finally, expecting the discomfort that your body will feel during your exercise session can help you prepare for what is to come. Also, this can be a sign that things are going as they should and that your body is changing.
Before starting a workout, think about how your body has reacted in the past. For example, if you always get tired after a specific exercise, it’s important to anticipate that feeling so that you can push through this part of the workout.
Accepting the discomfort that you are going to experience instead of trying to fight it can help you control your response to challenges.
Also, choose the right weight for whatever gadget you’re using for the workout, as this can make it less tiresome.
