What do you do before workouts?

vanityy99

To get you motivated and pumped. Also “tricks” to give you more energy, get you going longer ( legal of course, and besides the normal a well balanced meal answer).

For example I like to take a shot of espresso. So what do you do to help you pro long your workouts?

kami3006

I usually eat lunch about 45 minutes before my workout. I also nibble a banana between sets. Occasionally, on low energy days, I take a caffeine pill. Most days though, food and some good music is enough to keep me pumped.

Theoldguy1

I drive the 45 minutes from work to the gym.

vanityy99

kami3006 wrote: »

I usually eat lunch about 45 minutes before my workout. I also nibble a banana between sets. Occasionally, on low energy days, I take a caffeine pill. Most days though, food and some good music is enough to keep me pumped.

What does the banana do for you between sets? Muscle cramps?

kami3006

vanityy99 wrote: »

show previous quotes

kami3006 wrote: »

I usually eat lunch about 45 minutes before my workout. I also nibble a banana between sets. Occasionally, on low energy days, I take a caffeine pill. Most days though, food and some good music is enough to keep me pumped.

What does the banana do for you between sets? Muscle cramps?

They're a good source of quick energy. Some people use candy.

Plus, I just feel hungry when I lift so I like the food on my stomach. That's, of course, highly individual.

an0393na

I workout at 5am... So before breakfast but my PT recommends even half a banana before we workout and I can tell the difference in my energy if I don't have it.

jasonpoihegatama

I like to listen to a bit of low rider to get in the groove baby.

an0393na

And fast music with a good beat helps too

vanityy99

kami3006 wrote: »

show previous quotes

vanityy99 wrote: »

kami3006 wrote: »

I usually eat lunch about 45 minutes before my workout. I also nibble a banana between sets. Occasionally, on low energy days, I take a caffeine pill. Most days though, food and some good music is enough to keep me pumped.

What does the banana do for you between sets? Muscle cramps?

They're a good source of quick energy. Some people use candy.

Plus, I just feel hungry when I lift so I like the food on my stomach. That's, of course, highly individual.

an0393na wrote: »

I workout at 5am... So before breakfast but my PT recommends even half a banana before we workout and I can tell the difference in my energy if I don't have it.

I need to try this banana thing.

sardelsa

Espresso and candy for me. And glute activation warm-ups get me ready to go. Oh and good dance music.

vanityy99

sardelsa wrote: »

Espresso and candy for me. And glute activation warm-ups get me ready to go. Oh and good dance music.

90s eurodance music is my go to.😊

jemhh

I don't do anything special for energy or motivation. If I'm hungry I eat but I'd do that even if I wasn't exercising.

lalalacroix

I eat breakfast, pack my snacks, water and cold weather clothing. I grab my spikes or snowshoes and head into the mountains. But none of this gives me motivation because I am always super psyched to go hiking!

Machka9

Change into appropriate workout clothes.
Running clothes for running.
Cycling clothes for cycling.
Etc.

LovelySavannah

I change into my workout clothes (no backing out after changing clothes 😂)
I eat a light meal, usually chicken and mushrooms or yogurt and a banana.
Wait an hour after eating, then workout
If I start to feel lazy and don't want to workout, I look at clothes/lingerie websites and look at my wishlists to motivate me.. I'm a shopaholic so it helps a lot

hazeleni

I usuallt sit in bed contemplating my life choices and if I really need that workout
Then I get up and jusr do it :-P

PennyP312

530 workouts for me. So I take a 200 mg caffeine pill as soon as I’m up around 5 and I’m wide awake by the time the gym opens
If I need something I’ll eat a half a banana too, but not always.
And always have to have my music when working out!

Phirrgus

Coffee for me. My WOs are usually 4amish though. Then I'll get some music or a good talk going on the tablet, warm up a bit and get it done.

Sometimes I'll try to down 8oz or so water, but for some reason water (sans coffee) and I just don't get along in the morning.

ninerbuff

Caffeine bomb.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Anna022119

I drive 45 minutes around town (drop off teens), have a light breakfast while stuck in traffic (coffee, banana, breakfast bar), do a solid warm up once I arrive at the gym, lift heavy (ish), shower, have a protein bar and another coffee, start my day.

SCoil123

Nothing consistent or specific besides show up and make sure my water bottle is full

Duck_Puddle

Nothing really. If I’m hungry-I’ll have a banana. If it’s early in the day-I’ll drink coffee.

MikePTY

I eat usually about 2-3 hours before my workout. It gives me enough energy without feeling full in my stomach or potentially triggering my IBS during my workouts.

As far as getting pumped before workouts, I'm rarely pumped before my workout. It's why I train in a martial arts group class environment. Because once I make it there, all the necessary motivation takes care of itself.

AnnPT77

As much as possible, I make it a point to do things I enjoy as a workout, so I don't really need to do much of anything to get motivated or pumped. Who needs motivation to have fun? I just eat a light balanced breakfast, and go. Going hard is just more fun, so moderating for fitness balance is sometimes more the issue vs. needing to be pushed.

For a while, I did a kettlebell class back to back with spin. I found I did better in the the kettlebell class, and recovered better, if I had a small carb-y snack in between. One of those unsweetened applesauce pouches seemed pretty perfect.

I do eat bit more carbs at breakfast before rowing than before spin. If I don't, I'm ravenous after the row.

No coffee for me before spin or on-water row: Too diuretic for me. Water before/during, coffee after.

Personally, I think most people should experiment with variations, and see how they feel.

tirowow12385

Changing into gun clothes then hit the idon, pumping myself up mean I don't want to workout? I actually do like working out so never felt the need to psyche myself up. I'm thinking you are doing too much you don't like it in which case you need to find the weights or pace of the workout so it can be something you do regularly and not a one off thing you went all gung ho about and forcing yourself to do it over and over.

kami3006

tirowow12385 wrote: »

Changing into gun clothes then hit the idon, pumping myself up mean I don't want to workout? I actually do like working out so never felt the need to psyche myself up. I'm thinking you are doing too much you don't like it in which case you need to find the weights or pace of the workout so it can be something you do regularly and not a one off thing you went all gung ho about and forcing yourself to do it over and over.

I don't equate wanting/needing to build up energy as meaning I don't want to work out. I love lifting and look forward to it. But, for me, without some fuel and some good music going, I don't have as much energy to put as much into it as I want.

laurenq1991

For home workouts: move one of the coffee tables next to the exercise bike and put my laptop with the PBS News Hour on there, fill up my water bottle and put it on the windowsill next to the exercise bike, and go. Sometimes I don't even change into different clothes. I usually wear dresses with leggings and many of my dresses are perfectly comfortable to work out in, and it saves on laundry. Otherwise I use my "pajamas" from the night before (t-shirt, cotton shorts, and sometimes leggings) as my workout clothes. I work out at night before shower and dinner so I don't have to worry about eating too soon beforehand or not eating enough.

For gym: still working on getting a gym routine going. I don't drive so getting there is the main barrier even though it's only a mile away. It's sort of a hazardous walk due to the traffic patterns in the area which makes me not feel motivated to go. Especially when it gets dark at 5 PM which greatly increases the chance of being hit by a car.

vanityy99

AnnPT77 wrote: »

As much as possible, I make it a point to do things I enjoy as a workout, so I don't really need to do much of anything to get motivated or pumped. Who needs motivation to have fun? I just eat a light balanced breakfast, and go. Going hard is just more fun, so moderating for fitness balance is sometimes more the issue vs. needing to be pushed.

For a while, I did a kettlebell class back to back with spin. I found I did better in the the kettlebell class, and recovered better, if I had a small carb-y snack in between. One of those unsweetened applesauce pouches seemed pretty perfect.

I do eat bit more carbs at breakfast before rowing than before spin. If I don't, I'm ravenous after the row.

No coffee for me before spin or on-water row: Too diuretic for me. Water before/during, coffee after.

Personally, I think most people should experiment with variations, and see how they feel.

tirowow12385 wrote: »

Changing into gun clothes then hit the idon, pumping myself up mean I don't want to workout? I actually do like working out so never felt the need to psyche myself up. I'm thinking you are doing too much you don't like it in which case you need to find the weights or pace of the workout so it can be something you do regularly and not a one off thing you went all gung ho about and forcing yourself to do it over and over.

I do enjoy my workouts, I just need more energy to keep going with my high intensity/ resistance workouts.

HeliumIsNoble

I joined a gym for January and at the moment, what's getting me going is the chill of the room when I first come out of the changing room. Brrr!

hockeyonthebeach

Hmmmm usually debate whether or not I'm going shirtless...then it's, do I have my water ready...then it's, have I tied my shoes tight enough...and then...I usually spit my gum out...unless it's a fresh piece...if it's fresh I'll probably chew it thru the workout....

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