Exercise is essential to living a healthy life, and if you’re going to do it, why not get the most out of it? Making gains and meeting goals can be a timely process, but there are ways to speed it up and get more out of every workout. It’s not simply doing more reps or pushing yourself until you’re so sore you can’t be sure you’ll do it again tomorrow. It’s finding smarter ways to push yourself at a reasonable pace, and incorporating simple “tricks” to make your body more responsive.

Here are three tips for getting the most out of every training session:

Be Competitive

Being competitive in every aspect of your life is an awful way to live - it can be frustrating, cause tension in relationships, and make you into someone you probably never meant to be. But when it comes to making gains in physical fitness, adding a little friendly competition never hurts. Partnering with a friend or a workout group has its benefits, but when there’s a challenge laid out with a specific goal in mind, it tends to make you work a little harder. Sign up for a race, join a competitive sport, make a wager with a friend with a specified goal in mind, or compete with yourself, rewarding yourself with a special prize at the end if you win, and forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to do if you lose - like spending your hard-earned money buying a group of friends dinner at a fancy restaurant. Also, make your goals, wagers, and competition public on social media so that you’re held accountable if you fail. Consequences have a way of making people work harder!

Incorporate Supplements into Your Routine

Making progress is all about tearing and repairing muscles, increased endurance, and ultimately getting more fit. Speeding up this process is key to meeting goals faster, and staying on top of your game. Taking supplements is a safe way to ensure you’re getting the right vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to quicken recovery times, increase endurance, and avoid fatigue. Here’s a sampling of some great JBN supplements to get more out of your workout routine.

Radical Fuel: A blend of essential vitamins and minerals that hydrate your cells, increase endurance, and fend off tissue damage allowing for longer workout sessions and faster recovery.

Confidence: Containing 25 grams of protein, very few carbs, one gram of fat, and 5 grams of Fibersol™ - a type of dietary fiber to help boost the digestive properties of any supplement or food it’s found in - this high-quality Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate will reduce cravings, making you feel fuller longer. It’s also a great post-workout treat for speeding up muscle recovery.

L-Glutamine: Removes excess waste and toxins from our systems, accelerating muscle repair and reducing inflammation. It also supports brain function, and boosts immunity.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a great way to get more out of every workout. The idea is to alternate between short bursts of intense exercise with short periods of recovery time - performed anywhere from 10-30 minutes using ratios like 30 seconds to 60 seconds, or 30 to 40 depending on your comfort level. This can be applied to any type of routine from cycling to running to performing sets of burpees. This helps burn extra calories, build more muscle, shed unwanted pounds, and improve cardiovascular health. For more information check out our Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training blog post.

Incorporating these three elements into your regimen is a sure way to make gains and improve your overall well-being. For additional tips, recipes, supplements, and guides to improving your health, visit the JBN website and subscribe to our newsletter.