By making regular physical activity part of your routine, you are in the top 48% of Americans that get the CDC-recommended 150 minutes of moderate activity every week. Now that you have experienced the mental and physical benefits that Alkalign’s programming offers, you may have wondered how you can take your practice to the next level. Here are a few tips on how to make the most out of your workout:
- Be prepared: The Boy Scouts are right, showing up to class prepared is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that you get the most out of your workout. Drink 8-12 oz. of water before class or bring a water bottle into the studio so that you can sip between sets. Carry a pair of grippy socks in your bag. If you plan on coming during a busy time, reserve your spot so that you can show up, sign in, and grab your spot in the room.
- Unplug: Leave your phone, work, family, and “to-do” list(s) outside the studio door. This is your time to focus on you, what the instructor saying, get lost in the music, and find your inner balance. Clinical studies have found that intentionally focusing attention on the muscles you’re working leads to increased muscle contraction, and thus better results. [1]
- Take the options: Today might be the day that you can do plank on your toes or take the arm release during High-C and stay engaged. But how do you know if you don’t try? According to the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, you must fatigue your muscles in order to get stronger. In every exercise, make sure that you are reaching the point of fatigue.
- Breathe: Not only will effective breathing feed much-needed oxygen to your muscles allowing you to work harder, but it can deepen muscular engagement during abdominal exercises. Exhale sharply to help engage your transversus abdominis during flatback and c-curve to get more benefit from those exercises.
- Ask questions: Your instructors go through a rigorous training process to ensure that they are experts in each exercise. If you are not sure if you are doing something right, please ask!
- Stay: You made it to class, you shook through thigh work, and you burned through seatwork. Why miss the reward of the final stretch? Not only is final stretch a great time to reflect on the time spent, but it helps improve flexibility and joint range of motion. It also increases blood flow to muscles which may help decrease soreness, according to Mayo Clinic.
