You may think your training routine is as solid as they come, but if you’re not progressing from one workout to the next, it may be time to switch things up.

We all want to see results from our sweat sessions, but to do so, you need to put in the work and be patient. The reality is, seeing changes to your physical and mental health from working out is both a short- and long-term game. In other words, don’t expect to increase your muscle definition or shave minutes off your 10k run overnight.

Here we share five essential tips for making progress with your training and optimising your overall health.

1. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

Unless you’re tracking your progress on a regular basis, there’s no way of knowing how well (or not well) you’re performing. 

Keeping track of your PBs, compound lifts and other fitness milestones can be a great way to monitor progression from a performance aspect. If you feel that you’re struggling to up your weight, don’t beat yourself up! Often, it’s just a case of needing to switch up the intensity or rep ranges to cruise past that dreaded plateau.

PBs don’t have to be the only thing you track. While taking photos isn’t for everyone, it’s super easy to do and being able to see the physical changes can be a huge motivator. You could also take measurements of your body, including your upper arms, waist, hips and thighs, at regular intervals. Or even simpler than that, making a note of how you feel, for example your mood or energy levels, can be just as positive too.

2. SWITCH UP YOUR ROUTINE

No two people have identical fitness goals, but what we do all share is times when our motivation is lacking. Keeping things fresh and trying different workouts give us a new challenge, keeping motivation levels high.

Our bodies are designed to move in all different ways, and often, we fall into a routine that limits these patterns. Challenging our body to move in its full range of motion is essential! Mixing up your training routine and exercises will help you hit your goals and leave you feeling satisfied and accomplished.

Switching up your routine goes beyond swapping leg day for upper body day, it also means stepping outside your comfort zone, trying new activities and exercises that you may sometimes overlook.

Discover our eight best alternative workouts to the gym here.

3. PERFECT YOUR FORM

We cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining good form while working out. If your form is off, you’re probably not hitting your muscles effectively and you’re increasing the risk of injury. The end result? Less time in the gym and less time working towards your goals. Ouch.

Taking time to learn the correct movement patterns for each exercise is vital for progress in the gym, and your body will thank you for it once those weights start to get heavier.

If you’re unsure on how to perfect your form, seeking support from an experienced professional can be a great place to start. Alternatively, a Google search can quickly set you up with a number of videos and instructions from reputable sources on how to ensure you’re doing exercises in the most optimum way.

READ MORE: The Principles Of Good Form With Caroline Gravity 

4. WORK TOWARD PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD

In order to make progress, your body and muscles need to be continually challenged. Enter progressive overload.

Increasing your weight is arguably the most obvious way to add progressive overload to your training, but there’s actually a lot more to it than that. Hear us out. 

• Up your reps. When doing this, add one rep to each set while keeping the weight and rest periods the same.
• Reduce the tempo. Rather than just going through the motions of your workout, focus on performing your exercises by reducing the speed of each rep. This will put your muscles under tension for a longer period of time.
• Add in supersets. A superset is achieved by performing two exercises of opposite muscle groups back to back without any rest.

Get comfortable with the uncomfortable - pushing more weight, completing more reps, doing an exercise slower. Once that becomes comfortable, get uncomfortable again. Training is all about continuous progression and improvement.

READ MORE: Everything You Need To Know About Building Muscle Naturally

5. MAINTAIN A BALANCED DIET

‘Abs are made in the kitchen’ - we’ve all heard the saying, and actually there’s an element of truth to it. Our diet plays a huge part in helping us to achieve our goals, no matter what they are, and unless we’re able to nail the basics in the kitchen, our progress will be slow, if not stagnant.

A balanced diet with sufficient macronutrient (protein, carbs and fats) and micronutrient foods is key to a well fuelled, healthy body. With this, we’re giving ourselves the ability to not only perform at our best but to also recover and repair efficiently, ready for the next challenge.

Oh, and let’s not forget about hydration - water is vital to countless bodily functions, so make sure you keep your water bottle with you at all times.

Looking for some dinner-time inspo? Check out our delicious vegan dinner recipes.  

Don’t forget, when it comes to fitness, it’s You vs You! Forget what everyone else in the gym is doing, and focus on making small, positive steps to help develop your training in a realistic, manageable way that suits your lifestyle.

Fitness isn’t a race, it’s a lifestyle we lead to live a better life.