At some point in your fitness journey, you will find yourself looking for ways to improve your performance. Luckily, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to performance enhancement. You can opt for pre-workouts, fat burners and BCAAS, or try to do it the natural, “old-fashioned” way.

The choices can be overwhelming if you’re unfamiliar with the options, so how do you choose the option that suits your needs and can foster your development?

4 Natural Performance-Enhancing Measures

1. Shake it up: The same way you eventually get bored of the same workout routine so does your body. Not only does this result in a lack of motivation, but it also affects your results and your body no longer feels challenged. Drills and HIIT workouts drive strength and endurance will reducing the risk of boredom. You can also alter your training schedule to rotate workout days for each muscle group.
2. Keep track of your progress: The end goal of any workout programme is to see and feel the difference in your body’s performance. You can use a notebook to keep track of it all or invest in one of the many fitness trackers on the market. There are also performance measuring apps that you can download onto your phone. Seeing the difference and the progress made is a great motivator when it comes to working out.
3. Recovery time is non-negotiable: Recovery can be just as important as exercise as it prevents injury and gives your body time to adapt to change. For your body to maintain its strength, it needs to recover and repair itself after exercise. “Working through the pain” is not advisable and will do more harm than good. You need to understand your body’s limits and respect them to ensure optimum performance. Stretching and hydration play an important role in recovery.
4. Mind over matter: The brain is the most powerful muscle and as such needs to be trained as well. You need to motivate yourself to go further while understanding that your body can only do so much. If you have a negative attitude, you’ll find it difficult to follow through on your programme and achieve the results that you’re looking for. There is also a correlation between mental capacity and workout programme; people who are more active tend to have better intellectual performance as well.

Dedication Is Key To Success

Regardless of your method – including supplements if that’s your go-to – dedication is of the utmost importance if you want to play now and win. If you follow your recommended supplement intake you will see the difference, and if you follow a new and improved workout programme, you’ll also need to work hard for your results.

A quote by Michael Jordan perfectly concludes this: “If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”