Reaching Peak Performance: 7 Strategies to Get the Most From Your Training

1. Morning Workouts
   Your fitness is already a priority but meeting performance goals can prove challenging. The remedy: put first things first. For many, this means scheduling your workout first thing in the morning. As the day progresses the sun sets and so do motivation levels. Exercising in the morning removes the task from your list of to-do's. More importantly, it can boost your energy levels the rest of the day. If you can manage time for some breakfast before lacing up your shoes, grabbing your racquet or hopping on your bike, you can get even more from your morning workout.
2. Create a Progressive Training Plan
   A progressive training plan starts out small and builds with respect to volume and intensity. This approach may be exactly opposite to what you typically find yourself doing. More often then not, when we decide to get fit, we find ourselves logging high mileage or hours for the first few weeks. This over-zealous approach can lead to injury or burn-out before reaching the real goal. Building volume and intensity over time can prevent this from happening.
   
   When shooting for big goals tracking progress in a training journal can be a way to see how far you've come. Putting aside an extra 10 minutes after your workout is the best time to do this. If you're coming off the couch or have not been active in awhile, your goal should be continuous movement for 20 minutes. Increasing this volume progressively by 10% per week allows your body to adapt. In addition, plan to establish a base level of fitness before increasing intensity. This means spending 3-4 weeks building a base prior to increasing weight in the weight room or running/riding faster speeds.
3. Set Goals
   Signing up for a 5k can be one of the best ways to keep yourself honest. It can serve as a reason to squeeze in those training miles at 5 a.m. before heading to work. Goals can serve as excellent motivation and are a good thing! However, how often have you started visualizing your next fitness goal or event before even reaching the finish line? Although it's much easier to maintain fitness once you're already fit, it may be a quick road to injury or burn-out. Taking the time to acknowledge your accomplishment following big races or reaching fitness goals is essential. It will allow your muscles and mind to re-group and become inspired again. Doing this after longer or harder workouts is equally important.
4. Fueling the Fire
   The right type and amount of food you choose can make or break your peak performance. If you have not eaten two hours prior to your workout, grabbing an energy bar or sports drink is a good idea. When exercise lasts longer than an hour it may be beneficial to eat or drink during the workout in order to keep energy levels optimal. On days that your training hours are high or you have double workouts planned, it may be necessary to have smaller, frequent meals. Your metabolism increases during and following exercise and can be a great way to manage weight. This can be accomplished if you do not use exercise as an excuse to eat more calories than you are burning. The 30 minutes directly after intense workouts is the optimal time to grab a snack to replenish your muscles with fuel. This helps keep energy levels up the rest of the day and speeds muscle recovery. Following up with a balanced meal that includes whole grains, lean protein and healthy unsaturated fats will ensure that you will be ready for your next workout.
5. Have Fun
   Developing a set training plan is a great way to reach fitness goals. It's easy to get focused and structured with training and forget the basic reasons that led you to develop your training plan in the first place. Making workouts fun can help you avoid falling into a day-in and day-out monotonous routine. Getting involved with biking, hiking or running groups within your community can be a great way to meet others with similar goals. It also brings a fun, social aspect to your workouts. Mixing things up and cross-training on different days are other ways to stay stimulated and avoid boredom. If you're normally a runner, try riding your bike one day a week to cross-train different muscles.
6. Measure Intensity
   Using a heart rate monitor can be a way to track changes in fitness. Tracking your heart rate will allow you to measure your level of intensity. This can be a key element if you are following a progressive training plan that starts with a low intensity base and increases in stages (see strategy 2). If a heart rate monitor is not an option for you, then rating your perceived level of exertion on a scale of 1-20 can be helpful in designing a plan that has a mixture of hard and easy days.
7. Rest Days
   Exercise is a stimulus. It stimulates the muscles. In order for them to have time to strengthen, they need down time. Rest days allow the body to adapt and build. Listening to your body and resting when you're tired is a necessary part of training. However, waiting until you're too tired before you rest can lead to injury. Scheduling rest days into your training plan is the best strategy for avoiding this problem. Try placing rest days following key workouts or longer mileage days to allow your body to reach a higher level of fitness.