Hands up if you’re an avid gym-goer, but easily get discouraged if you don’t see results showing almost immediately?

Before I worked at Gaydar, I used to work as a personal trainer at a gym in Plymouth and lost count of the number of times I’d see guys come for a few weeks and then slowly drift away due to the lack physical development.

They we’re not as lean as they wanted, did not build the muscle they hoped for or didn’t increase their endurance levels. Many of them I didn’t see again, but there were some that I did manage to catch on their way out the door and encouraged them to stay through imparting the following advice…

Follow a routine

Have a plan to follow. I cannot stress how important this is. Get your body and muscles into a routine of performing the same exercises every week. When repeating the same exercises using the same weights, you should find that over time you’ll be able to push more reps, and when you reach you ‘rep goal’, increase your weight and start the process again.

Don’t substitute technique for weight

Lots of us our guilty for this. We think the heavier we lift, the bigger we get. And although to some extent that’s true, before you lift the heavier weights, you must get your technique correct.

When lifting, ensure your movements are slow and controlled. Control is key. Your muscle is at it’s strongest when it’s extending, so always ensure you spend longer extending the muscle than you do contracting. With a bicep curl for example, curl up for two seconds, and lower the weight in four.

Write it down

How will you know what you’re achieving if you don’t have it noted somewhere? Write your plans out and take them to the gym with you; recording your weights, sets and reps for each exercise as you go.

When you come to change your plan (usually after six weeks), you’ll be able to see just how much you’ve progressed. Your recorded progression will determine what your next plan will look like.

Rest

Don’t ignore this vital point. Your muscles develop when you rest. Always try and leave at least 48 hours before training the same muscle group again.

Change doesn’t happen overnight

Be patient. You’ll get there. Have your goals written down and make sure your plan is tailored to your goals. You may wanted a personal trainer for this, but you can find lots of great workout plans online. Instagram is great for training tips and YouTube is a Godsend.