Muscle Building Efficiency: Focusing In The Weightroom To Achieve Better Results

Building muscle is all about efficiency. Most fitness experts agree that an optimal muscle-building workout should last no more than 45-60 minutes. After 60 minutes your body releases a catabolic hormone called "cortisol" which actually can start breaking down your muscle fibers for energy (yikes!). Not to mention as the clock ticks you'll inevitably lose some motivation and energy.

Unfortunately, far too many people are very unfocused in the weight room. They extend their workouts much longer than they should be and really diminish their results. Here's a few pointers on how to improve your efficiency in the weight room and to maximize your workouts to see their greatest results.

#1. Don't over rest in between sets

Resting between your sets is a good idea, however resting too much between sets is a very common mistake. Remember you have to challenge yourself and your muscles intensely to succeed. There is no magic number to rest, so you''ll have to listen to your body. Depending on how hard your previous set was you may need 2-4 minutes to fully recover. Maybe even more if it was a very grueling set.

Either way be conscious of what you are doing during your rest time. Often people will walk around, go get water, talk to people or just flat out daydream for 10 minutes between sets. Don't do that, its called resting for a reason. Bring a bottle of water with you to the gym and resist the urge to move around or let your mind wander. Let your body recover as much as it can in the shortest amount of time while you mentally prepare for your next lift.

Its a good idea to bring a wristwatch/stopwatch with you. Even though resting times may vary for different exercises, if you time yourself you'll have a running clock to let you know how long you've been sitting there. It's a good way to motivate yourself to not waste more time than is needed.

Also, if you're working out with a partner, sometimes you can avoid wasting time and energy by not alternating sets. You can really lose a lot of time constantly shuffling around the weights. Instead have one person do all of their sets of a particular exercise consecutively while the other person racks the weights and keeps track of rest time in between sets. Then switch. You'll be surprised at how much time you save.

#2 Don't socialize

This may be biggest mistake of all. Don't waste time having long drawn out conversations with trainers, workout partners or other lifters at the gym. Remember you only have a set time to get as much work done as possible. Socializing does not build muscles. You're at the gym for a reason so make sure you do everything you can to stick to your agenda.

If you workout with a partner it can be very easy to fall into the trap of chit-chatting. Set some boundaries before you go. Socialize as much as you want during warm-ups but when you start lifting weights agree to put your game faces on. Set up some time after the workout to relax and socialize a little more if you want. Grabbing a bite to eat after your workout with your partner is a great idea.

#3 Don't stare

It's amazing how much time people waste by either just staring into the mirror or at other people at the gym. If you're big on looking at your own reflection and flexing constantly throughout your workout, I assure you, you're wasting time. Anytime you are looking into the mirror, is time you should be recovering or actually lifting some weights. Save the narcissism for when you are at home.

Also, resist the urge to waste time by staring/checking-out other people. I promise you the cute blond on the cardio machine doesn't care about you, so stop checking her out after every set. Also don't look at other people working out either. Who cares if the guy on the bench press is doing 455 lbs for sets of 12? If you want to watch other people lift go home and do it on Youtube. Focus only on recovery and getting mentally prepared for your next set.

#4 Don't watch the TV or listen to the radio

A lot of gyms will have TV sets in the workout area. Don't pay any attention to them. You'll lose plenty of valuable time if you get sucked into Sportscenter or the news. Also pay little attention to the radio. Music is nice but you don't want to be thinking about the song lyrics while you're squatting.

#5 Don't hold up your workout

Often, the machine or rack you need for your next exercise is being taken. Most of the time people have no problem allowing you to work in, so don't be scared to ask. If there is a big disparity in weight i.e the guy is squatting reps of 650lbs and you just need 300lbs it may be a better idea to hold off and ask the person how many sets they have left. If it's more than one I would do a substitute exercise or just move on and come back to the exercise at the end of your workout. Whatever you do just make sure you're not waiting around doing nothing for an extended period of time.

#6 Workout when it's not busy

For all of the reasons mentioned above, working out when it's busy can be pretty distracting. For most gyms 5pm - 8pm on weekdays is probably the busiest it gets. Try working out early in the morning or an hour before closing time. You'll be surprised at how much faster you're workout moves when its less crowded.

As you can see there a lot of little things you can do to help your efficiency in the gym. Remember, you are working out for a reason. Commit yourself to being mentally focused. Hone in on the key points outlined here and watch how your new workout intensity brings your results to a whole new level.

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