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Training FAQs

Published: 22/02/2022, updated: 15/01/2025

Train your body – and your mind – not to quit, with fitness and training’s most sought after knowledge.

In the gym, on a run, training at home or in a class, your new fitness journey starts here. From warming up properly to cooling down effectively, types of workouts to making the most of every workout and what to wear to what to pack, this is the guide of training motivation and fitness education. Let’s start at the very beginning…

The Basics

How do I warm up and cool down properly?

Warming up, and cooling down, are two of the most important parts of a workout. They help in the prevention of injuries by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the muscles during warm up and reducing the heart rate during cool down. A warm up should last a minimum of five minutes and should involve a combination of low intensity movements, where you should aim to involve all parts of your body.

Warm up exercises can include:

Fast paced walking
On the spot jogging
Star jumps
Skipping
Arm swings
Lunges

Like your warm up, you should aim for a minimum of five minutes for your cool down after every session.

To cool down, you could do a mix of different low intesity exercises, for example:

Light jog
Brisk walk
Glute stretch
Quad stretch
Calve stretch
Across body arm stretch
Behind head arm stretch

Types of workout

Running: The simplest – and best – cardiovascular workout would have to be running. You can do it anywhere - whether you’re at the gym, at home or even on holiday – a running workout is available to you. Running on a treadmill is a good idea for beginners as it is extremely easy and you can adjust the speed and incline effortlessly, but running outdoors and over different terrains is more interesting and varied. Whatever speed you run at, you will burn a high number of calories and your fitness will improve significantly over time. You will soon be able to run further and faster.

Gym workouts: Working out at the gym is the easiest way to cover all bases, with every form of exercise available to you. From strength machines, free weights and weight benches to treadmills, cross trainers, exercise bikes, the gym’s equipment, as well as classes, you can cover cardio, strengthening, fitness and stamina.

HIIT workouts: HIIT sessions involve a series of different exercises of a high and medium intensity. They are performed for a short amount of time with rest in between each exercise - a 20-minute HIIT could be a set of five different exercises, with 40 seconds of intense activity followed by 20 seconds rest. The exercises could be high knees, squat jumps, mountain climbers, star jumps and alternate lunge jumps, forming a set which is performed 5 times. HIIT workouts and interval training are great for improving your cardiovascular fitness. It works the whole body and can be done anywhere!

Weighted workouts: Workouts with weights are great for improving your muscular strength, as well as endurance. They tend to be less intense than HIIT and interval training - as slow and controlled moves are required to perform the exercises correctly. When using weights, you can focus on a certain muscle group in one session or multiple, working the whole body or targeted areas - you can just focus on your legs, with exercises such as squats, lunges and dead lifts or you could focus on your upper body, doing exercises such as bench press, bicep curls and shoulder lifts.

Boxing: If you want to tie in learning a new skill whilst still training, why not try boxing? Not only will it help your cardiovascular fitness, but it will help tone your body, especially your upper body. It is also great for your reaction time and to relieve stress.

Maximising your performance

How can I get the most out of my workout?

Warm up and cool down

Help your muscles prepare for the workout ahead – allowing for more flexibility and a better range of motion, resulting in a better performance. It will also help your muscles recover quicker and reduce the risk of injury.

Nutrition

In order to achieve your targets, you need to make sure that you are eating a balanced diet. Pre-workout shakes and protein shakes will help increase your protein intake and maintain lean muscle and can be a great addition to your diet. Protein is essential for helping muscle recovery after exercise, while taking on more protein over time is proven to build muscle. You also need complex carbohydrates for energy, while staying fully hydrated is the most important factor in any sports nutrition plan. Take on lots of water before, during and after your workout.

Use equipment correctly

Watch a tutorial, ask someone or read the instructions thoroughly on the equipment before use. You could seriously injure yourself if you do not use it properly and will most likely be out of training for a while to recover.

Use the correct weight

If you are using a weight that is too light and not challenging, you will not progress or improve your strength. On the other hand, if you are using a weight that is too heavy, you risk serious injury. Don’t worry if from time-to-time you struggle to lift as much as the day before, sometimes your muscles take longer to recover.

Have the correct form

If you are unsure watch a video before on how to properly lift weights and perform exercises to prevent injury. All personal trainers will tell you that form is far more important than weight – if you aren’t doing it properly, you won’t get as much out of every rep. At the end of the day, that is what the mirrors are for, not just to see at how good you look!

The best time to train

Morning is said to be the best time of day to exercise, as it boosts your energy and relieves stress, helping you to start your day energised and with a clear mind. That being said, you may prefer working out in the evening after taking on more energy and fluids throughout the day. Everybody is different, so find the right time for you.

What gym clothes should I wear?

There are some fundamental clothing technologies to consider for comfort when buying gym clothes

BREATHABILITY

Breathable clothing helps you to keep you cool whilst training, through technologies that increase air flow to the skin
For example, the Nike Run Breathe T Shirt is extremely breathable with Nike Dri-FIT technology, hence the name, while the adidas Aeroknit 3-Stripes T-Shirt is focused on incredible breathability

SWEAT WICKING

Sweat wicking clothing draws sweat and moisture away from the body to keep you dry and cool during your workout
Top sweat-wicking technologies include Nike’s Dri-FIT tech, adidas’ Aeroready and Under Armour’s Heat Gear
The Under Armour Technical Training T-Shirt is a popular pick as a sweat-wicking gym top, while adidas Aeroknit Tights are top sweat-wicking leggings for the gym

FLEXIBILITY

Flexible clothing allows for a full range of movement whilst exercising, not restricting your workout in any way. This is key for almost all workouts
The USA Pro High Rise Leggings allow for great range of movement, whilst being squat proof, so there’s no added stress during your workout
We also recommend the Under Armour Tech Twist T-Shirt for ultimate flexibility

SEAMLESS

Seamless clothing provides ultimate comfort and durability to reduce irritation and chaffing when exercising

What gym shoes should I buy?

The right gym shoes mean you’ll get the most out of your exercise. Gym shoes with a flat and wide base are great for weightlifting, as they help support your stability. In contrast, lightweight and breathable gym trainers are the best choice for cardiovascular and endurance workouts because there’s less weight on your feet and more airflow to your feet, keeping you more comfortable for longer.

Key technologies to look out for in gym trainers and training shoes:

Lightweight:

Lightweight trainers help with speed and agility, by making it easier to move and change direction quickly.

Versatility:

Versatile trainers are suitable for different types of exercise. For example, cardiovascular and/or strength-based training, meaning they can be worn whatever the workout.

Check out the women’s PUMA LVL-UP XT Moto Training Shoes or the men’s Nike Defy All Day Training Shoes as they will be suitable or any workout, with lots of cushioning and support without adding too much weight.

Cushioning:

Cushioned trainers help to support your feet, providing easy comfort and stability when you’re working out.

Breathability:

Breathable technologies in trainers are important to look out for as they help to draw moisture away from the foot, keeping your feet cool and comfortable through increased airflow

What should I pack in my gym bag?

These are just a few essentials you mgiht want to consider. Depending on your workout, you may need to take extra kit or clothing.

TRAINING GLOSSARY

ENDURANCE TRAINING

This could be building up your endurance from cardio training to weight training. If you have been running for four weeks and started off being able to run 3K without stopping and you can now run 5K, you have built your endurance. The can be said if you are lifting weights and can now do more reps than before

HIIT

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training and it’s as simple as that – but definitely not that easy!

REPS

The number of times you do an exercise. For example, if you are doing bicep curls, one curl would equal one rep

FORM

Form is the way you hold yourself or a weight when performing an exercise. It is really important you get this right, not only to help you get the best out of your work out but to minimise risk of injury

LACTIC ACID

This is an acid that your body produces when low in oxygen – in order to create more energy from glucose. You need to warm up and cool down to ensure that you do not cause a build-up of lactic acid

STRENGTH TRAINING

This is building up your strength to be able to lift more weight. For example, if began your training by squatting 10kg and can now squat 18kg after four weeks, you have built up your strength

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