Oxygen USA – July-August 2019

122 summer 2019

energized and focused, and will be more than

ready to kill it in your workout both mentally

and physically. Shoot for at least seven to eight

hours per night every day of the week.

EAT

If you’re someone who needs to eat before

you work out, have a meal or snack 60 to 90

minutes before training — or else you run

the risk of revisiting it on the gym fl oor. This

nosh should include some quality carbs for

energy that will drive your training, as well

as some protein to increase strength and lean

muscle mass.

HYDRATE

Being properly hydrated is imperative to

training performance and success. Water is

intimately involved in muscular contractions,

ost people schedule

their daily workouts ahead

of time, and some even

have a carefully planned

recovery regimen. But not many have a solid

preworkout routine. But what you do before

your sweat sesh has a defi nitive impact on your

workout. Here is a checklist of pre-exercise

to-do’s to consider. Follow these — in order

— before you begin your workout and you’ll

crush it each and every time.

SLEEP

Your body goes into recovery mode when

you sleep, repairing and rebuilding itself to

be better than before. It is also during deep

sleep that your body releases the most growth

hormone, helping stimulate muscle growth

and repair. If you get enough sleep, you’ll wake

Preworkout

protocol

boost WHY YOU NEED ... By Lara McGlashan, MFA, CPT

Doing these six things before exercising

can make or break your workout.

and research has shown that a

fl uid loss of just 2 percent of your

bodyweight can cause a marked

decrease in both physical and mental

performance. Drink 10 to 20 ounces

of water before training — but make

sure you spread it throughout the

day. If you slug down a liter of water

immediately before, you’ll spend as

much time in the bathroom as you do

with the barbell.

SUPPLEMENT

A preworkout supplement that

includes ingredients like caff eine and

arginine has been shown to heighten

focus, boost energy and increase blood

fl ow, helping deliver nutrients and

oxygen to your hardworking muscles.

Bonus: Research also has shown that

caff eine can increase the breakdown

of fat for fuel. Take a preworkout

supplement 30 minutes before

training for optimal benefi ts.

VISUALIZE

Research has shown that the mental act of

visualization actually has a physical eff ect on

your muscles. Five to 10 minutes before you

train, sit in a quiet place and visualize your

workout: What will you train? Go through

each move and imagine yourself doing

it correctly and with power. See yourself

crushing any HIIT, metcon or other high-

intensity workout, or even setting a lifting

personal record.

MOBILIZE

Doing a dynamic warm-up increases your

core temperature and facilitates blood fl ow

to your muscles. Perform moves like leg

swings, Frankenstein kicks, arm circles and

inchworms to prep your body and mind for

the workout to come.

NEVER WASTE A 

PREWORKOUT

Dymatize PreW.O. can turn an ordinary workout into an extraordinary experience. Ingredients

such as citrulline malate, beta-alanine, L-taurine, arginine and caff eine amplify workout

intensity, support your goals and make every workout count. Named the Bodybuilding.com

Breakout Product of the Year (2018), PreW.O. mixes clean and comes in fi ve amazing fl avors.