Top Ten Tips for Better Workouts in The Gym

Here are my Top 10 Tips for better workouts. These tips can be used by most of you, and it’s all about getting everything you can out of every workout you’ve got. And you only get so many workouts in your life. I myself have forgotten this fact recently, as I’ve been slouching a lot in my own workouts. As one of my lifting partners, and 6am client, Ryan “Cashews” Mathews told me a few weeks ago after spotting me on a pathetic set of bench press:

“I don’t have anything to say except - you’re better than that.”

As much as I hate to admit it, Ryan was right. I am better than that. I can get more out of myself. I only get so many workouts before I die. You too.

These tips are not necessarily in order of importance. But I’ll start with the more general tips and gradually get into more specifics as we go 1 to 10.

#1: Eat SOMETHING before workouts.

A client went hypoglycemic a few months ago. He didn’t pass out, but he was close. And he hadn’t eaten anything that morning and then came and did a tough workout.

Don’t do that. Eat something 30-90 minutes before your workout. It is not good to do tough workouts on an empty stomach.

#2: Drink SOMETHING before workouts.

Remember the old saying, “Your body is 80% water”? Well, it’s not really true, because your body becomes less hydrated every decade throughout life. My 1-year old son Henry is probably 80% water or something like that. But I’m less than that at 37, and by the time you are in your 60s, you're probably 60% water or less. 

You need to hydrate for your body to work well, especially your muscles. And the older you are, the more important it becomes. Get some fluid before workouts.

#3: Get Some Sleep!

If you get less than 6 hours of sleep the night before a workout, you’re better off skipping the gym. 

With poor sleep, your cortisol (stress hormone) is up the entire next day, which means you will break down your muscles way more than you should during a weight training workout. You also have slower reaction time, worse endurance, and lower strength compared to a good night’s sleep. 

#4: Kim Jong Un Is ‘Greatest Person in the World,’ Says North Korea

‘Twas the title of a recent Wall Street Journal article, which reported on Kim’s recent victory in the ‘democratic’ elections. According to a North Korean newspaper, “his re-election resulted from Kim spearheading ‘unimaginable achievements’ in five years that would take others centuries.”

We can all learn something from Kim Jong Un. 

No, really. That guy has incredible self-confidence and self-belief. 

Sure, he’s a tyrant and commits human rights violations as often as my youngest boy, Henry, needs a diaper change. But he truly believes in himself and what he’s doing. We would all be better off if we believed in ourselves and our abilities more, like Kim.

The mind is powerful, especially in the weight room. Most of us consistently perform way below our potential. I include myself and 100% of my clients at the gym. We could all do better. And a lot of it begins between our ears. 

#5: Remember That Progress Comes In Many Forms

I was just talking about this with 6am client Karen Cummings. Every workout is an opportunity for progress, but it won’t always be the same kind of progress.

Lifting more weight is progress. So is doing the same weight for more reps. But progress can also be doing the same weight with better technique. 

Or perhaps you are lifting the same weight you did a year ago, but you’ve lost 15 pounds in that year. That, too, is progress.

Maybe you can do something in the gym without pain that used to hurt. That is also progress.

What if you can work through some discomfort and “the burn” when in the gym, but when you first started, you always stopped when it got tough? That’s progress.

If you couldn’t stand on one leg for more than a few seconds when you first started, and now you can go 10-15 seconds . . . progress.

That’s just a handful of examples. There’s much more. Keep that in mind.

#6: Proverbs 27:17 - Iron Sharpens Iron

Use the other people in your class to motivate and push yourself. Everyone here is friendly, but a little competition won’t kill the vibe.

For example, one of my goals in the gym in 2026 is to beat one of my training partners and one of the Top 10 mentioned at the start of the newsletter, Ryan Mathews, on at least one thing every workout. To give you all context, Ryan is one of the strongest people in the gym, especially with upper body stuff. He benches 375, he can do pulldowns with the entire 300lb stack, yada yada yada. So my goal of beating Ryan on even one thing every workout is what some people would call a “Stretch Goal.”

My strategy is to wait toward the end of the workout and then make sure Ryan goes first, me second, and hope that he’s getting tired and/or bored. And I still usually fail to achieve my goal. But that doesn’t matter - the point is the positive motivation I get from trying to beat Ryan. 

#7: Supplements Are Not Mandatory, But They Do Help

Creatine will increase your strength, especially when doing heavier weights between 1 and 10 reps a set. 3-5 grams a day is good for most people. Don’t take if you have kidney issues. 

BCAAs will reduce your soreness and help you get stronger. Take one scoop before and/or during workouts. I have these in three different flavors.

Electrolyte mixes will reduce cramping and help you get a better pump in your muscles during workouts. This could be as simple as 1/4th a teaspoon of sea salt before workouts. Better would be the electrolyte sticks I have in stock, just add to water and you get sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

Caffeine will help you push yourself more in the gym. 50-100 milligrams about an hour before workouts is good for most. I do a cup of coffee 1-2 hours before training.

Do you have to use those things? No. But they do work. If you haven’t tried them, you’re not getting the most out of your workouts.

#8: What to Eat Specifically

You need lots of carbs for great workouts. 50-100 grams 1-3 hours before workouts is a good start - fruit, bread, oatmeal, potatoes, white rice are all good options. Then you can do something quick 20-30 minutes before the workout, such as a piece of fruit or 1-2 tablespoons of honey. More during and after the workout will speed up recovery and reduce fatigue. 

Protein is also important. 15-30 grams 1-3 hours before workouts is great for most people, more if you are a larger human. One scoop of BCAAs before and/or during your workouts will make a huge difference in strength and recovery. Then another 15-30 grams 1-2 hours after workouts also speeds up your recovery. 

#9: What to Drink Specifically

I drink 1.5 liters of organic orange juice during my workouts, along with 1/4th a teaspoon of sea salt at the start. That’s extreme for some people, but I have a robust metabolism and handle carbs very well. 

8-16 ounces of water is also good. Water and electrolytes are better. The flavored electrolyte sticks I have in the gym are great during workouts. 

I’ve even done fat-free milk and sugar during workouts and that works pretty well. Milk has potassium, sodium, carbs, and protein. Some people won’t handle dairy well during hard workouts, so use caution. 

What I don’t like to see is people drinking nothing during workouts. And I don’t like to see black coffee during workouts - it raises cortisol and adrenaline which is not good during intense training. 

#10: Have fun!

One day you’ll be too old, sick, or tired to go to the gym and exercise. You only get so many workouts in your life. Try to enjoy them all.