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5 Tips to Get More Out of Your Workout

Sports discovery November 14, 2025

Do you want to make the most of your workout? Here are a few tips from our personal trainers and group fitness course instructors to make your workouts more effective, enjoyable, and motivating.

Make Your Workout Routine Fun

One of the best indicators of a good workout is enjoyment.

Not only is enjoyment a powerful motivator, but it also gives you that feeling of satisfaction after a workout.

Adding a touch of fun to your next workout is simple. For example, you can:
 

  • Work out with friends. Encouragement, laughter, camaraderie… these are all ingredients for success and should be part of your exercise sessions.
  • Pick a physical activity that includes music (e.g., Zumba, cardio-cycle) or wear headphones in the conditioning room and listen to tunes that get you pumped.
  • Challenge yourself and try new things. If you enjoy variety and discovering new things, then mixing up your physical activities is key.

Noor’s Tip

Noor, a trainer at the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Westmount YMCAs, recommends, “surrounding yourself with positive people who encourage one another and who have similar goals.”. For her, this is a factor for success that should not be overlooked.

Listen to Your Body; It Knows What It Needs

During fitness training, pushing your limits is often encouraged to maximize the benefits of exercise. The feeling of accomplishment after completing a difficult workout can also fuel your motivation. However, pushing your limits is even more rewarding when you apply the following principles.

  • Chart your own path to set and achieve goals: Devising a training plan that is tailored to your needs and goals lets you chart your own path to achieving them. Every milestone you attempt to reach has been thought out with you in mind. By following your own path, you let go of the need to compare yourself to others, decrease your risk of injury, and increase your chances for success.
  • Integrate rest into your training program: At the gym, rest between sets is just as important as the sets themselves. The same can be said for rest days between workouts. This allows your body to better absorb the benefits from your most recent exercise session and get ready for the next one.
  • Listen to your body: Recognizing signs that could affect your next workout will help you get the most out of your workout: health, injuries, sleep, stress, etc. For instance, a good night’s sleep can motivate you to step outside your comfort zone. Whereas cold symptoms or difficulty waking up could mean you need to rethink your plans for the day. When your body cannot keep up with its usual pace, listen to it. Adjust your physical activities or take a day off; your gains and progress will not be affected. And by giving your body the rest it needs, you will be able to bounce back more quickly.


Focus on Consistency Over Intensity

Planning a few exercise sessions per week—rather than attempting to participate in two group fitness classes and lane swim periods in the same day—allows your body to rest but also helps you stay motivated and enjoy staying active. For those of you who work out in the conditioning room, it is even more beneficial for you to prioritize consistency so you can progress toward reaching your goals.  


Opt for a Simple Workout Plan You Can Stick With

Just like with intensity, a complex plan can prevent you from making the most of your workout.  Following a training plan created for you, tailored to your lifestyle and geared toward achieving your personal goals, now that is something that is easier to stick to. With a tailored plan, your progress will be more noticeable, as will your motivation to exercise.

How Can I Get a Training Plan Tailored to My Goals?


Our private trainers are available to guide you in your physical activity journey, whatever your goals may be. To book your first appointment and start your private training, please fill out the interest form provided for this purpose.

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Celebrate Your Successes, However Big or Small

There are just as many reasons to celebrate your successes as there are reasons to exercise. Sticking to your workout schedule, feeling better about yourself, noticing better flexibility in everyday activities, moving on to the next stage in your training plan—success does not need to be big or visible to be celebrated! 

Geneviève’s Tip

Geneviève, a private trainer at the Cartierville YMCA, never misses an opportunity to celebrate a client’s progress. She encourages you to do the same: take the time to acknowledge your progress and celebrate it. Smile, you did it!

Voilà! You now have all the tools to make the most of your workouts and move toward a stronger, more confident, and more fulfilled version of yourself.

Thank you to Eugenia, fitness and group course coordinator and instructor at the Y, and to Geneviève, Matthew, Noor, and Yvette, private trainers at the Y, for their contributions to this blog article.