Many people consider their daily commute to be part of the ever-many responsibilities they have to put up with - dead time that we’d like to claim for ourselves but we accept as part of life. Of course, this mostly applies to our job or the school run, but it’s also true that the commute to our daily gym activities counts as time spent “on the gym,” because we have to plan it out of our schedule.

Of course, some are more fortunate than others as far as this goes. You might live near to a gym so a two-minute drive is all that’s needed, or perhaps you have one in your apartment building. If you’ve invested the time and energy, you may have even put together an admirable gym in your own garage.

But what if your gym is a little further out? Well, in this post, we’ll discuss some great methods you could choose for making the most out of this opportunity. After all, commute time doesn’t have to be dead time, it can actually be quite rewarding, and a great way to get into the workout headspace before you begin any activity.

Let’s consider the following:

Time For Reflection

Heading to the gym, be that in your car, walking, cycling or taking public transport can be a good time for introspection, and to get into the mood. Listening to some healthy motivational podcasts or audiobooks can inspire you to put your full effort in, which is important if you’re about to break a personal record or attend an intense spin class.

It can be healthy to reflect on your progress, how this workout will go, what your pointers were from last time, and what you hope to achieve. You could even leave voice notes for yourself to remind yourself of your form in the gym or update your workout journal if you’re sat on public transport (and not behind the wheel). A little reflection goes a long way.

Perfect Packing

If you’re driving to the gym, you may find that packing your vehicle appropriately can be healthy. It’s good to have two gym bags, one you have in your car, and another you can replace it with when the other is being washed. This way, you can place sweaty clothes in the boot or trunk without worrying about the smell permeating the rest of the car.

Here you can also carry anything else you need, like a pouch of chalk for your weightlifting, preworkout, protein shakers to be cleaned out, and your toiletries for a shower if you go to work straight after exercise. Having everything ready in your car gives you the space to squeeze in a quick workout here and there. For example, if you’re working shifts and have a split-shift to deal with, going home can be a chore. Knowing you have about two hours to kill, you can always head to the gym at any time and know that everything is there ready.

Curate Your Playlist

Any gym-goer will tell you that their music playlist is almost as important as the workout routine they use to plan each visit with. It’s important to put together music that you appreciate, or to follow Spotify playlists that get you amped. This might be anything from hip-hop to hard rock to metal to dance music.

This way, your time spend heading to the gym can amp you up and get you into the achievement mindset. You can also make a contrary playlist to this, filled with calming acoustic music so your cooldown is relaxed and serene, allowing you to settle back into your schedule now you’ve done all you can to train that day.

Just make sure that the volume of your music is properly moderated to avoid ear damage, or potentially distract your observational skills on the road, putting you in harm's way and in need of a car accident lawyer. Once you settle into your schedule, you may be amazed at the timing by which you can plan certain songs throughout your workout, balancing rest periods with all-out activity.

Warm-Ups & Warm-Downs

If you have the chance to, jogging or cycling to the gym can be a fantastic method of warming up before you arrive. This way, you don’t have to waste time on the treadmill or exercise bike, you can simply take care of a few dynamic stretches and get going.

Warmups not only prepare your body for the upcoming workout, but they help you ease into harder effort more easily. Warmups reduce the chance of injuries and muscle tears, and of course, they get your heart beating before you commit to the heavy work.

Moreover, if you’re looking to lose weight then the extra hundred calories or so you burn on your way to the gym can add to your tally. It’s also completely fine if you prefer to walk to the gym, because walking is just as good exercise as anything else, especially if you do it both ways.

Accountability

It’s nice to commit to your workout with someone else, be that a gym buddy, friend or colleague you work out with. Accountability can be part of the commute, too. Perhaps both you and a colleague will pick each other up on alternate days, saving fuel and making sure you both attend at the right time so no one has to work out alone.

This can help you stick to your workout regimen much more closely and inspires you to never skip a day unless you really need to for rest or life purposes. We tend to think of accountability as being part of the gym experience, as in part of the weightroom, but that kind of connection begins on the way to the gym as well. Sometimes, a good laugh and conversation before you workout can perfectly prime you for the hard effort you’re about to give, reminding you why you’re working on your health and wellbeing in the first place.

With this advice, you’re sure to see how your commute to the gym matters, and why to optimize it per your needs.