You’re a pro. So act like it.

Every session is either moving you forward—or holding you back.

Fuel wrong? You’ll gas out. Skip recovery? Welcome injury. Guess on your warmup? You just handicapped your performance.

This isn’t optimal. You can make the difference between average… or dominating.

So here’s the playbook: what to (not) do before, during, and after your workouts—both aerobic and anaerobic.

Read it. Apply it. Win.

Or don’t—and stay stuck

What’s Coming

• Before Aerobic Training

• During Aerobic Training

• After Aerobic Training

• Before Anaerobic Training

• During Anaerobic Training

• After Anaerobic Training

• Link Dump (Study Dump)

Before Aerobic Training

Set yourself up for endurance success. You need energy, heat, hydration and focus – not an accidental deficit.

✅ DO warm up dynamically (jog, bike, mobility drills). 5–10 minutes of easy movement raises muscle temp and primes nerves so you can push hard from the start.

✅ DO load up on fast carbs 1–4 hours out. Pro endurance science says eating ~1–4g/kg of carbohydrates before long exercise enhances performance. (Roughly 0.5–2g per lb. Aim higher if you haven’t eaten for a while.)

✅ DO hydrate well. Start fully euhydrated by drinking several liters of water/electrolytes in the hours leading up. Enter training with <2% body-weight loss; beyond that your output plummets. Have 8–16 oz (250–500ml) 2 hours before, and sip another 8 oz 15 minutes before start.

✅ DO consider caffeine 45–60 minutes pre. A solid 3–6 mg/kg dose (about 200–400mg for most) reliably boosts both endurance and power output.

✅ DO sharpen your mind. Mentally rehearse race pace or intervals; focus on breathing patterns. Use familiar music or cues to get in the zone.

❌ DON’T lounge on the couch then suddenly sprint. NO cold starts. Skipping a warm-up = you’ll take 5–10 minutes to hit stride later, losing quality work and inviting injury.

❌ DON’T load up on heavy fats or spicy meals just before aerobic training – they slow digestion and can wreck performance. And don’t starve yourself; training fasted on long workouts without habit means subpar effort.

❌ DON’T static-stretch for minutes at a time beforehand. Long static holds (>60s) actually drop muscle force by ~5–7%. If you must stretch, keep it brief (<30s each muscle) and after you’ve warmed up.

During Aerobic Training

Lock in consistency and sustain effort. Don’t overcook it, and don’t fade out.

✅ DO pace yourself and monitor effort. Keep effort steady (use heart-rate or watt-based targets). A controlled effort means you hit your goal without tanking early.

✅ DO fuel on the fly for long sessions. If you’re out >60–90 minutes, take in ~30–60 g carbs per hour (gels, sports drink, fruit). This prevents blood sugar crashes and keeps your engine running. (Elite ultra-endurance plans can go up to ~90 g/hr with mixed carbs, but 30–60 g/hr is the proven sweet spot for most.)

✅ DO sip electrolytes. Replace not just water but salts lost in sweat. A balanced sports drink or salt tabs can keep cramps and fatigue at bay.

❌ DON’T surge too early or sprint random parts. Going anaerobic too soon in an aerobic session wastes glycogen and lashes you with lactate. Leave the hard accelerations for planned intervals or the last kilometer, not the first.

❌ DON’T ignore warning signals. If you feel dizzy, chest pain, or excessive heat strain, back off or stop. Being “pro” means listening to the body’s extremes (better to lose one workout than months of training due to collapse).

After Aerobic Training

Tie it all together with recovery. This is when you rebuild for the next day.

✅ DO cool down gradually. Don’t slam the brakes. Jog or cycle easy for 5–10 minutes post-workout to help flush lactic acid and normalize heart rate. A slow cool-down signals your body out of high gear and reduces post-exercise blood pooling.

✅ DO static stretch and mobilize (briefly). Once heart rate is down, stretch tight muscles gently (15–30s holds) – it can shave a smidge off DOMS. Focus on any stiff areas (hips, hamstrings, shoulders) with a couple deep breaths each.

✅ DO rehydrate fully. Drink 1.5x the fluid you lost (weigh yourself). Aim to come back to 0% deficit ASAP. Slug back a recovery beverage or water plus salty snacks.

✅ DO refuel with carbs + protein. Science consensus: consume ~1.2 g/kg of carbs per hour for ~4–6 hours after hard endurance work, and ~0.3 g/kg protein to kickstart repair. In practice, grab a 3:1 or 4:1 carb:protein snack within 30min (e.g. fruit and yogurt or a carb shake with whey). This accelerates glycogen replenishment and muscle recovery.

✅ DO nap or relax if you can. Getting extra sleep or naps after grueling aerobic sessions speeds recovery and lets adaptations happen. A well-timed 30–60 min nap can elevate hormones that build endurance and repair tissue.

❌ DON’T slump on the couch dehydrated or starving. A skip in refueling means you start the next day half-empty, killing your next performance.

❌ DON’T blast ice bath or heavy massage immediately if you still have back-to-back days of training planned. (Sub-maximal easy recovery is fine, but immediately dunking in ice can blunt the cellular signaling needed to adapt.) Light walking or contrast shower is better than total chill-down.

❌ DON’T hyper-stretch or sit static for hours. You should feel worked and a bit tight – normal. Pain or cramps mean you pushed too hard.

Before Anaerobic Training

Setup for strength, power and speed: fire up the nervous system, prime muscles, and get short-term fuel.

✅ DO warm up dynamically and specifically. For lifting/sprints, do joint mobilizations and activation drills (banded glute bridges, arm circles, jump rope, light Olympic lifts, explosive bodyweight moves). These wake up fast-twitch fibers and lubricate joints. A prime example: spend 10–15 minutes on sport-specific drills at ~50–70% effort. This alone can boost your next set’s performance.

✅ DO include movement prep (foam-rolling or batting). Self-myofascial work can release knots before heavy lifts, improving muscle firing. Pre-power lifters often do quick roll/swing patterns to turn on the hips and ankles.

✅ DO eat a light, protein/carbohydrate snack if you trained fasted. A banana + protein shake 30–60 minutes before will ensure you have energy and prevent muscle breakdown. If you’re already fed (e.g. after a meal 1–2h prior), you may just need a small top-up.

✅ DO hydrate (yes, even for weights/sprints). Short burst, high output still needs fluid. Drink 8–16 oz water 30–60 min before hitting heavy sets to keep muscles full and metabolism running.

✅ DO take any science-backed ergogenics. For strength/power days, creatine is king: 3–5 g daily helps recycle ATP for those last brutal reps. (Regular creatine loads your muscles over time – there’s no “start-15min-before-lift” spike, it’s an everyday thing.) Caffeine still works for power too – ~200mg 30–60min pre can boost your last rep grind.

❌ DON’T lift cold. No “touch and go.” That deadlift or squat from a cold start invites injury. Do at least 2–3 light warm-up sets (e.g. empty bar or 50% weight) to groove technique.

❌ DON’T overload complex moves right away. Save the PR attempts for after you’re fully primed. If adrenaline spikes too early, you’ll stall or risk straining.

During Anaerobic Training

Focus on form, controlled power and recovery between sets. Quality over ego.

✅ DO prioritize perfect technique on every rep. The split-second neuromuscular drive in sprints or heavy lifts is everything. Focus on explosive intent and safe mechanics – don’t half-ass a squat or throw caution in a sprint.

✅ DO breathe (aggressively!). Exhale on exertion, inhale on reset. Holding breath (beyond a brief Valsalva for very heavy lifts) will spike blood pressure and make you light-headed.

✅ DO rest adequately between sets. For strength/hypertrophy, 2–5 minutes is normal. For power moves (like jumps/sprints), longer rest (3–8 min) lets energy systems replenish. Clock it and stick to it.

✅ DO sip water if you’re sweating under those lights, even during a gym session. A dry mouth means you’re a bit dehydrated – keep a bottle handy.

❌ DON’T ignore the pain. High-intensity training strains joints/muscles. If something feels sharp or “off,” drop the weight or abort.

❌ DON’T rush your sets like it’s cardio. Controlled speed often beats reckless quickness. For example, slow eccentrics build more muscle and protect tendons.

❌ DON’T pretend hydration doesn’t matter because “I’m just lifting.” Even 1–2% dehydration can blunt strength and cognition. Keep chugging.

After Anaerobic Training

Rebuild and adapt. Your muscles are screaming for nutrients now – give them what they need.

✅ DO do a brief cool-down. A light 5–10 min walk or bike will flush out blood lactate and signal recovery. You don’t need to stretch right away; gentle motion is enough.

✅ DO refuel ASAP with protein + carbs. Hit muscle protein synthesis hard: consume ~20–40 g of fast protein (whey shake is perfect) within 30 min to start the rebuild. Pair it with 0.3–0.5g/kg carbs to spike insulin and shuttle nutrients in. (Chocolate milk, protein+fruit smoothie, or a recovery bar works.) This combo has been shown to improve strength and hypertrophy gains post-workout.

✅ DO hydrate and electrolytes. Lift sessions deplete glycogen and some minerals. Drink at least 500ml water with your protein, and an extra electrolyte drink if you sweated hard.

✅ DO use self-care tools if needed. A short foam roll session or a few minutes with a massage ball can release tension in worked muscles. Icing or cold bath right after only if inflammation is sky-high – otherwise keep it moderate.

✅ DO stretch tight areas after the dust settles. Post-training static holds (2×30s per muscle) can help your range of motion without hurting strength. (Longer-than-a-minute stretches right away are still a bad idea.)

✅ DO sleep. Strength adaptions happen while you snooze. If possible, bank at least 7–9 hours that night. Short on sleep? Even a 60–90 min nap later in the day will pay dividends in recovery.

❌ DON’T skip the meal. Training is only half the battle; nutrition is the other. Deadlifting 500×5 burned thousands of calories and shredded muscle – if you don’t eat afterward, you’re erasing that effort.

❌ DON’T slam junk just because you’re starving. Sure, a treat here and there won’t kill you, but high-sugar, low-protein recovery won’t rebuild your muscles. Aim for quality nutrients, not just calories.

Final Ounce Effort

You now have the play-by-play for optimal training.

Do this every session and you’ll stack gains, speed, and endurance session after session.

Skip it, and you’ll stay average – or worse, break down.

No excuses: you’re a pro. Treat yourself like one.

Link Dump (Study dump)

• Hatch-McChesney et al., J Appl Physiol 2021: Post-exercise carbs (1.2 g/kg/h) & protein (0.3 g/kg) for recovery.

• Chaabene et al., Front. Physiol. 2019: Static stretching (>60s) before power hurts strength.

• Brown, JISSN 2012: Protein timing – pre/post protein boosts strength and hypertrophy.

• Jeukendrup & Gleeson, Sport Nutrition (2nd Ed.): Even 2–3% dehydration slashes endurance power; sprinters lose ~45% power at 2.5% loss.

• ACSM Position Stands (2007, 2018): Stay <2% dehydrated and ingest 30–60 g carbs/hr during long exercise.

• ISSN Caffeine Position (2021): 3–6 mg/kg caffeine 1h pre boosts nearly all sports performance.

• Rawson & Volek, J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2003: Creatine + training yields ~8% greater strength gains than training alone.

• Nakamura et al., Front. Sports Act Living 2023: Warming up elevates body temp and neuromuscular readiness.

• MDPI Nutrients 2014: Pre-endurance carbs “generally shown to enhance performance”.

Cheers,

Jonas