If your fitness routine is not what it could be, give it some pep and pour on the spice, with some effective tips that make sense. Keep yourself motivated with some of the sound advice you can find in this article. Make your fitness routine all that it can be.

Make sure you stretch before and after all of your workouts. This will ensure that your muscles stay loose and increase your flexibility, helping you to avoid injuries. The stretching at the beginning of the workout should take place after a warm-up of about five minutes, since your muscles will be warm and loose.

To effectively build muscle, avoid painkillers. That may run counter to your instinct, but there’s some research to suggest that painkillers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can, if taken after working out, render all your pain pointless by preventing muscle growth. Plus, scientists say the painkillers aren’t any more effective than placebos at killing the post-workout pain, anyway.

Pack a lunch and eat in the park instead of eating out. Not only will you get some fresh air and sunshine, but you’ll undoubtedly consume healthier foods. The fact that you walk to the park for your lunch has the added benefit of giving you a much needed break and a little bit of exercise!

If you are working out with a padded bench then be sure to check the quality of the padding before you begin. You can do this by pressing on the cushion to assess its ability to support you. If the wood can be felt under the padding, then pass on that machine and try another. Working out on equipment with worn or insufficient padding may bruise your body. This is because worn padding fails to provide enough support while you are working out.

Knowing how to add the pep and spice to your fitness routine is easy with the tips in this article. Motivation will be no problem when you have a fitness plan that is based on sound advice and made just for you. Your fitness will be what you want it to be, starting today.