What Does PR Mean in Gym And How to Make Yours Better
Fitness and going to the gym come with a lot of new and unfamiliar terms, especially acronyms. They are popular to help keep track of things and encourage improvement. The acronym PR is one of the most commonly used within fitness circles, however.
But this leaves many new gym goers with unanswered questions and a need for assistance. If you have been wondering what does PR mean in gym and how to make yours better, this is the article for you. Keep reading to learn more about this acronym and how it will affect your experience in fitness.
What Does a PR Mean in Gym?
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PR in the gym is an acronym that stands for “personal record”. What this personal record is and what it means more specifically depends on what it is for. Personal records can mean different things across different fitness activities.
The purpose of having a PR is to help push you to new heights. No matter what your fitness activity of choice is, having your own record with a goal to overcome it can help push you forward into improving more each time.
Your PR can mean different things depending on your gym activities. For fitness goals such as swimming or running, it’s often either the distance you made or the time.
In terms of weightlifting, your PR is usually one of two things. It either focuses on how much weight you can consistently lift or how many repetitions of that lift you can do. Sometimes it even applies to both combined depending on the type of weight lifting.
PR works for any workout you do, whether in the gym or at home. It is there to help you keep track of how well you’re doing in quantitative measurements. Not only does it give you a goal, but it shows you how far you’ve made it on your exercise journey.
Tips on Hitting a New PR
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No matter what your PR is measuring in the gym, it is used to measure your own personal growth. Many people do not bother worrying about measuring their PR because they are not concerned with growth quickly, but rather just staying in shape and doing what they can. Others who do measure their PR do it for a variety of reasons.
Those who measure a PR most often use it to keep track of their growth and success. Some more casual gym goers use it as a measure of improvement to track their gains as they continue their journey. Other more serious gym trainers use it as a baseline for where they must continue to gain from, using it more as a goal than a tracker.
Improving your PR can be difficult as it revolves around yourself and your personal bests which can be hard to top. Depending on what you are training, whether that be lifting or something else, can affect how you train to hit a new PR. Thankfully, no matter what your style of fitness is, there are some tips to help you improve at a good pace.
1. Consistency
The key above all else in any fitness regiment is consistency. Having a consistent program for the gym, what you do there, and when you go is important to maintain your current level of fitness, but also to continue improving. Set yourself a schedule and do not stray from it.
Consistency in routine at the gym is helpful for the mind as it helps with motivation and mitigating stress. According to some psychological studies, routine boosts mental and physical help as it regulates the body and mind in all aspects. A healthy mind and body leave you ready and able to hit a new PR.
2. Stay on Top of All Aspects of Your Life
Consistency in the gym itself is important, but it is also important to maintain in other areas of your life as well. To continue your climb to a new personal record, you should also take care of yourself in terms of rest, nutritional intake, and recovery. All of these things are also key to maintaining a healthy body and mind that can allow you to find room for growth.
3. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated affects every aspect of an athlete’s life. According to the USADA, having inadequate hydration can stall recovery after workouts and slow muscle growth, effectively stopping you from reaching a new PR.
Always take a water bottle with you to the gym and make sure that you are drinking between reps. If you’re going into exercise dehydrated, you’re unlikely to hit your current personal record without a struggle, much less reach a new record.
4. Be Careful
Another tip is to take care of your body. You may feel like you have to push yourself to reach your goal. In some cases, you may push yourself so much that you end up injuring yourself.
Once you get injured, you aren’t able to continue exercising and going to the gym until you heal. Not only does this push back when you can next reach a new personal record, but you often lose a lot of the strength you had originally and set yourself back.
Though it’s frustrating to stagnate and not reach new personal record goals, you always have to be patient with yourself and your body to avoid injury.
