Whether you have trained for years or just walked through the door for the first time, a few smart habits can make every session more efficient, more effective and more enjoyable. These gym hacks are the ones the trainers at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading find themselves repeating most often, and none of them requires more time on the floor. Just better use of it.
1. Warm up dynamically, not statically
The hack: replace long static stretches before training with dynamic movements such as leg swings, arm circles, walking lunges and inchworms.
Why: dynamic stretching raises your heart rate, increases blood flow and takes your joints through the ranges you are about to use, which lowers injury risk and improves performance. Static stretching before lifting can actually reduce power output; save it for the cool-down. Our warm-up guide has a 10-minute routine.
2. Build sessions around compound lifts
The hack: start every session with squats, deadlifts, presses, rows or pull-ups before any isolation work.
Why: compound movements train several muscle groups at once, so they build more strength and muscle per minute than isolation exercises and leave you more time for everything else. See the five best compound exercises.
3. Use supersets to save time
The hack: pair two exercises for different muscle groups and perform them back to back with minimal rest, then rest before the next pair.
Why: supersets halve your rest time, keep your heart rate up and build muscular endurance without sacrificing strength. Try dumbbell rows paired with push-ups, or Romanian deadlifts with goblet squats. Our 30 minute superset workout is built entirely on this.
4. Track your workouts
The hack: log every session in an app or notebook: exercises, weight, sets, reps and how it felt.
Why: you cannot beat a number you did not write down. Tracking makes progressive overload automatic, shows you exactly when a lift has stalled and turns months of effort into visible progress. Read how to track gym progress.
5. Cool down with purpose
The hack: finish with five minutes of easy movement and a few static stretches for the muscles you trained.
Why: a gradual cool-down lowers your heart rate safely, reduces stiffness and starts recovery, so your next session feels better. It is also the ideal time for mobility work that would blunt your strength if done beforehand.
6. Join a class for variety
The hack: swap one solo session a week for a coached group class.
Why: classes provide structured workouts with expert cues, introduce new movements and add a social element that keeps you consistent. A boxing or Muay Thai class trains conditioning in a way most people would never program for themselves. Browse the timetable.
7. Train at the right time for you
The hack: pick the time of day you are most likely to actually turn up, and protect it like an appointment.
Why: the best time to train is the one you will stick to. Hammer’s is open 24/7 and quieter before 6 am, mid-afternoon and after 8 pm, which also means no waiting for equipment.
8. Use the recovery zone
The hack: book-end your hardest sessions with the infrared sauna, cold plunge or a massage chair.
Why: recovery tools reduce soreness, improve sleep and let you train hard again sooner. Most members walk past them for months before realising how much difference ten minutes makes. See our recovery hacks.
Put them into action
Ready to make every session count? Come and visit Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading and put these hacks to work on one of the biggest gym floors in Melbourne’s east. Already a member? See reception about a free session with one of our personal trainers to kick-start or reignite your goals. New here? Claim a free one-day trial. We are minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster.