Back to the Gym - Part II

In my last blog Back to the Gym - Part I, I went through some of the basics of establishing a post Summer workout routine. In this part II, we’ll go beyond the basics and explore more the mindset side of things, whilst still keeping it a short reading.

Don't be afraid of some trial and error

Cut yourself some slack. And hey, if you're one of my clients don't come to shove this article in my face asking me to be less demanding because you are feeling a little lazy hehe! That's not what I mean - and you know it, you sneaky one :P

My point is when we make an adjustment to our routine - it's kinda unlikely that we will magically nail it from the get-go.

Unless, of course, you're a professional athlete with years of experience in testing your limits - and even then, sometimes it happens. You might think that a certain intensity or a certain schedule is the best, and then a few weeks in you realise it's not really working. Give it a chance during the first month or so, as change is usually uncomfortable, but if things are still really hard after that, consider making adjustments. And this brings us to my next tip.

Set new goals to restore your inspiration

We human beings are kinda addicted to change…. and at the same time, it’s one of the things that scare us the most. Yep, we can be a little tricky sometimes. This will of course vary from person to person, but we tend to search for stability in primary things - such as housing, work, etc. - and crave change in smaller things that can keep our daily life from getting boring.

We can use this to our advantage - hack our brains if you will. By periodically setting new goals, you will be inflating some new life to your workouts.

Because now you are working towards something different, and new, and also because that will probably lead to different exercises and/or variations of the ones you were doing before.

Get a coach… or play the social card

Ideally, get a coach. This will help in so many ways, some of them being: you’ll feel more accountable to show up at the gym because someone is there waiting for you. You’ll also feel supported even if you’re feeling zero motivation, and thus more likely to go as someone will be there to guide you through and you don't have to think, just follow the lead. You’ll also want to get your money’s value and thus will be more likely to commit.

However, if you are not ready for this yet, get a gym buddy. This will still bring the accountability factor to the table, as well as some extra motivation as not only you’re improving yourself, but also helping someone else - and vice versa!

Revamp your playlist

You know what they say, “it’s the little things”, right? Oftentimes, something as simple as having a dedicated workout playlist can truly make the trick. For most of us, the right song at the right time can put us exactly in the mood we need to be! Or, if you’ve been using the same playlist for a while, infusing it with a bit of fresh air by adding new tracks can be just what you needed to have that sense of novelty and thus feel more motivated.

The old but gold power nap

Granted, I’m not exactly breaking ground here, but I think it’s still worth bringing it as a reminder. As I said before, sleep is underrated. And although the days are getting shorter, our workdays are not. So whoever has the opportunity, should take a little power nap - anything between 10 minutes and half an hour. Just to allow your body and mind to unwind from whatever the day has thrown at you so far, and to prepare you for whatever comes next. Basically, it works like endurance maintenance.

As I said, I like to keep these blogs a short read - better providing snippets of useful information that people actually have the time to look at! There are so many things, however, one can do to develop systems and dedication, even more, when looking at it on a case-by-case basis. Contact me if you'd like to have a chat!

Speak soon!

Train ComplEat,

Coach G.