LIFE HAPPENS
Vacation.
Sickness.
Work.
Laziness.
We all get off rhythm from our routine of fitness.
We have a saying as Coaches, when you drift too far from the boat you lose sight of the boat, the shore and you’re out in the middle of the ocean just treading water.
A place no one wants to be for too long.
Here’s the BEST way to ease back in and get back on track to training consistently.
#1 – SET THE DAY.
Pick the comeback day and work everything else in your day (schedule) around that.
We can tend to prioritise things over our daily dose of movement.
Yet when we get too far from the ship, is when we feel the loss of those positive effects adding up.
This is also when we recognise how the benefits exceed beyond the walls of the gym.
- Mental clarity,
- Self confidence,
- Metabolism,
- Regular appetite,
- Desire to eat healthy choices consistently,
- Feeling generally healthy
- Less or no depression or mental funks, and
- Less general body aches and pains.
Mistake to avoid: Prioritising everything before your daily training/movement.
#2 – EASE BACK IN.
The longer the time away from consistent training, the more the individual needs to ease back into training.
This means:
- Adjusting back into training volume.
Your body has time away from contractions, reps, loading and jumping back into the deep end isn’t always the best approach.
It will surely leave you very very sore.
- Adjusting back into training loads (weights.)
Yes, you’re strong. Yes, your strength may have taken a small dip with time away. Yes, your strength will come back.
Ego is trying to lift what you once did, or what others are lifting.
- Adjusting back into training intensity.
You may come back on what’s intended to be a high power output or more intense day. Does that mean you should follow that protocol after a layoff?
No.
Easing back into your training intensity will be another key factor.
All these factors combined help you ENJOY training and re-fall in love with the process.
If we make the mistake of too much volume, load and/or intensity we run the risk of making the return feel like “starting over” or extremely challenging, losing moral, leaving us incredibly sore and questioning whether we want to continue.
Ease back in.
Here’s How:
First week back – lower loading, volume and intensity to about 70% or a RPE (rate of perceived exertion) of 7 out of 10.
Walk away from training feeling good, like there is MORE in the tank.
(For those wondering, YES you will still get results!)
Each week depending on how you feel and your body is responding add 10% (80% week 2) or 1 RPE (next week an 8/10) until you work back up to what you feel is YOUR normal.
This is a successful re-entry into training.
Mistake to avoid: Coming back after a few weeks + off and going too fast, too hard and doing too much.
#3 – PICK YOUR SET DAYS OF THE WEEK AND STAY COMMITTED
We need #1 and #2 but they both fall short if we come back once and don’t return for another week or two again.
We need to remain consistent each week, stacked on weeks into months over time.
Select your optimal training days of the week and if your schedule allows your optimal set time.
If you need more flexibility with setting your time, pick a best time and your backup plan time.
Plan your next day the day before AND stay committed to SHOWING UP to train.
Each session you build momentum. You stack tiny wins on top of each other.
Call on your coaches, or fellow members for accountability support if needed.
After a few weeks to a month of a smart reintegration to training and showing up consistently you’ve set the routine/pattern you need to follow.
Your “back on the horse” so to speak.
Mistake to avoid: Not consistently returning multiple days in a week but returning one day and then allowing the same cycle to take course.
Don’t believe me?
What’s the #1 Regret of the Elderly?
Not Prioritizing their health/body.
Watch here: