What do they say? ‘Failing to plan is planning to fail’?
It might seem tedious or unnecessary, but I strongly believe that these 5 steps are the difference between building a strength training routine that is SUSTAINABLE rather than one that FIZZLES OUT.
1️⃣Got really clear on my why- I don’t
just mean WHY it’s good for you, but WHY it’s important to you. This is the stuff you will come back to when motivation is running low.
2️⃣Understood what strength training is and what it isn’t- this will help you prioritise how you move your body each week and stop you from wasting your time with stuff you THOUGHT was considered strength training (when it wasn’t)
3️⃣ Learned the key principles of strength training – this is what differentiates it from other types of training, and gives it’s unique benefits. Principles like lifting heavy enough, progressive overload and frequency/intensity are all important concepts to get your head around.
4️⃣ Decided HOW you’ll train- Well, not just HOW but WHEN and WHERE. There are so many options, but getting clear on what will work for your schedule, budget and personality is key. Also, don’t underestimate the power of a Community.
5️⃣Defined my bare minimum – When we start a new project, we can jump in firing on all cylinders. This can lead to an all or nothing mentality that doesn’t allow for life’s curveballs. Defining your bare minimum (i.e what you will still do, even on your worst days/weeks) is the key to all or SOMETHING rather than nothing.
Now for the high achievers of the bunch:
🔥6️⃣ Identified potential obstacles and plan how you will overcome them – We can’t predict all of the obstacles but we can guess a few – kid home sick from school, bad night’s sleep, weights in the garage / out of sight – these can all be friction points that prevent us from getting a session done. Identify these and make a specific plan for how you will overcome them. Keep adding to the list as new obstacles present themselves. It will give you brain less of an opportunity to talk you out of it.