How do you keep your training mojo going?
1. Find A Training Method That You Love
Let us delve into your psyche. Having you ever been taught something like art, singing, violin, hockey, football etc., and the teacher keeps on making you do drills that bore the ass off you. Even better, have you ever taken a subject at school and there is no way on this planet you can learn it as it just does not interest you?
This is similar to how your training mojo gets stood against a wall and shot. You want to get fit. You want to lose weight or whatever it is. You see a training method that millions of people profess to be the best. It works, there are photos and proof, plus all the reviews say so. Week one you love it, week two you stop doing it every other day, week three you avoid a couple of days by week four you dread it. Why? Because it is freaking boring as hell. It is not what you actually want to do.
You started running but 'everyone' tells you running doesn't build muscle and you should be building muscle. You stopped.
You started weight training, but 'everyone' told you to lift heavier until you actually dreaded failing. You stopped.
You started a system like P90Xor any other programme and it was mind blowingly hard. You can't do the moves and feel defeated.
Stop looking to other people to tell you what is best for you. Only you can decide this. If you like running . . RUN. It is a wonderful thing to do. Running is a great cardio exercise. Not only does it get you out and moving, but you do it at your own pace and after a while it becomes not only training but can also be meditative. If you want to build bigger muscles learn to sprint train. Research it all it isn't as if there aren't a gozillion articles and books on how to run/sprint/do marathons etc.
Find something you actually love doing and allow yourself all the time you need to become the best you possibly can at it. People stick to what they love.
2. Learn Your Limit
Always go at a pace that suits you. For instance, if you are, let's say, lifting as heavy as you can, even though it is KG's/LB's behind what you perceive as the weight you should be lifting KNOW YOUR LIMITS. It is great to push yourself to progress. It is a fool who tries to push themselves beyond what they are capable of too soon. This can lead to serious body damage.Leave your ego locked away before you start your training.
3. Stop Trying To Keep Up With The Experts
If you have started any form of training program do not try and keep up with the instructor/pro's. Learn what you can do with your body and what areas of training you need to progress in. Use assistance when you train, if needed, such as resistance bands for pullups/dips, blocks in yoga etc. Any professional athlete/trainer that is good will tell you that you only get good by starting at the beginning and working your body to get better.
4. Beware of Workouts Routines
Ever seen those workouts on-line like this:
Warrior Workout
400 pushups
200 lunges
100 pullups
300 dips
40 burpees
repeat 5 times.
If you have problems doing 10 pushups then these are not for you! I have noticed a lot of these type of routines especially in calisthenics and they are HARD. As a beginner doing 15 pullups is torturous if not impossible and these routines can leave you feeling like you have failed. You haven't, you have just taken on too much too soon.
If you want to learn calisthenics make up your own basic routine which should incorporate pushups, squats, pull-ups and dips. Begin by doing small number sets ie 5 reps of each exercise and repeat for 15 minutes, then you can up your game by competing with yourself.
5. Is This Exercise Helping Or Harming?
There are many exercises out there that are pretty much of no plausible good for your body, they may be popular and may even be practised at some gyms but you may end up injured or cause your body imbalances through ignorance. If you want to aid your fitness find out about functional movements. We as humans naturally climb, run, pick up heavy things, swim, walk, dip down, jump, squat but there are certain training methods out there that are very questionable. As stated above do your research on whether a certain exercise will harm of help.
6. Stop Feeding Yourself Mojo Assassination Thoughts
Stop "believing" you can do this and start KNOWING. Belief is what people have for fairies, unicorns and Santa. Knowledge is solid. Know you are getting fitter. Know that you are getting slimmer.
Desist with the assassination talk of things are too hard, results are not happening fast enough, you are not good enough or, the worst of all "I can't . . . . ". You can, you will, you know it.
7. No Pay, Still Gain
Many people stop training as they find a myriad of excuses not to go to the gym ie too expensive, too crowded, too far away, too full of know-it-alls, no parking (really you drive. Get a bike) etc. The answer is ludicrously simple. Train at home in your garden, bedroom, garage, spare room, the choice is yours. You DO NOT need equipment to start training. You may progress to building up a home gym, but all you need for now is your body and a maybe a timer. Heck, you don't even need training gear. You can build your body strength and shape through calisthenic and can do that butt naked if you so chose. Push ups, squats, burpees, jumping jacks, plank, yoga need no equipment.
8. Am I There Yet?
When you were a kid on a journey with your parents, did you keep asking "are we there yet?". Only to be told "NO, WE ARE STILL NOT THERE" and the journey would seem to last a lifetime. Can you guess what could possibly be stopping you from seeing the results in your body you want? IMPATIENCE!
If you have read in a brochure/seen a commercial /noticed a "latest thing" on line that doing XYZ training will get the results YOU want in 30 days and you truly believe you can drop 15 kgs, get six pack abs and a contoured body and be able to maintain this all from scratch, within that sort of timeline then click your heels 6 times Dorothy as you are no longer in Kansas. Meanwhile, back in the real world, you have to teach yourself that gentle progress, no matter how slow, is how to keep your body beautiful. We have to work and enjoy working, at making our bodies our temples. If you don't like the work, go back to paragraph #1.9. Stop Comparing Yourself To Others
Unless you are Dana Linn Bailey, Larissa Reis, Matus Valent, Vinn Diesel then you will NOT have their bodies and, if you do, keep an eye on your front window as the police will be there to question you soon. You keep your mojo ignited by loving your body no matter what stage of the game you are at. This body you own, in its present condition, is the body that is going to get you to the body destination you are aiming for. There is no problem in being inspired by what others have achieved, in fact nodding your head and thinking how awesome they have enabled themselves to be can add fuel to your stoked mojo furnace. Just don't wish to be them and have their bodies. Know that you are you and are capable of making your fitness, health and body supreme.
10. No One Is Judging you
You are the only person that has any true sway on what you do. This applies to your body, your education, your career, your happiness etc. Sure, you can blame others taking away from yourself any power over yourself or your life, but, you are not going to do that as you have an inner strength that is way more dominant than any of this petty stuff.
If you are hurt or upset by what someone says about you that is your choice. Yes, you have a choice in all. Only you allow yourself to be hurt. Only you allow your mind to dwell on irrelevancies like what someone else may be thinking. As the saying goes, what others think of you is none of your business. The sooner you learn you are a supremely powerful person, you are in control of your own thoughts, your own deeds and the only judgement you care about is the one you give yourself.
.. . . . and if you think you are too old, too ill etc just click this link!
To keep your mojo going. Do what you love, love what you do, allow yourself to enjoy the journey, know you are an amazing capable being and you will get so much out of this.
ENJOY!
Love and hugs
Cathi
