How to Keep Your Training Mojo Going

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

How To Get Fit Doing Only 15 Minutes Exercise A Day

I will, in the next minute of reading help you to get motivated and get fit. How?  By writing this . . 

• You don't need equipment.  
• It only takes 15 minutes a day.
• You don't need to go out and buy any special clothing.  
• No app is required to do this training.  
• You do not need to be on a special diet*.  
• You do not need hours of spare time.  
• You can do this workout any time of the day.  
• There is no fitness level requirements for this exercise. 
• You can do this exercise in your home, in your garden, in your friends garage, in the greenhouse, on the street, in the middle of a field . . there really is no need to have a special place either. You can do this naked if you wanted! 

* Obviously I am going to assume that you are taking stock of what you eat and have cleaned your diet up too!

All you need is a 15 minute count down, so use your watch, count in your head or just click  >>> HERE for a free online timer that looks like this 

You will need enough space, roughly about the size of a yoga mat (yoga mat is optional!)  

And a pencil and paper/ sticks/ your head or I use one of these tally clickers to keep track of my sets, which I find really useful (cheap as chips to buy too!).  The reason you use one, is to keep track of how many sets you perform and try to improve on that number each subsequent time.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

This workout is for everyone. From the person who gets out of breath climbing their stairs to the super buff wanting to up their endurance or if you just want to tone up.  More effort you put in, the better the results you come away with.

THE WORKOUT 

In your 15 minute workout you will be doing 2 exercises which is 1 set.  Each exercise will be done 5 times in a row (reps/repetitions).  To get the maximum benefit use as much intensity as you can muster.  

First Exercise

The Press Up/Push Up

If you have never done a press up in your life do not fear here is how you can learn. 

WITH BOTH EXERCISES REMEMBER AT ALL TIMES : 

The more explosively you push up, the more energy you use, the quicker you will start to become fitter.

Here are the progressive variations of push up for you.  When the variation you start with becomes easy (it takes only a couple of weeks) move on to the harder version, until you at the full form pushup:

Start by leaning against a wall leaning in (keeping legs straight) and pushing off as powerfully as you can:

#1 Wall Push Ups

Next progress to the flat legged pushup.  Lay on the floor, backs of feet facing the floor and push yourself up (similar to the cobra pose in yoga).  Allow yourself do drop then push up with force.

Flat Legged Push up

Then when this style becomes easy, you progress to push ups from the knee:

Push up from the knee

Finally,  you will be ready to do full form pushups, or if you are fit enough, just start with this.  Ensure to keep elbows close to side, hands by the side of your shoulders.  

Full Form Pushup

T so if you want to test your endurance and strength try doing dive bombers, hindu pushups, diamond pushups, inverted push ups . . there are many, many variations of pushup to be found  click this link >> HERE << for some more ideas!

SECOND EXERCISE

THE SQUAT

As with most things when it comes to bodyweight exercises there are varying difficulty levels, so it is with the squat.

If you have NEVER done a bodyweight squat before I advise you to start with the simple straight forward squat:

When performing the squat always remember to push through your heels NOT the balls of your feet.  A good way to test if you have the right position is to squat down and see if you can lift your toes up.  If not you are leaning too far forward.  Do not allow your knees to go further forward than your toes.

Lower yourself down, power up

If you find these easy try Hindu Squats

How to Do Hindu Squats 

If these are easy, try Pistol squats (this is a brilliant video by Al Kavadlo showing the progression, just click on his name and it will take you to his page where he explains in full how to do pistol squats)

Now you have your repertoire, 5 reps of pushup of choice, 5 reps of squat of choice repeat this (set) for 15 minutes. 

Always keep going for the whole time, it does not matter how slow it ends up being as long as you keep going.  Even if you only manage one set that will be one set more than you have done before. 1 squat and 1 press up . . . doesn't matter as long as you keep trying. It is a no fail workout.

If you are getting to around 40 sets, up the number of reps from 5 to 10 of each, then 10 to 20.  

If you want to ramp it up and use even LESS time try doing this tabata style, see my blog fat burning muscle building workout this will seriously test your metal.  For a bit of an eye opener here is a calculation we worked out of how effective each exercise is.

Good luck and may you find your fitness and endurance increasing at a rate of squats . . . (see what I did there).

Wishing you nothing but complete success.

With thanks and appreciation 

Cathi 

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