Hello friends~
Are you feeling the pressure to adopt the “new year, new you” mentality? And on top of that, are you being told you should find joy in everything you do? You absolutely don’t need to reinvent yourself. And feeling joyful, motivated, or enthusiastic doesn’t have to be a part of working out or training.
Showing up is where it starts. Do the boring stuff, and keep doing it. Feel weird at the gym along with those people who seem to know exactly what to do (they don’t). Or you can workout/train at home with a coach live, virtually (with me!), or along with legit coaches in on-demand videos (my on-demand QuickSets library is growing!)
Be aware that some fitness coaches make video workouts look easy and perfect. Maybe the intention is to inspire people. Aspirational…but I think that can backfire, potentially making you feel less than, or a failure before you even start.
Here’s the truth:
You don’t have to love the work, or aspire to perfection.
Some of the most important training is quiet and unremarkable. It doesn’t look impressive and it doesn’t deliver instant gratification. It’s steady. Repetitive, even boring. It’s essential stuff. Here’s new research finding a correlation that more muscle = a younger brain.
Your body is the house you live in, and this work is like building the foundation.
No one can see the foundation once the house is built. It’s not there for admiration or compliments. But everything depends on it. Skip it, rush it, and cracks show up later.
Here’s how to do it – and don’t be a jerk to yourself if you can’t always get workouts in consistently, or if you have to take time off. Kids, work, illness, travel…whatever you do counts. Get back to it when you can:
A long, steady Zone 2 rowing session maybe once a week, is an example of a boring, but important part of training. It builds the aerobic base that supports everything else. It strengthens the heart, improves endurance, and makes those harder HIIT efforts possible. It’s brick by brick, and ideally should comprise about 80% of all of your training volume. These are time-consuming, so do whatever you realistically can.
Short bouts of high intensity intervals a couple of times a week (indoor rowing really is the perfect way to get these done too!) would comprise about 20% of your training. I like these because they’re quick.
A 20 minute lifting session 2-3 times a week (compound exercises like squats, pushups, and rows that target multiple joints at once), using weight that takes you to your challenge at 8-12 reps, with rest time between sets. Brick by brick. I like these too, because I can usually manage fit in 20 minutes a couple of times a week.
Slow, intentional floor exercises, any time, any number of days with only body weight, will strengthen and stabilize your core. Not flashy movements. Not chasing a burn. Control, breath, and time under tension – you’re building your house brick by brick, board by board, creating stability and strength you can rely on.
The work is often not very exciting. But sometimes it is!
You don’t have to love it, but I promise you will never regret a workout.
Sometimes it’s really boring – especially those long zone 2 rows. I know some people love long steady rows, or runs, but not me.
You are worth every minute of it, whenever you’re able to get it done.
Real growth comes from doing the work even when it feels unremarkable, and even sometimes uncomfortable. You don’t have to love it. The process is the point.
Build the foundation well.
It’s your house. You deserve to live in a good one.
x
Polli
