So it's 2012 and we've all probably over-indulged and under exercised (me included). Personally I have no problem with going easy for a little while, particularly when you've been pushing hard for the whole year with work, personal commitments and exercise. The challenge then simply becomes getting back on track, getting refocussed, setting some goals and getting into great shape with some sustainable and healthy habits. Simple right?!
Since returning from my break in Bali back in September, I found myself struggling a little. I had been sick for 7 weeks leading up to the trip, then went away for 3 weeks, got a stomach bug and was a mess for another 2 weeks until the anti-biotics got rid of the nasties. I lost fitness, strength and muscle mass. Many regulars in the gym would have lost their minds if this had happened to them. Especially the heavy lifting, grunting types who live with a constant phobia of missing a session and therefore shrinking back in size to looking like a weed over night. So for me there was a good couple of months where I wasn't working out much if at all. Did I panic? No. I've always encouraged my clients to listen to their bodies and honour what they can deliver on a given night. Of course it's important to have a goal and plan and to do everything you can to stick to it, if you want to see results, but I've never been a proponent of the "harden up sunshine" approach to training, unless you never work hard or push yourself to a sweat and breathlessness, in which I case, "harden up sunshine". If your body is never pushed beyond it's limits, it will have no impetus to change or improve. Your body will believe it's fine how it is and stay in it's comfort zone. That's just a fact.
Most of you know that I pay close attention to how you feel when you roll up for a training session, and will actively adjust the intensity of the session accordingly. Always psyche yourself into having a huge session, but if you're fighting off a bug/ had a sleepless night/ were berated by your boss in front of others/ lost a pet etc, then smashing you into a pulp would not only have little benefit but would likely be damaging on some level. So still come to train, be honest with me on how you are feeling and leave the rest to me. I'll make sure you leave feeling better than when you came in. That's my job and my commitment to you.
So what's next? 1. Grab a pen, a piece of paper and cup of green tea. 2. Take 10 mins away from everyone and everything and think about how you would like your life to look like in the next 1, 3, 6 & 12 months. 3. Write down three areas of you life you want to improve. Choose from Family/Social, Vocation, Money, Personal Development, Emotional, Partner, Spiritual and make sure one of them is Health. 4. Write down in bullet point the things that come to mind for each of the 3 areas you chose. Be specific, make the goals measurable, they should require evidence of their achievement along the way, make you responsible, have a time-frame attached, be inspirational and emotional (i.e. you get excited at the prospect of achieving these things and can imagine how proud you would feel when you look back on the work done after having achieved your goals). 5. Share with me your Health goals so I can make sure we are in sync and you are getting out of your sessions what came for. 6. Have an awesome 2012.
If any of you need more support with goal setting or coaching in areas of your life that aren't health-related, then let me know and I can talk to you about the coaching process and how I can help.
Many of you are used to working hard and having me stand there near you looking relaxed and rarely raising a sweat. For those of you who want to see me working hard either for inspiration or to feel a sense of revenge, take a look at this video clip of Megan and I in boxing training with our coach Dave. This is something those of you who have done boxing training in particularly will appreciate.
Enjoy. :-)
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