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It's almost needless to say, but this stupid virus has ruined regular training routines for thousands and thousands of people (with gym shutdowns), and has also had a significant impact on people's motivation to continue to work out without their gym access.
Thankfully, we're starting to see some gyms, in some places, open back up. But for those who are still dealing with wrecked training routines and damaged motivation, here are a few things you can do to get back into a routine, and to help stay motivated.
Buy a New Toy:
Of course, I'm talking about a piece of training equipment when I say "toy". Now is the PERFECT time to learn how to use something new and different. It is almost always beneficial to change up your training routine every once in a while and put your body through different ranges of motion and stressors that it isn't used to. New things can also be extremely exciting to your brain (it's a psychological thing) so it'll give you an extra boost to get back to training! You just have to actually use it.
Never used a TRX? There are hundreds of exercises you can perform! As long as you aren't paying for a gym membership, you might as well pick one up online and learn how to use it! Ever worked with Wobble Boards or Wobble Pads? They great for balance and stability work! They also happen to be extremely inexpensive. Bands are great for at-home use, and have many valuable uses! Maybe you should purchase a virtual yoga membership and start working on your flexibility and mobility in an online instruction environment.
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Pretend Nothing Changed
Sure, you may not ACTUALLY be going to work today. Even if you are, your stop at the gym on your way home may not be possible. So? Pretend like life is moving forward just as it was a few months ago (it will be that way again soon enough). If you used to work out in the morning before work, but you don't go to work anymore, pretend like you're going to. Set you alarm, wake up, do your workout when you normally would. This will help you build a daily routine and ensure that you stay consistent. It'll also give you a reason to get up in the morning and get your day started. While we all like to complain about busy schedules, they can be extremely valuable for accomplishing important things.
If you used to work out with a friend, continue to do so! No one said that two people can't get together and workout. Call up your friend and find a time to work out together. Now you aren't just motivating yourself, your also motivating someone else.
Plan Your Own Event & Do It
Maybe you were planning on doing your first Ultra OCR between March and July and now you can't. Well, yeah, maybe you can't do an Ultra OCR exactly, but there is NO REASON you can't do an Ultra. Heck, you can even throw in some small obstacles or workout stations throughout to make it more like the event you were going to do.
Plan it out. Mark it down on your calendar. Set a start time. If you're really ambitious, set your own cutoff times. Tell your family and friends you won't be available that day. Train for it! Buy some sports drinks and some fuel at the grocery store. If you need an aid station, ask a friend of family member to help you set something up and maybe hang out while you're doing the event...if they can't sacrifice 1/3 of 1 day of their life to help you, you have bigger problems.
Join An Activity Community Like Strava
While I am personally on Strava, as are millions of others, the ONE THING you need to keep in mind about it is this: You SHOULD NOT EVER compete with others in your training. Training is training. If it were competing, it would be called competing. If you are a mid-tier athlete, and you hop on Strava and start trying to compete with top-tier athletes, you're going to get messed up.
That being said, there are virtual races held on Strava (more so now than ever). Joining one of those events could be a great motivator for you, and you might even have an opportunity to win some prizes. I've been working with Salming for over a year now, and they have a Virtual Race group that anyone can join.
Even if you don't want to do any virtual races, it can be a great motivator to see all of your training data in one place, see cumulative training information, and see what other people are doing. While I still say you should not compete against others in your training (you should train smartly and efficiently for your specific goals), it can be a helpful motivator to see others plugging away at their goals everyday. It may just be the kick you need to train more consistently.
Off you go!
At Trio Fitness OCR, we provide custom OCR programming for those who know that working with a coach could be beneficial for them. We develop programs to match your specific goals, and we do everything we can to keep our clients motivated and constantly working toward their goals in the sport of OCR. We have different programming options, so go check them out and get signed up!
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Joel Hayes (Coach & Article Author)
Luke Hayes (Coach)