Don't let the fuckers drag you down
Thoroughly bored of the pandemic lockdown/reopen/lockdown debacle and everything in between, it’s natural to feel pretty fed up. Also it’s January 🤣🙃 so not a favourite time for most as it is! Unlike the summer lockdown, we don't have the lovely weather. Days are short and people are feeling isolated BUT a vaccine is making it’s way round. So we know this lockdown won't last too long 🙈 I may be eating those words in future but let’s hope not!
In the meantime, perhaps there’s a few things you might look at trying to keep motivation up. Let’s talk specifically about training. Is there anything you’d like to achieve that can be done with limited or no equipment? Would you like to learn how to do push ups? Would you like to manage 100 squats a day for 30 days? Perhaps like me you might like to take this opportunity to focus on weak links in bigger movements. For me, improving my overhead pressing strength is paramount at the moment. Also, having more muscular arms in general will provide greater joint stability for bench pressing and power for rows. With this in mind i’m performing 200 bicep curls and 200 tricep extensions daily for a month. I’m 11 days in and struggling a bit! It does happen but I keep a note book where I log my progress. I keep it by my laptop so I don't deviate. I feel the need to not give up…especially as I know one thing I currently have plenty of is time 😅
In this note book I’ve taken ownership of my health by noting each day that I haven't drunk alcohol and that I’ve completed work tasks that required my attention. I just did a workout and now it feels great to tick off another day. It’s pretty monotonous, it’s repetitive and at times boring and a total drag! But in a way this is the beauty of it…easy to follow, limited thinking involved, and the kind of thing I’d never do if the gyms were open and I had a lot of toys available to play with. So, get yourself a notebook and pen. Plan a day in the next week that you’re going to come up with your proposal and set an hour in your calendar to plan. BUT keep it simple. I have a few suggestions:
10 stair climbs
50 reverse lunges (each side)
100 squats
20 push ups - check out my youtube channel for step by step guide
1 mile walk in under 15min
4 mile walk in under 60min
Max plank hold - aim to add 5s each time
You’ll need to think about your activity frequency - every day is ideal as I firmly believe it will make a huge difference to your energy levels and drive. However, I understand this might not be possible. If this applies to you, which days WILL YOU commit to? Perhaps you’d like to do 2 activities? I wouldn’t go for more than that as consistency is the key here. Is this a 30 day challende? Perhaps even longer? I’d definitely go for at least 30 so you can see some real developments. It’s a little while…Give yourself too much to do it’s less likely to happen and you’ll feel rubbish about it. Once you’ve planned your activity, it’s time to get cracking. Write down in your notebook the reps, when completed write day… DONE. Plan to do this for the entire 30 days. Also note down anything else that you’d like to work on. For example ‘no chocolate’ or ‘no smoking’. Take ownership of your health, this is your little project to work on yourself and you’re CHOOSING to be positive.