I had an interesting but very important conversation with a few clients last night who are feeling a little "stuck" with their workouts. They're seeing strength improvements, but also feel like coming to the gym to workout is getting mundane and not as exciting as it once was. They felt they needed a new goal, something to strive for and something to get excited about.
But there was something else that really hit me that doesn't really get discussed often enough with clients. My clients told me that sometimes they feel like they need a break from the gym, some time away so they can regroup, take care of themselves, and (hopefully) get excited and ready to come back to the gym a week later. Unfortunately, there's a guilt that accompanies a "break" from the gym, like she shouldn't be missing any workouts at all even if her mind and body are telling her that is what she needs.
This needs to change.
I feel this way sometimes too. Particularly being in the fitness industry, I feel a strong pressure to workout everyday, for a longer period of time, and ultimately ignore the signals my body is sending me. This is not a healthy pressure, nor is it realistic or beneficial. We have become so conditioned to ignore the signals our bodies are telling us, push through the discomfort (physical or emotional), and ultimately end up putting ourselves behind our goals, low on energy and burned out. Stop it.
Your body is (usually) a very well designed machine with signals built in to tell you how you should be treating yourself. If you're hungry, you should eat. If you're tired, you should rest. If you're burned out you should take some time away from the gym, regaining motivation and desire to workout again. Sometimes this takes a week. Sometimes it takes a month.
The point is, it's not always healthy to be in the gym every week, year after year. It is okay to spend time away, to find yourself and your goals, and to regenerate. It's time you listen to your body. Start with the small signals, and continue to listen to the little signals your body is sending you. They're important.
If you are one of those people who need some time away from the gym, I would recommend trying something new. Try kayaking, rock climbing (I'm a fan of bouldering myself!), paddle boarding, bike riding, or swimming. Get outside, try something new, and have fun.
If you are one of those people who is feeling up to a workout, you're in luck! Here is your weekend workout:
Go through this circuit 3-4 times, depending on your fitness level. The intervals are 50 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest. You will need dumbbells, and a bar or table top you can do body rows on.
Bent over row
3D Pushup
Squat Press
Body Row
Squat Kicks
Reverse Crunch
Strength component - After you complete this circuit, complete the following exercises in 20/15/10 reps:
Reverse Lunges
Overhead Press
Wall Sit + Bicep Curl
Complete 20 reps of each exercise, then 15, then 10.
Exercise Descriptions:
Bent over row: Begin standing tall with dumbbells in your hands. Hinge forward at your hips (not quite to 90 degrees) and bring your elbows towards the ceiling in a row, keeping the elbows close to your ribcage and squeezing your shoulder blades. Return to start. That's one rep.
3D Pushup: Begin in a pushup position, with your hands close together under your chest. Drop into a pushup and return to start. Move your hands under your shoulders and drop into another pushup. Last, move your hands outside of your shoulders and drop into another pushup. That's one rep. You can also do these from your knees.
Squat press: Feet are just outside of shoulder width, weights are held at shoulder height. Stick your butt out, and drop into a squat while keeping the weights up. You can turn your toes out slightly to keep your knees from "kissing," or collapsing in. Return to standing and press the weights above your head. Return to start. That is one rep.
Body Row: grab on to the bar just outside of should width, and hang below the table or bar with your feet on the ground. Pull yourself up, trying to touch your chest to the bar or table. Think of this as the reverse of a pushup.
Squat kicks: Begin with feet just outside of shoulder width, with toes pointed slightly out. Maintaining good squat form (tight core, shoulder blades pulled back), drop into as low of a squat as is comfortable for you. Upon standing, kick one leg out in front. Drop into another squat, and kick the other leg out when you stand back up. Keep alternating kicks with each squat.
Reverse Crunch: Laying on your back, place your hands under your tailbone for low back support if you'd like. Straighten your legs, extending your feet towards the ceiling. Keeping your legs straight, and lower them towards the ground, being sure to keep your lower back flat on the ground. If you feel your lower back begin to arch, you've gone too far. Return to start. That's one rep.
Reverse Lunges: Begin in a comfortable standing position. With one leg, take a large step back and drop your hips down towards the ground, bending both knees. Be sure to press through your front heel and don't allow the front knee to go over the toe. Return to start, then step back with the other leg, maintaining good lunge form. Continue to alternate legs.
Overhead Press: Standing with feet hip width apart, and weights held at shoulder height, keep your core tight and press the weights up overhead, and return them to shoulder height.
Wall Sit Plus Bicep Curl: Lean against a wall with the weights in your hands. Keep your back against the wall and walk your feel away from the wall slightly. Slowly slide down the wall until your knees are at 90 degrees, and while keeping your back pressed against the wall and your weight pressed into your heels, curl the weights (keep those elbows glued to your ribcage and only bend your elbows).
Message or email me with questions. Keep track of those reps you do, so you can see how you improve over time. Have FUN!
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