Avoid THESE Workout Mistakes In The New Year

This time of year is a great opportunity to discuss ideas that really are applicable for any time you train. The difference is people tend to be a bit more motivated and focused on fitness because it feels like a fresh start for many. So, not only are we going to give you concepts and strategies that help you achieve those New Year’s resolutions, but they work in any point of your fitness journey. 

More Is NOT Better

Often when I would have new clients come in around this time of year or right after the new year I would ask them a simple question, “how many days a week do you think you can commit to working out?”

This was an important question because it would help develop their training program as well as what we would prioritize while they weren’t at the gym or working out. Inevitably, I would hear a lot of “every day if I need to” responses. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I knew that they not only couldn’t adhere to such a schedule, but it was both damaging to their goals and they really hadn’t thought about it. 

The reality is consistency is more important than frequency, although they are actually connected. I say that consistency is more important because many well meaning workout programs start off like this…

“I’m going to workout six days a week!”

The first week, you feel like a rockstar, you got all six days in and you are rocking and rolling. The second week, shoot, a meeting came up at work you didn’t expect and you had to miss a day you had planned, this week you only got five days in of training. The third week, one of your kids gets sick, you also had to run over to another of your kids events. Shoot, this week got even more away from you and you only got three days in!

Now you not only aren’t meeting your goals, but you start to go from rockstar to failure. Once these negative emotions start they snowball and you start getting REALLY hard on yourself. Such negative self-talk has been association with increase cortisol levels (hormones that when become chronically elevated hurt our health and fitness goals), they also have been shown to raise anxiety, depression, and our ability to focus. All things that can really damage our ability to achieve those goals. 

Sometimes we are our biggest bullies!

Having unrealistic goals is one thing, but the desire to try such a schedule stems from the idea if x number of days is good then 2x will get me double the results. In reality, the body and training don’t work this way. In fact, a study found that when volume of work was similar during the week there was no difference in training 3 versus 4 days a week (PMID: 31531139). 

Finding a schedule of training that is flexible and realistic that allows you to build habits and consistency is FAR more important than trying to get in what you think is the “perfect training schedule” (spoiler alert, such a schedule doesn’t exist). 

Build A Well Rounded Program That First Focuses On Foundations

Okay, I’m cheating, there are two key concepts here…the first is that people do better if their programs are well rounded. What do I mean? Instead of focusing on body part splits (only really appropriate if your life is going to based around a bodybuilding lifestyle and you are going to also get pharmaceutical assistance) place emphasis on trying to have balance of the 7 foundational movement patterns, those squat, hip hinge, lunge, push, pull, rotation, locomotion (we have a nice example by John Rhodes below). Don’t freak out that this won’t build any “real” muscle on you either. In fact, I would argue such training will hit MORE muscles because they require more of the body to work and this helps us not only build muscle and strength, but stability, mobility, and body fat loss. 

Focusing on foundations is key, even if you think you may know them really well, it is good to recycle through a phase with that a fresh look at the movements. For the hip hinge that would be a deadlift, a squat might be a front loaded or goblet squat, a press could be a push-up or arc press (we can press horizontally or vertically), and so forth. Why do so?

I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked to consult for another fitness professional on their workout or their client who was struggling and even having pain. SO many times the issue was they forgot keys to the exercises they were performing because they were in such a rush to just get to the next “level” of training. A LOT can be accomplished in not just doing the foundations well, but also really understanding what they are teaching. 

Aim For 45-60 Minutes With EVERYTHING!

One of the BIGGEST obstacles so many people have with being consistent is time. Today time should be the smallest factor it has ever been. That is because if you can get to a gym that is great, but so many of the tools and ideas we share can be used for a home workout too! The idea you have to spend an hour just getting to the gym to train is now over. This is awesome because it means more people can find out how life a healthier lifestyle. 

With that said, the other issue is that people often don’t come in with a good plan. Planning is where my background in education and creating curriculums comes in (I was really good at this back in the day). In actuality, what I am going to share with you is a combo of that experience and what I learned from my days of coaching basketball (almost my career path). Take a time period you can commit to (I recommend 45-60 minutes) and set it into individual blocks. Let’s take the example of an hour. 

0-10 minutes: myofascial stretching, nervous system regulation drills (example below and learn more about MIM HERE)

10-20 minutes: stability focused drills with emphasis on integration of the core

 

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20-50 minutes: full body strength training circuit with balance between movement patterns typically 4-6 exercises

50-55 minutes: specific metabolic training (can be jump rope, battle ropes, stationary bike/rower intervals)

55-60 minutes: static stretching, integrated breathing exercises

Not only does such a plan allow you to realistically integrate the most important components of training, there are some additional benefits…

-You don’t waste time training 

-You learn to prioritize what is most effective for you

-There is greater purpose to your training in not just breaking your body down, but building it up to!

As we get closer to New Year’s and even after, we want you to feel like you can really accomplish those goals or help others do the same! That is why we hope you find these types of posts helpful! 

If you want to learn more, we hope you will join our 6-week Progressive Kettlebell Movement masterclass starting January 14th. Early bird pricing is running out so don’t miss out and get great CEUs and our PKM online kettlebell swing course for FREE HERE