Are you struggling for motivation in your training during ISO?? (Or everyday life for that matter!).

by Coach Karl.

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If you’re currently bogged down and sick of life indoors during these times (#level4problems), don’t stress. You aren’t alone.

It is quite normal to have ebbs & flows to your training regime, even in “normal” circumstances let alone in times like these.

I get it. I go through the exact same thing as everyone else. One day I’m pumped to workout and the next the motivation isn’t as high. One day I feel like my usual self fitness wise and the next I feel so unfit and beat up from a workout that I think I’m losing all my “CrossFitness”. It. Is. Normal to go through this.

It’s not so much the case of having those ups & downs. They will come regardless. It’s more a case of how we deal with them. We need to ask first why these ups and downs are happening.

Are we putting too much pressure on ourselves to keep things the way they were when you were in the gym? Are we thinking we aren’t doing that well because times &/or strength are looking different from our “usual” figures? Are we just finding things so different that we never realised just how much we actually liked the in-gym environment and now the back garden just “isn’t the same”.

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Well to put things bluntly, it's time for us to snap out of it.

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The first thing we need to address is that (right now) we are living in a different world. It will change back at some point, we don't know when, but for the time being let’s try to embrace being told to stay and workout at/near home, or wherever you do your fitness (within 5km!). Do it regularly. - Like 3-5 times a week regularly!

It is totally normal to feel like you are “losing” your fitness &/or strength. But what isn’t normal is the fact we may beat ourselves up for it. Try to be ok with the fact that the bent over row is now a staple in your regime and the jumping jack is now one of the more commonly used moves that you never thought you’d do when you first took up CrossFit.

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... "It is totally normal to feel like you are “losing” your fitness &/or strength. But what isn’t normal is the fact we may beat ourselves up for it" ....

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Instead of looking at the negatives of not being allowed outside in the "real" gym, try to instead find some goals or a focus in each daily workout you do.

For sure, dumbbell squats aren’t a barbell back squat BUT it is still a squat. That double under on your patio may feel more difficult than in the gym, BUT it is still skipping  Try to still find the usefulness & functionality in the moves you do for fitness, and make them the best quality move you can perform.

Use that hour a day that we have to promote some movement into your environment. I can guarantee that you WILL feel better for it.

Now, if you are on the other end of this spectrum and you find you are NOT even working out nearly as much as you’d like because the workouts aren’t the “same” as in the gym. Or you skip a workout because you don’t fancy going outside or you weren't impressed with the at-home modifications on offer because they “aren’t CrossFit”. (Is this ringing any bells?).

These reasons/excuses are just that. Excuses.

You are dead right, your home isn't the same as the CrossFit gym. It's your house. Let's embrace that. (And FYI, every movement, modified or not, IS in fact very much CrossFit).

The longer we leave it "till next week" to start the harder it will become to even start in the first place.

Just start now.

Something.

Anything.

Is your reason for not exercising because you are just “too busy” with work to possibly workout?  I urge you to look to book in a time slot into your day so you can move your body (every day) in some way. Try not to allow your work to dictate your entire life because they now have you on call 24/7 now you’re stuck at home. None of that is ok and in some ways there can even be an element of self sabotage in a way (to use work as the excuse). I know it is harsh to say yes, but work will be there tomorrow and you need to look after you (every. single. day) otherwise we risk burnout and are are in danger of letting our mood get derailed for what could be days/weeks.months on end.

If you cannot make either of the daily Zoom classes with the gym crew (CrossFit CBD Zoom crew we got you) then MAKE SOME TIME on your own!

It may be that family commitments cause you to miss out on classes but are they causing the entire 12-16 hours that you are awake to be taken up?

I get it, maybe you don’t always have 60 minutes free each day. Maybe sometimes you don't even have 30 mins to spare? No worries. Do 15 mins instead. Not even 15? Have you ever heard of the workout, 7 mins of burpees?? Just move!

I know what you may be thinking. It's easy for you to say that, your job is a coach, you have to say this, etc etc.

You're right. It is easy for me to SAY it.

However I am just like you and I too have struggles on the daily with scheduling a time to exercise as there are many commitments in life to deal with. BUT I choose to take the thought approach that i NEED to do something most, if not every, day in order for my body/mind to feel good for that day.

This is purely the hormonal response my body gives me once i have done something positive movement wise & I realise its importance. It is not always just a case of hitting the WoD. Some days it is simply getting out for a decent walk to stretch the legs and get some blood flow happening. No matter what I do I ALWAYS feel the better for the exposure to it. It is SO important that we keep our sprits high & physical movement is there key.

Our mental health relies on it.

Our physical well being relies on it.

Your loved ones closest to you rely on it.

And, if we are in any way to get back to a “normal” environment after the madness of lockdowns has gone (which FYI, it will go away), then we NEED to keep some form of healthy routine.

Here is a challenge for you to do TODAY. Grab your diary or calendar. Now go & set up your systems & schedule in for the next 3-4 days the time in the day just for YOU. Non-negotiable time that you will take for your own physical well being. It could be the Zoom class. It may be slap bang in the middle of the day. It may a case of starting with a simple walk if you cannot bring yourself to do a "WoD". That's cool. We can build it from there.

Need any help with that? Hit me up and I’ll help you get on track.

Karl 🙂