Work or Workout? Is There Realy a Choice?

Stephanes’ week:

As I start writing posts for this blog more and more I find myself deep in thought on actually how much working out surrounds my life and how I am constantly thinking about how to work out efficiently around work.

So this post we will focus on how we schedule and manage our workout around life.

I had a bad week this week. Thursday and Saturday were the only days I trained this was caused due to me starting a new job as a learning mentor. Working Monday to Friday left me feeling restless. so I now have to adjust my workout time-table around work and muster up energy to do things after work.

Thursday morning I woke up feeling under the weather (being off work unplanned you would think I would wake up with a spring in my step), lets just say relationships are hard. After not working out for a good 4 days - due to me starting a new job - I tricked myself into working out, then again tricked myself going to kickboxing later on.

‘Tricking myself ’ is a term I will mention often as I write more posts. This is a technique I created when I don’t feel like working out but I know I should, It’s simple but effective.

I don't like doing a half a job so if you get me to do any job I will complete it to the best of my capabilities. And the same applies for my workout.

So the days I don’t feel like working out I tell myself “just do 1 quick set and at least I can say I have done something”. So I do, but I then think to myself “You can't just do 1 that's not even something, do one more”, so I do one more, but then I think “3 is a set, and you have done 2 so you have to do a 3rd set”, so I do the last of the 3 sets. By this time my muscles have been activated and blood is pumping and I am left telling myself “You have now done 1 set and done only 1 thing, you have to keep going do something else” and from there on out a workout is created through me ‘tricking myself.

Weeks like this I don’t beat myself up about not workout as my body and brain is getting used to work and what baggage comes with it; travel, location, hours, waking up times, over time and energy output for the day plus other factors. But this is not a recurring excuse that will be used to justify my laziness, I have done this week and I know the pattern of the weeks to come. I now have the basic blueprint of life with my new job, I can now tailor my workout around working life so that nothing is sacrifice. My ‘benifit of the doubt’ card has been used. No excuses!

Stefans’ Week:

 

After such a dreadful week last week I was determined to get back to my normal training routine. So it started well with football. A half 10 kick off and 90 minutes under my belt. What better way is there to start your week off?

When Monday came I’d already pre planned my schedule. I planned to go gym in the morning between 9 and 10:30 so I would have enough time to go home, get ready for work and pack my food for a 2 o’clock start. So as soon as I got up in the morning I went to the gym.

This regimen continued on Tuesday and Wednesday. Getting up in the morning, having my breakfast and leaving for the gym nice and early. So why was this important for me? Well I start work at 2 o'clock everyday, which sounds like a decent time right? Well I walk to work everyday so I'd have to leave at 12:45 to get to work on time. Which means I’d have to prepare my meal to take my food 12:15 at the latest, which means I would have to start getting ready at 11:30, which means I'd have to leave the gym at 11:15 latest, which means I'd have to get to the gym at 10:45 latest, which means I'd have to leave for the gym at 10:30 latest. I get up at around 7:30/ 8 o'clock everyday so that gives me a 2 hour period to have breakfast and get myself together before work. This is why I need a schedule. So I can make sure I can fit everything in before I go

to work. So why can't I go to the gym after work?

On Thursday I changed it up a little. I was tired when I woke up so I planned to go to the gym after work instead. So when I woke up I did 100 press ups 100 pull ups and 200 sit ups with the mindset to go gym after work. But due to finishing work late I didn't have time, I was really tired and I wasn't in the right mindset… I couldn't be bothered to be honest.

 

Earlier I asked why I couldn't go to the gym after work... And the reason is that I know myself and I most likely won't. I find it really difficult to motivate myself after work as it is physically draining and trying to drag myself to a place that is going to physically exert me is hard to face. The trick for planning your schedule is making sure it is achievable for you. That way you will achieve the best goals for yourself.

Saturday is the day Stephane and I go to the gym together. So this week I wanted to try something different so I decided to do his workout with him. You know it was going to be a hard session when he looks around the Gym, looks at a pull up and dip bar and says “we are gonna spend most of the day on there". But I'm always up for a challenge.

So he starts off with a muscle up, dip and pull up combo for a “warm up” And then moves onto exercises such as pull ups, dips, front lever pulls, press ups, handstand press ups, leg raises and sit ups. That's right. Not once did we use a weight. I was out of my comfort zone, but it was a good workout.

This week highlights the importance of utilising time and using that to plan your training week no matter the obstacles in your life. Work, school, kids. There is always time to train, it’s just about knowing yourself as a person and using your knowledge of self to do what needs to be done. Eliminating excuses and creating success.