Fitness - November

Training during the “busy” season (if you’re lucky enough to have a “not busy” season!)

marathon workouts into smaller, more regular (and more intense) sessions may be as simple a solution as it gets.

Another thing you could consider is that, while it’s beneficial and you definitely have more options, you don’t actually need to train in a gym. Training at home could save you a huge amount of time by eliminating the travel time to/from the gym. So, if time’s the issue, consider training at home – bodyweight or some basic home gym equipment is really all you need to get an amazing workout, and for general fitness and weight loss, there’s no need for big weights.

(If your goal is purely strength, then yes, you may need a gym or a bit more weight to lift at home, but it’s still entirely doable, and if you’re a competitive power lifter, time probably isn’t an issue for you). So, give it a try – schedule in some shorter workouts and push yourself. If you need some help with programming, get in touch and let’s get you set up with a plan that works for you.

So, the nights are darker, the weather is colder and wetter, you’ve got shopping to do and people to see. When, oh when will you be able to fit in your training?!

There’s a good chance you’re actually trying to train too much. For most people, 2-4 sessions a week is plenty, the key is to train HARD and make the most out of your gym time, not prance about taking selfies or posing in the mirror. If, like me, you’re busy and short on time, you’ll probably find that shorter, more intense workouts will work best for you; not hours in the gym each visit, just a quick 20-40 minute blast then out the doors to get on with your busy life.

My preference now is to have a good warm-up (5-10 mins of full-body mobility work, not just sitting on a bike or walking on a treadmill for 10 minutes), then work on something I want to improve (either a skill or some strength training), and then blast some kind of circuit for 10-20 minutes of pure hard work.

Most days I’m in and out of the gym in 45 minutes or less and probably get more work done than most of the people in there for over an hour. I discovered a long time ago that I (personally) get bored using the traditional “sets and reps” type workouts, waiting for 60-90s (or more) between sets… I’ve always preferred to keep moving and get more work done.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely a place for “sets and reps” type training, it’s just not for everyone and it isn’t the most time-efficient if you’re limited on available gym time. So with the festive season approaching and an abundance of food and drink teasing you everywhere you look, the last thing you want to be doing is skipping workouts because you haven’t got time, my advice is to make the time for some shorter workouts and push yourself a bit harder.

Be sensible, but work as hard as you can. Pick the most beneficial exercises and focus your efforts on them – that means squats and deadlifts are IN, bicep curls and crunches are OUT! Resistance/strength work is far more beneficial and time-efficient than long runs or walking.

Also, it’s quite possible that whilst you struggle to find the time for a 60-90 minute workout 2 or 3 times a week, you may actually be able to find 20-30 minutes most days, if not every day, so splitting up your Mark www.MBonlinePT.com @MarkBroadbentPT