Everything I do with my clients is based on progression. Everyone is assessed when they come in and each program is designed based on how their body moves and their level of fitness. Each exercise is prepping them for the next level, the next challenge.
Going to the next level can be scary, without someone to guide you. Sometimes you’re not sure when you’re ready. I know I was stuck in a “beginner” mindset for many years into may journey (perhaps it even lingered right up to the Inferno Challenge. But being challenged is a necessary part of the growth process.
Without challenge:
- You get bored.
- You lose focus.
- Your workouts start to seem like a chore.
- You stop seeing results.
Without challenge the dreaded plateau is more likely to present itself. The human machine is so smart. If given the same stimulus (exercise) it learns over time to do it with less and less energy, making it less and less effective. This doesn’t mean every workout needs to be completely different, but it does mean you need keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone on a fairly regular basis.
This doesn’t mean to just lift heavier and heavier weights. It’s about more than that. It’s about taking on new skills, new goals or new ways of approaching fitness. I’ve been thinking about taking it to the next level myself and here are some things I am pondering (and perhaps you could too):
- Running has never been easy for me. It took years to do my first 5K. I don’t necessarily see myself as a long distance runner but this could be the summer I get my 3.1 miles in under 30 minutes.
- I can’t swim. Even Brian didn’t know how this about me until our fun and fit vacation in Maui. I want to learn a new skill and take swim lessons.
- Groups have never been my thing. That’s why I am a personal trainer not a group fitness instructor. However a client of mine recently clued me in to how fun a local pole dancing class is. (Mind out of the gutter, it’s a good workout!) It might be time to step out of comfort zone and get social during my workouts.
What about you? Are you stuck? Are you ready to take things to the next level? How are going to step it this year?
