We were talking in the office this week, about our training plans, for the new year. We all agreed, it is important to attend training sessions, to try to regain our fitness levels of pre Christmas (pre snow in some cases) but, how we applied ourselves varied greatly. Some just went through the motions and found it a chore, others loved going to socialize but didn't really think about the effort applied. Then there was the one fit guy, that had a session plan and stuck to it rigidly. We think we have worked out a 3 point plan that could improve your training goals.
1. Why do you train? You need to answer this question first to be able to get the required benefit from the training sessions or plans. It could be many or just one of these:-
- To get in the team (attendance at training ensures selection)
- To get fit.
- To improve skills.
- To continue meeting new people.
- To lose weight.
It doesn't matter how many of the above apply but, you must have a valid reason to keep the motivation going.
2, Set yourself goals and targets. It may be obvious to our keen fitness friend in the office but, most of our colleagues had no goal to work to. Whether the goal is to lose a few pounds or to make the first team, you must make the goal achievable and measurable. Don't set a target of being able to run a marathon in under 3 hours, within 6 weeks, if you have no experience of running previously. This could be achieved, agreed but, it is highly unlikely and to high a target to set at the outset. An alternative would be to aim for 5 miles in 60 minutes, within the first 6 weeks. If you are going for weight loss, aim for small targets, within your overall goal........so, if the plan is to lose 28lbs in 2 months, break it down into smaller chunks and set weekly targets. Remember though, for weight loss, it is generally easier to lose weight at the beginning, so do not get disheartened when the weight loss slows down.
3, Make it fun and have a training partner. Obvious again? Not to everyone. We have colleagues that play in teams but, at team training, find themselves isolated when working on their fitness. Try to get a team mate of similar size, fitness level and most important, with similar goals to try to push each other. Your enthusiasm will rub off on your training partner and vice versa but, when things get tough your support will be invaluable. If you enjoy jogging, swimming or working out at the gym, it is far easier to have someone to go with and if their goals are similar to yours then all the better. Have you set yourself a target for the new year? How do you plan on achieving this? Let us know about your own training plans and if things get tough, what did you do to ensure you kept attending the training sessions? Did you use any special
training equipment to help achieve your goal?
