We’ve all encountered some form of fitness barrier in our lives, and the realisation that it takes a degree of mental toughness to haul ourselves through it – sometimes while kicking and screaming!
Here are 5 of the most common fitness barriers and my advice on how to overcome them.
LACK OF MOTIVATION
Whether you’re growing bored with your routines, your progress is plateauing, or your mental health is taking a hit, all of these factors affect your motivation and ability to see and feel the benefits of training.
FIND CLARITY.
Stop. Take a breath. What do you want? Why? Re-establish your direction to ground yourself. Strength draws from the foundation – reinforce it so that it can support you when you need it most.
SET SMALL GOALS & CELEBRATE THEM
Focus only on ‘right now’ and reward yourself for whatever mini goal you achieve. Compromise is not the enemy here. Doing something halfway is still 100% better than not doing it at all (other than form integrity, you should always keep that 100%).
PLAN YOUR SUCCESS
A clear plan allows you to mark off checkpoints along the way and assess how you’re progressing. Plans can always change but having one to begin with is the easiest way to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
IMPLEMENT POSITIVE HABITS
Positive habits sustain you, regardless of whether you’re inspired in the moment or not. Consistency in how you expel and restore your energies helps you to become the best version of yourself.
DEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES
While goals are the tangible milestones, priorities are the things you say yes or no to in order to achieve that goal. Priorities are important to keep everything in perspective when faced with temptations.
REMOVE DISTRACTIONS
Do you find you open Instagram to delay starting a workout? Delete the app temporarily until you’ve finished your session. Be aware of your roadblocks and remove them to give yourself a clear run. How can you help yourself?
LACK OF TIME
We’ve all wished that we could hit ‘pause’ to get on top of life at one stage or another, or that there are more than 24 hours in a day. With so many responsibilities demanding our attention, it’s all too common that our training is the first thing we abandon.
FIND THE GAPS
Can you identify any pre-existing 20–30-minute time slots available in your weekly schedule? While it may not be ideal, if you’ve got an opening, seize it and get creative to make the location work for you.
WAKE UP 30 MINS EARLIER
Set a positive tone for the day by starting with a workout or a walk. Not only will you feel energised and accomplished before the workday starts, but this will also ensure that afternoon sessions are not skipped due to feeling tired.
HAVE ACTIVE WEEKENDS
You’re only limited by your imagination. Can you exercise on the sidelines while your child plays soccer? Is a family bike ride or walk an option? Combine social time and movement by inviting a friend on a hike or bring a football to the beach. Consider going for a walk before or after you and your friend sit down for dinner. It all adds up.
HIT UP HIIT
HIIT workouts can be as short as 10 minutes and can be done with no equipment. When you find yourself saying “I don’t have time” …do you really not have even 10 minutes in your day? Or do you need to review your priorities?
CRUNCH DURING LUNCH
Consider opting for a midday workout and eating lunch at your desk. This way you can simultaneously smash a session while clearing your ‘morning’ mind, entering the second half of the day fresh and re-energised.
FEAR OF INJURY
With what seems like plenty of margin for error, working out can be intimidating – particularly if you’re new to the scene. Working out safely to minimise risk of injury requires focus. Keep in mind that you’re more susceptible to injury from not working out.
START SLOW AND STEADY
Ease in and set a sustainable pace for your body. Focus on feeling strong and confident in your ability to perform movements. There is no rush.
ASK THE PROFESSIONALS
Having a coach teach you good habits from the beginning is the best way to avoid injury. Consider booking a trainer for an hour to run through correct form or watch YouTube tutorials and practice in front of a mirror.
OPEN UP
Talk about any anxiety you’re feeling with your mates or fellow fitness community members. It’s a collective experience, and plenty of people are happy to hold out a helping hand and walk through the struggle with you.
RECRUIT A FRIEND
Having our friends around us brings a sense of calm and is a great way to ease the pressure surrounding a workout. Being settled and relaxed in your environment is a key aspect of avoiding injury.
LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE
The number of people who follow professional advice listen to their body and still get injured is minimal. The risk is always there, yes, but the fear comes from our minds. You are strong and capable, so trust yourself.
VISUALISE THE MOVE
Imagine the perfect scenario and step by step, live and breathe the look and feel of the movement. It’s a safe and effective way to become comfortable and confident with any move before actioning it in the flesh.
LOW SELF CONFIDENCE
It’s completely normal to have moments where we doubt our judgement, abilities and qualities.
SET YOURSELF A CHALLENGE
The challenge may be to have a “no alcohol” month or a super active weekend, a 48-hour social media blackout, dedicated time to a new or existing hobby, or to begin a new sleep schedule. Nothing gives us a boost like achieving something we previously felt was out of reach.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF
Our quality of life is significantly better when we’re mindful of our struggles and approach them with compassion and support, instead of harsh criticism. We’re human; we are imperfect, prone to making mistakes and encountering setbacks. Treat yourself the same way you would a friend, because you’re doing the best you can.
KILL NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
Each time you have a negative thought (“I’m not good enough”), counter it with several positive affirmations (“I am smart, I am capable, I am worthy”). Practice mindfulness to keep your perspective. It’ll help stop negative energy and “panic reactions” from overwhelming you and clouding your self-worth.
REACH OUT
Chat to your loved ones, as most people struggle with some aspect of low self-confidence. As uncomfortable as it can be initially, it’s unlikely you’ll regret reaching out and having the conversation. Better yet, ask some loved ones to write you a hype message and save it for any time you need a boost.
GET OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
We can quickly become trapped by our comfort zones. Our default spaces provide a false sense of security – especially when they’re rooted in negativity. To create change you have to be willing to challenge yourself.
MAKE LIFE IMPROVEMENTS
Don’t overcomplicate it by assuming you have to include several, large-scale improvements every day to have better quality of life. It can be as simple as having technology black-out times, re-formatting and colour-coding your calendar or playing your favourite song every morning.
UNSURE WHERE TO START
Entering the fitness arena can feel incredibly daunting – especially if you’re coming in as a complete beginner. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and wave the white flag before giving it a proper shot.
KNOW YOUR WHY
Stumbling around in the dark hoping to land a mark isn’t a particularly inspiring or motivating approach to your fitness goals. Having clarity is crucial. Knowing what you want and why you want it helps narrow your focus and cut through some of the noise.
RESEARCH
There are many styles of training; not all of them are going to resonate with you and that’s ok! If you gravitate toward the low impact nature of yoga but want to focus on strength over flexibility, hit up a vinyasa class as opposed to a yin session. Or there are plenty of ways to interval train that don’t include running. There are lots of training options available; you just have to find the one that suits you best.
ASK SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN THERE
If you don’t have a friend or family member to turn to, join a fitness community! Alternatively, source blogs of people with similar stories or goals, and draw inspiration from their experience.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Do not overcomplicate it. Consistency is the key element to any successful fitness venture, and starting out with a 20 step, 6-day-a-week routine is not sustainable. You’ll likely injure yourself or burn out. Introduce yourself to exercise in a way that is enjoyable and positive, because that’s what the experience should be.
OPT FOR A GREAT COACH
Your success is our success and having a great coach will make a huge difference to your overall fitness experience. We’ll assess your current fitness level and develop programs tailored to you, taking into consideration your goals, lifestyle factors and limitations. As we motivate and challenge you, we’ll teach you everything we know along the way.
Encountering fitness barriers is to be expected. When you’re struggling, you should pause, break it down and take it as slow as you need to in order to revise and revive your approach. Just keep moving forward, one day at a time.
The right attitude can transform a barrier into a blessing, an obstacle into an opportunity or a stumbling block into a steppingstone – Cory Booker.
I’ve got your back.
Your Coach,
Michael
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