Scroll down to the bottom to find out about this New Year's Gift for you!
OK so now that the festivities have finished, it's time to get back into a rhythm with your training and nutrition! Don't let a week of celebrations turn into a MONTH of celebrations!
Our Silly Season Challengers have been making exercise a part of their DAILY routine, every single day, 7 days a week, since 15-Dec and all of them have completed some sort of workout today already - yep you heard that right! They even did some sort of workout on Xmas Day & Boxing Day. So they are well and truly already on track to keeping up that momentum now that we are at the start of 2018.
But what if you've had a few weeks off training and you're finding it hard to get back into it?
Or maybe you've been inactive for some time and want to start training!
So here are a few tips for you all!
1. SET 3 X GOALS FOR YOURSELF - 1 yr, 6mths & short-term
Turn off facebook for 5 minutes and use that time today to sit down by yourself and work out what you really want to accomplish this year. Set yourself a goal for the end of the year, a goal for mid-year at June and also a short term goal or goals as well. Of course it's a great idea to set CHALLENGING goals, but be realistic as well. So if you struggle to run to the end of the street, then setting yourself a goal to run an ultra-marathon by June might be stretching it. Maybe a realistic goal for this person might be to stick to something like running for maybe 10-15 minutes non-stop 3 x times a week, by the end of March. Make it relevant to YOU and realistic for you and your situation.
2. WHY ARE THESE GOALS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
So January 1 is typically where motivation is at it's highest and it's easy to think big and get super pumped for what you are going to achieve this year! But let me tell you this, within about 1 or 2 months, that motivation will most likely dwindle.....so you need something solid to draw on to help you through those times when you don't have motivation anymore. So let's make the most of the motivation you have now! Today, just spend a few minutes and write down WHY hitting these goals this year is important to you! And really dig deep here - go beyond the superficial and find the true reason why you chose these goals and why they mean so much to you. This is tough but once you write this down, it will be your constant reminder to keep going throughout the year when you might be feeling a bit flat.
3. GET ORGANISED & MAKE YOURSELF A PROMISE
So maybe you've missed some boot camps or the gym or your haven't been doing your own training for a while..... or for a long while. Don't panic! A lot of people are in the same boat as you and if you're just starting out, remember that everyone is a beginner at some point! So while motivation is high, let's start this year the right way by setting up new habits RIGHT NOW. Get your diary out and book in 3 x days and times this week that you will dedicate to your own training. No more than three though - three is easy to do and you don't want to over-commit to more than this when you are starting back. On the off-training days, lock in a short 10-15 minute walk or cycle or swim - something gentle. Lock it in as an appointment in your calendars and mentally prepare yourself for these!
OK so once you promise yourself which training sessions you're doing this week, remember, there's no turning back, no excuses and no take-backs. Your word is your word so promise yourself and follow through. Book in those times for your boot camp or gym or running/walking/cycling sessions and get yourself there.
So if for example, you have booked into a 6pm class, think about what has kept you back in the past from getting there? Maybe you left work too late, maybe you were feeling too exhausted after work, maybe you forgot to bring your training gear to work to change into, or maybe you got swayed into some after work drinks with your colleagues.
4. PLAN FOR THE DISTRACTIONS & FIND SOLUTIONS TO HELP YOU GET THERE
OK so the next step is to think of your PLAN B if these things come up this week. You want to set yourself up for success right? Sometimes things don't go to plan and that's just life - it happens to all of us! So it's always a good idea to find alternatives and be prepared with solutions if "life" tears you away from your schedule!
So if you left work too late, your solution could be "I will set my alarm on my phone at 5pm to wrap up my work and get out the door by 5.30pm", or "Even if I'm 5 mins late, 10 mins late, 30 mins late to the class, I'll still go - a short workout is always better than no workout at all". (Just check with your facility if you're allowed to start late though - at our boot camps, we give all members a warm up prior to joining in but check with whoever you train with first to make sure it's ok with them).
Or if you're too exhausted, perhaps you could tell yourself "I'll be exhausted whether I boot camp or not, so I may as well go to boot camp and I'll take it down a few notches if I need to. I'll have a quick coffee or pre-workout before I head over to pep myself up & I'll remind myself how much fun it will be and how great I'll feel afterwards. And I can always have an early night after I train if I'm still exhausted".
After-work drinks is a tough one - you want to socialise with your colleagues and be spontaneous. But you've already locked in your session right? You can't go back on your word! What if you had a Dr appointment at that time or your child's soccer training that night? You wouldn't cancel those, so don't cancel on yourself! This is the year to make YOU a priority. So a solution could be to suggest another night to your work mates for catch-ups that doesn't clash with your training. Or even better, tell them to join you at boot camp first then head out for drinks after (and I bet NONE will feel like beer after burpees! Nor will you probably!).
Or if you're job is just too full-on or unpredictable for you to be able to leave at a specific time, your solution could be "I know that my work won't allow me to leave on time so I will pledge to myself to become a morning person and get to the 5.30am class instead." It might be hard for a week or so, but you can do it!
OK so now you've set your goals, made a plan and come up with solutions & a Plan B to get you to training, the next thing to remember is to train differently when you are starting back.
1. REMEMBER THE 70% RULE
Keep your effort levels to no more than 70% RPE at your training sessions. (RPE is rate of perceived exertion). So don’t workout at your 100% effort level on your first week back. Drop it back to around 70% effort as your maximum – you should be able to talk in full sentences at this level. Especially if you're just starting out, don't try to go nuts in your first week - I know your motivation will make you WANT to go 100%, but you want to start slow and build up your fitness GRADUALLY. This is important to avoid injury and to allow your body enough time to get stronger and adapt to your new routine.
So keep to under 70% effort for at least 2-5 weeks in a row until your fitness builds up and you feel confident enough to take it to the next level.
2. TAKE MORE REST BREAKS
It’s absolutely one thousand percent ok to take more rest breaks than you used to. As I said earlier, you need to build up your fitness gradually and this means taking as many breaks as you need. Over time these rest breaks will get shorter and shorter as your fitness increases, but ýou need to give your body enough time to build this fitness back up again. So stop when you need to, catch your breath and start back whenever you're ready. This is really important so that you don't over-do it on your first few weeks back!
3. ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE A BEGINNER AND TAKE THE LOW-IMPACT AND BEGINNER OPTIONS
So do things like push ups from your knees instead of toes. Do walk-out or kick-out burpees instead of chest-to-ground. Do slow and controlled squats instead of squat jumps. Remember, whatever facility you workout in, you always have the choice to choose your intensity and difficulty level. If you're unsure, just ask your trainer and I'm sure they will give you the scaled-down option!
These three points are really important as going out too hard on your first week back will be really tough on you and will only make you feel like you can’t complete the session. You want to finish each session feeling amazing, like you just nailed a great workout and you want to still have a bit left in the tank at the end.
Follow these tips for the first 2-5 weeks then gradually start to increase your training sessions to 4+ per week, gradually introduce the high impact options again and before you know it, you’ll be back in the swing of things, full steam ahead.
It's really important for you to enjoy yourselves and to train safely when you are starting back ok!
2018 is going to be YOUR year so let's make it happen!
Our Silly Season Challengers have been making exercise a part of their DAILY routine, every single day, 7 days a week, since 15-Dec and all of them have completed some sort of workout today already - yep you heard that right! They even did some sort of workout on Xmas Day & Boxing Day. So they are well and truly already on track to keeping up that momentum now that we are at the start of 2018.
But what if you've had a few weeks off training and you're finding it hard to get back into it?
Or maybe you've been inactive for some time and want to start training!
So here are a few tips for you all!
1. SET 3 X GOALS FOR YOURSELF - 1 yr, 6mths & short-term
Turn off facebook for 5 minutes and use that time today to sit down by yourself and work out what you really want to accomplish this year. Set yourself a goal for the end of the year, a goal for mid-year at June and also a short term goal or goals as well. Of course it's a great idea to set CHALLENGING goals, but be realistic as well. So if you struggle to run to the end of the street, then setting yourself a goal to run an ultra-marathon by June might be stretching it. Maybe a realistic goal for this person might be to stick to something like running for maybe 10-15 minutes non-stop 3 x times a week, by the end of March. Make it relevant to YOU and realistic for you and your situation.
2. WHY ARE THESE GOALS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
So January 1 is typically where motivation is at it's highest and it's easy to think big and get super pumped for what you are going to achieve this year! But let me tell you this, within about 1 or 2 months, that motivation will most likely dwindle.....so you need something solid to draw on to help you through those times when you don't have motivation anymore. So let's make the most of the motivation you have now! Today, just spend a few minutes and write down WHY hitting these goals this year is important to you! And really dig deep here - go beyond the superficial and find the true reason why you chose these goals and why they mean so much to you. This is tough but once you write this down, it will be your constant reminder to keep going throughout the year when you might be feeling a bit flat.
3. GET ORGANISED & MAKE YOURSELF A PROMISE
So maybe you've missed some boot camps or the gym or your haven't been doing your own training for a while..... or for a long while. Don't panic! A lot of people are in the same boat as you and if you're just starting out, remember that everyone is a beginner at some point! So while motivation is high, let's start this year the right way by setting up new habits RIGHT NOW. Get your diary out and book in 3 x days and times this week that you will dedicate to your own training. No more than three though - three is easy to do and you don't want to over-commit to more than this when you are starting back. On the off-training days, lock in a short 10-15 minute walk or cycle or swim - something gentle. Lock it in as an appointment in your calendars and mentally prepare yourself for these!
OK so once you promise yourself which training sessions you're doing this week, remember, there's no turning back, no excuses and no take-backs. Your word is your word so promise yourself and follow through. Book in those times for your boot camp or gym or running/walking/cycling sessions and get yourself there.
So if for example, you have booked into a 6pm class, think about what has kept you back in the past from getting there? Maybe you left work too late, maybe you were feeling too exhausted after work, maybe you forgot to bring your training gear to work to change into, or maybe you got swayed into some after work drinks with your colleagues.
4. PLAN FOR THE DISTRACTIONS & FIND SOLUTIONS TO HELP YOU GET THERE
OK so the next step is to think of your PLAN B if these things come up this week. You want to set yourself up for success right? Sometimes things don't go to plan and that's just life - it happens to all of us! So it's always a good idea to find alternatives and be prepared with solutions if "life" tears you away from your schedule!
So if you left work too late, your solution could be "I will set my alarm on my phone at 5pm to wrap up my work and get out the door by 5.30pm", or "Even if I'm 5 mins late, 10 mins late, 30 mins late to the class, I'll still go - a short workout is always better than no workout at all". (Just check with your facility if you're allowed to start late though - at our boot camps, we give all members a warm up prior to joining in but check with whoever you train with first to make sure it's ok with them).
Or if you're too exhausted, perhaps you could tell yourself "I'll be exhausted whether I boot camp or not, so I may as well go to boot camp and I'll take it down a few notches if I need to. I'll have a quick coffee or pre-workout before I head over to pep myself up & I'll remind myself how much fun it will be and how great I'll feel afterwards. And I can always have an early night after I train if I'm still exhausted".
After-work drinks is a tough one - you want to socialise with your colleagues and be spontaneous. But you've already locked in your session right? You can't go back on your word! What if you had a Dr appointment at that time or your child's soccer training that night? You wouldn't cancel those, so don't cancel on yourself! This is the year to make YOU a priority. So a solution could be to suggest another night to your work mates for catch-ups that doesn't clash with your training. Or even better, tell them to join you at boot camp first then head out for drinks after (and I bet NONE will feel like beer after burpees! Nor will you probably!).
Or if you're job is just too full-on or unpredictable for you to be able to leave at a specific time, your solution could be "I know that my work won't allow me to leave on time so I will pledge to myself to become a morning person and get to the 5.30am class instead." It might be hard for a week or so, but you can do it!
OK so now you've set your goals, made a plan and come up with solutions & a Plan B to get you to training, the next thing to remember is to train differently when you are starting back.
1. REMEMBER THE 70% RULE
Keep your effort levels to no more than 70% RPE at your training sessions. (RPE is rate of perceived exertion). So don’t workout at your 100% effort level on your first week back. Drop it back to around 70% effort as your maximum – you should be able to talk in full sentences at this level. Especially if you're just starting out, don't try to go nuts in your first week - I know your motivation will make you WANT to go 100%, but you want to start slow and build up your fitness GRADUALLY. This is important to avoid injury and to allow your body enough time to get stronger and adapt to your new routine.
So keep to under 70% effort for at least 2-5 weeks in a row until your fitness builds up and you feel confident enough to take it to the next level.
2. TAKE MORE REST BREAKS
It’s absolutely one thousand percent ok to take more rest breaks than you used to. As I said earlier, you need to build up your fitness gradually and this means taking as many breaks as you need. Over time these rest breaks will get shorter and shorter as your fitness increases, but ýou need to give your body enough time to build this fitness back up again. So stop when you need to, catch your breath and start back whenever you're ready. This is really important so that you don't over-do it on your first few weeks back!
3. ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE A BEGINNER AND TAKE THE LOW-IMPACT AND BEGINNER OPTIONS
So do things like push ups from your knees instead of toes. Do walk-out or kick-out burpees instead of chest-to-ground. Do slow and controlled squats instead of squat jumps. Remember, whatever facility you workout in, you always have the choice to choose your intensity and difficulty level. If you're unsure, just ask your trainer and I'm sure they will give you the scaled-down option!
These three points are really important as going out too hard on your first week back will be really tough on you and will only make you feel like you can’t complete the session. You want to finish each session feeling amazing, like you just nailed a great workout and you want to still have a bit left in the tank at the end.
Follow these tips for the first 2-5 weeks then gradually start to increase your training sessions to 4+ per week, gradually introduce the high impact options again and before you know it, you’ll be back in the swing of things, full steam ahead.
It's really important for you to enjoy yourselves and to train safely when you are starting back ok!
2018 is going to be YOUR year so let's make it happen!
And to celebrate a new and exciting year, we have a New Year's Gift for you if you join our team before 31st January 2018! * First 5 only
For a one-off $65, you'll get:
Total value over $360 and that's not including all the priceless benefits of the training that will positively impact your health, fitness and mindset!
To claim this offer, make sure you quote "VIP65" when you contact us as this New Year's Gift offer is available only for the first 5 of our loyal followers such as yourselves!
To find out more, or if you'd like to book in for an obligation-free trial, email us at [email protected] or click the button below to book in for a trial - 7 and 14 day trials available.
For a one-off $65, you'll get:
- Blitzfit Training Singlet/Tank Top valued $49
- Blitzfit Trucker Cap valued $29
- Foam Mat for Boot Camp valued $15
- Foam Roller valued $20
- Blitzfit Membership valued $89
- Access to our Members Only VIP Group Forum. Includes team support, accountability, motivation trainer support, helpful hints, exercise tips and the opportunity to make friends and get to know the other Blitzfit members! Valued $79
- Be part of our in-house Members Only fun Competitions where you can win prizes such as free training, Gold Class Movie Tickets, Gift Vouchers and more!
- Access to our Members Treasure Chest Website for life - includes various home workouts to keep you on track if you miss a session, if you're away for a few days or even if you want to add in some extra workouts throughout the week! Valued at $79
Total value over $360 and that's not including all the priceless benefits of the training that will positively impact your health, fitness and mindset!
To claim this offer, make sure you quote "VIP65" when you contact us as this New Year's Gift offer is available only for the first 5 of our loyal followers such as yourselves!
To find out more, or if you'd like to book in for an obligation-free trial, email us at [email protected] or click the button below to book in for a trial - 7 and 14 day trials available.