5 Simple and Effective Ways to Train Consistently
Use these tips to maximize your gains and avoid relapses
Throughout my articles, I keep regurgitating in my conclusions the notions of Consistency, Effort, Persistence, and Patience. The C.E.P.P model (™) is my way of going about training or being productive. My own modus operandi. I apply it, and lo and behold! I see the results!
Today I will tackle the first element which is Consistency. This word that is being thrown a lot by fitness gurus and life coaches succeeds in imprinting it in the laymen’s minds only to not being put to the test. It is left only as a theory without real deliberate practice.
Consistency is a buzzword and people strive to apply it. Life’s all-encompassing circumstances are to blame at first, then your delinquency comes in second. Whatever the reasons may be, you must learn this skill and apply it to see significant and weighty positive outcomes.
This is why, I will be sharing 5 ways to kindle the consistency in you and become a master at it hopefully beginning with:
#1: Choosing the sport you enjoy
Most people who recommend practicing a sport think of the gym as the first option. Truth be told, I do suggest this since I am a Personal Trainer and my forte. Other sports enthusiasts would recommend their favorite sport.
However, if the gym doesn’t tickle your fancy then there are options aplenty from which you can choose from. Now which sport is right for you? Well, remember the sport you were good at in school and practice it. And if you skipped sports class, then you’d have to do some research.
Try many sports, see what fits your personality, and makes you feel good. Do you enjoy running? then run! Do you enjoy hiking? then hike! Do you enjoy ballet? then ballet?!?! The key is not about choosing the sport that burns the most calories, it is about plugging a sport you like in your calendar and turning it into a habit.
The moment you choose your activity and start doing it, aside from the resistance you will face in the beginning, you’ll slowly build momentum and jolts of joy and confidence will galvanize you which feels invigorating.
Take your time choosing an activity, schedule it, then practice it.
#2: Gradual Progression (DO NOT OVERDO IT!)
Whichever activity you will be undertaking, you’d have to start small then gradually progress and push it more when necessary. Your mind needs some time to install this new habit in its system, so by overdoing it, you will short-circuit the process and fry your system.
How do you overdo it? You train more than you should. For instance, you might start training 3–4 times where maybe you can get off with 2. Or, you over-exercise in your session which ramps up the level of fatigue causing you to skip training often. You focus on perfection rather than on mastery.
In other words, you let your ego get the best of you. You might be excited in the moment of training, and you start challenging yourself more often which can backfire if not properly managed. Know when to push yourself and know when to back off. Your body has limits.
Therefore I suggest that you nail the fundamentals, focus on executing proper techniques, make mistakes, learn from them, do not compare yourself to others, concentrate on mastery, and finally enjoy what you are doing. Do not treat it as a chore but rather as a passion.
One final tip is to log your progress. By logging your records, you will have a clear idea of where you are at then you can gradually increase the intensity of your training without sacrificing your performance. Also, hiring a mentor is super helpful for motivation, progress tracking, and teaching you the craft.
#3: Eliminate Distractions
In this day and age, it is super easy to become distracted as we are constantly assailed by a sea of information of all kinds. From the daily news to cat videos, it seems that our focus is dwindling and we’re getting bored very easily when doing hard tasks.
Due to our diminishing attention span, the content that we are exposed to is short and sweet to satisfy our intake of our craving for media and isn’t taxing on our mind, so it is easy for us to slip into doom scrolling without restraint. But this can be changed.
By eliminating such distractions, your mind will be left to focus on better things such as your training regimen in this case. After you devote a chunk of your time to partake in physical activity and by switching off your phone, you will be able to put in the necessary time and effort to finish your bout.
And trust me, with practice, you will start to wean off social media slowly and your body will yearn for more physical activities. You will feel good about yourself and you’ll start flaunting your distraction-elimination capabilities amongst your peers. And guess what, you’ll inadvertently adhere to your training, in other words, become more consistent!
Who knew that becoming a neo-Luddite could be the new cool? Well, not to the extent that you abandon technology completely, but try to get a handle on it and make sure that you are in control of the content that you want to receive and know when to stop watching these pesky shorts or reels.
#4: Think Long Term Consistency
When dealing with consistency, the initial phase is to set up the habit of training, learn the basics of training, and practice. You will experience a series of benefits and physiological changes but later you can encounter stumbling blocks.
Training might become stale, motivation can dwindle, burnouts might happen, and you’ll lose sight of your training goals. This is why, you need to anticipate such events and work on becoming more adaptable.
Long-term consistency is what you need to aim for. You need to know how to adjust to difficult situations so you do not falter and lose momentum. If you want to get good at something, you’d have to face life’s never-ending series of sudden events and irregularities.
For instance, staleness in your training is a normal occurrence, and to avoid that you need to change things in your training. Try different techniques, aim for new goals, train with someone, change the time you train, and seek new knowledge.
If you keep training the same, you will get bored. And boredom is the last thing you’d want. Therefore, always tweak your training regimen for long-term adherence, aim for adaptability and versatility, and think big.
#5: Rest
Just like after a long day of hard work, your body shuts off and you’d want to hit the hay. Resting is crucial for it is when you are sleeping that the magic happens. In other words, gains will occur.
Resting doesn’t mean only sleeping but it can be taking some off time and enjoying doing other things. Your body has limits, so you need to know when to back off a bit to avoid overtraining and fatigue. By scheduling proper recovery time, you will be able to stick with your training.
At the gym, resting must be taken between sets to allow your body to perform the exercises optimally. Short-term rest periods (or rest pauses) can be implemented as a training system but it shouldn’t be applied constantly for it leads to exhaustion.
Other examples of resting can be doing some stretches, breathing exercises, massages, doing some low-intensity mobility drills to unwind and lessen joint stiffness, walking, taking naps, or enjoying a day out in nature.
Think of your training in terms of seasons. You have the summer season where you are fully energized and ready to kick ass and take names, and the winter season where you rest and reflect. Find the right balance between the two and consistency will surely stay.
Conclusion
We’ve dealt with the notion of consistency, and we are left with three. In future articles, I will be tackling the other notions, and making sure that they are practical and easily applicable.
Consistency applies to anything you do in life. If you can be consistent in your training, you can also develop consistency in other areas of your life. Consistency in training has a spillover effect, so make use of it.
Consistency is a skill that needs sharpening now and then, and you need to be adaptable in life if you want to keep pursuing your passion and desires. Apply these tips above, take full responsibility for your actions, and strive to always be a better and stronger version of yourself.
Wish you Strength and Wisdom ✌️
