Certainly commitment and continuity are the most common prevalent challenges to success in an Exercise and Strength & Conditioning program. If you are either new to an exercise program or you already are an athlete, the step to built habits and/or optimize certain functions can be largely determined by the motivation and nature of your goals. Lets breakdown the “I have no time excuse”. Lets unveil the 3 secrets to approach the challenge of success.
1. Find out your true reason
Exercise. Ok but when? Finding out the true reason is key factor, is to know, why you want to, have to or need to engage an Exercise and Strength & Conditioning program. The reason/s why, will actually fuel the mainstream of your motivation. Is it to get in shape and improve your performance? is it to improve your health, energize your daily living? or is it to improve functionality, hold those back injury problems or reduce injury risk? All of them are truly rock solid start points.
It is known, and backed up by science, that exercise and Physical Activity have beneficial outcomes. Often even, exercise benefits out weights the risks. Your WHY has to answer you need, solve a problem or achieve and reach your goal.
As a matter of fact, we probably do not have to delve deep to find out a true reason, strong enough, to find out time to exercise and increase physical activity.
Get to know more and learn about your physical activity or sport can be strong motivational factor. Not every one enjoys, sports and practice, in this case the awareness of risks and consequences to maintain and enjoy your daily life can spark the light bulb. Perhaps understanding the benefits of exercise and training and how they contribute towards health and performance unlock some precious minutes to invest in your life quality.
Time is a precious in our life and how time is spend or invested is up to us. Time management will always be conditioned by priorities, preferences and personal motivational factors. The “I cannot do” it already known, but the question and the kindle about this is what can you actually do to reorganize priorities accordingly to you needs and find out time to schedule to your benefit?
2. The art of goal setting is not much of a secret
Now that you organized and managed to have time, now that you decided to use time into something worth it, how you are gonna make the most it?
Set your goals in an S.M.A.R.T criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound). Going S.M.A.R.T. will help you increase efficiency and efficacy and drastically increase the final outcome of your quest.
To help you go and stay S.M.A.R.T. in a physical activity direction few considerations must be assessed an set in coordination with goals and needs. What items should you consider?
(1) Health condition
(2) Long term goals
(3) Short term goals
(4) Time availability
Consulting an Exercise Science professional can be useful in order to organize, highlight and underestimate each scenario and design and transfer an S.M.A.R.T. assessment into a progressive strategy and Strength & Conditioning plan.
3. Calendar and accountability
Exercise potential does not lie exclusively to gym and training facilities. In fact exercise, almost to all extent, can be performed anywhere, anytime. With or without equipment. An exercise program accessibility is unprecedented to the priorities organization, time management and the will of everyone. A calendar of sessions is a useful tool to organize and put down all aforementioned into action..
ATHL PLUS+ plans allow you to customize your program goals and sessions to help you fit them into your weekly schedule giving you a customized calendar based on your selection from 20 to 40 minutes per session.
ATHL PREMIUM plans are designed to adapt to your current schedules and goals and sessions get personalized upon time availability and commitment.
An organized Strength & Conditioning program facilitates the engagement, the motivation and overall goal progression. Online coaching adds up a valuable flexible factor. It does not only allows you to exercise anywhere, anytime within your weekly schedule, it adds up program progression and accountability increasing positive behavior towards program success. Therefore an organized structure helps find alternatives if changes happen, self-reward, self-commitment and perseverance, self-reminding and accountability. Health, Injury Prevention and Performance just a step closer.
About the author:
Albert Piñol – MSc in Physical Activity and Sports Science, MSc in Exercise Physiology, DHE Snowboard Coach, DE Mountain Guide and Mountain Bike Coach. Specialized in exercise physiology, hypoxia, neuromuscular system and motor skill development. IG: @albert_pinol
