4 tips for finding resistance training motivation

mojo mojo where did you go go?

Whether it’s my overzealousnessment (technical term) or just happenstance—people associate me with an unflagging love of resistance training.

When conversation turns to exercise people invariably turn to me & lament a lack of resistance training motivation.

“I want to–I just cant seem to get myself to start.” is the typical refrain.

Or anything and everything along the lines of this comment from last week:

I cant pretend to relate to any of this.

There are myriad things Ive started & ceased (Im a big believer in QUITTING)–but not the weights.

Unlike cardio-mojo–which I never possess–my excitement simply doesnt wane when it comes to weights or bodyweighted-playouts.

Ive sat.

Ive thought.

Ive pondered why I love iron/bands/bod training.

Ive challenged myself to identify *what* keeps me happily motivated unlike cardio where I lament & make excuses daily.

do I have *any* tips to proffer?

Here’s what I realized:

Four tips for finding & maintaining resistance training mojo:

Plan.  Plan. Plan.  These days Im an intuitive exerciser—I was not when I started.  Whether you’re a pen & paper planner or an app-user—plan your workout.  Get specific (sets, reps, rest periods etc).  Next step? Create a Plan A & Plan B for each training session. Whether youre training at home, playground, or gym plan what you’ll do if machines are unavailable etc.  Planning sets you up for success & provides you far less opportunity for excuses.
More muscle = higher metabolism.  Of course Im not saying we *shouldnt* do cardio, but this DEFINITELY motivates me to resistance train (I had a client who hung this as a sign in her home!).  Im not willing to watch what I eat as I age. Im not willing to limit my portions & shift from mindful eating to calorie counting as I age.  Im *very* motivated to resistance train by higher metabolism it provides.It’s fast.  I am not training for competition.  My competition is LIFE.  My workouts are short (some of this is from pre-planning some is they need to fit into my life) and focused.  Twenty minutes.  I can always find (& motivate for) twenty minutes in my day especially when the pay-off is lower stress and higher metabolism.  Nothing would derail *my* mojo faster than and hours long training session.It empowers me.  When I finish cardio—I feel depleted.   When I finish resistance training (be it silly PLAYout with the Tornado or traditional lift) I feel empowered.  I feel strong.  Im reminded I AM MY OWN SUPERHERO.  Weight training helped my find my voice.  It gave me the confidence to demand to be heard & know Im worthy of taking up *space* in the world. Who wouldnt want to make time for something when it feels that amazing & extends into all realms of life?

Now you. 

What’s your best tip for finding or maintaining resistance training mojo?Do you have a fave workout planning/recording smart phone app to share?

Tags: fitness apps, mojo? where you gogo?, resistance training motivation

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Four lessons resistance training taught me about life.

I found my voice in the weight room.

Resistance training, for me, is bigger than something I do to stay fit as I age.

It’s taught me more about life than any other experience and, paradoxically, helps me remain laser-focused on whats important to me outside fitness.

I advocate resistance training for health—but am a resistance training evangelist because of what Ive learned from it about living fully.

1. If you wait for the perfect facility opportunity you’ll always find an excuse not to start.

Ive trained in less than ideal conditions.  Central American gyms stocked with rusty dumbbells.  Dilapidated college weight rooms.  Outdoors in Oakland with homeless on one side & muscle-bound men on the other.  These experiences taught me to expand my definition of “perfect gym.”  They also sparked me to realize when I claimed to be waiting for “perfect timing” in life it was really paralysis by analysis.  It was merely an excuse.

2. Change is how we grow.

Initially I did the same weights routine day after day & plateaued quickly.  I knew what I was doing wasnt working—but the pain I “knew” felt better than the painful risk of change.  Eventually I realized I required a new routine to grow & Ive applied this notion to my life.  Change in routine.  Change in perspective.  Change–in fitness and life—is the only way we wont stagnate.

change. perspective.

3. To succeed you need mind/body connection.

If you’d asked me to flex my biceps 20 years ago–Id not have been capable of making the muscle contract.  After months of lifting Id have struggled to flex on command.  It took time, patience and focus to formulate the mind/muscle connection crucial to successful resistance training.  Only after acquiring that skill did I began to live *in* my body in all aspects of life.  I started to eat intuitively.  I learned to exercise intuitively.  And, very very slowly, I tapped into my ‘gut’ and lived intuitively.

4. We create ourselves and our lives.

I dont have good physical genetics.  My body prefers to be soft/not muscular.  I watched women with better genetics gain muscle swiftly and easily. I came to a crossroads where I could either grow jealous or grow focused.  I chose the latter.  Resistance training taught me I am the sculptor of my body and my life.  I may not achieve goals as rapidly as some— but if I work tenaciously & tirelessly I’m ensured of progress.

MizWorkInProgress

What surprising life-lessons have you learned from fitness pursuits?Did you, too, discover your voice in the weight room?

Tags: life lessons from weight training, mind/body connection, tenacity, we create our lives

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Four tips for finding your resistance training mojo.

Ahhh. The empty hotel weights area.

About a week ago Ren Man and I ran away I went to see Joel McHale.

(If you dont know J.McH I highly suggest you check out The Soup.  If youre of a delicate ‘dont make innuendos around me’ nature I highly suggest you skip The Soup)

It was a fantastic evening and, to top it all off, we spent the night away from the Tornado & had the lovely opportunity to sleep past 530a on a Sunday morning.

That said, as anyone who’s a parent, nanny, aunt, uncle, babysitter etc. knows all too well, I was *still* wide awake by 6am.

I had coffee.  I checked my email.  I tried to figure out precisely which room in our hotel The McHale was staying. I skimmed through Twitter and Facebook.

It was 6:20a.

I glanced over at a snoring Ren Man, resisted the urge to wake him & headed to check out the gym and lift.

The hotel gym was crowded (impressive for a Sunday morning).

The hotel gym was fancy (see photo above & that’s only half!).

The hotel gym was filled with women & they were all using the cardio machines (not pictured. I dared not ask.  these women were sweating & serious.).

I happily lifted (enjoying both the empty weights area & being in no hurry) & when I finished four of the women approached me.

They were all exceedingly hungover friends in town for a wedding and, longstoryshort, wanted to know how I motivated myself to lift weights.  They all lamented the same thing:

I want to lift weights. I plan to lift weights. When it comes time to lift weights I bail 95% of the time & just do more cardio.

I hear this frequently from blog readers & friends.

The simple answer is I LOVE RESISTANCE TRAINING.  I enjoy the process of it.  I love the results of it. Who wouldnt look forward to that?

The more comprehensive answer became clear as I early-morning chatted with my four new good lord I felt old. I barely remember 25! friends.

Please to enjoy the fruits of our morning convo.

Four misfit tips for finding & maintaining your resistance training mojo:

Plan.  Plan. Plan.  This is something we all know (I literally saw one woman roll her eyes when I said it) yet few of us do.  Whether youre lifting at home while watching TV (dont knock it till youve BRAVOtried it!) or going to the gym—plan your workout.  Get specific (sets, reps, rest periods etc).  Have a Plan A & B.  Yes the marriage of mind & muscle is important, but sometimes so is the opportunity to NOT to have to think once you begin a workout.  PLAN.  It gives you less of an opportunity for excuses.More muscle = higher metabolism.  Now, I’m in no way saying we *shouldnt* do cardio, but this is DEFINITELY a way I keep myself motivated to hoist the iron.  Im not willing to watch what I eat as I age. Im not willing to limit my portions & shift from mindful eating to calorie counting as the years creep on.  Im *very* motivated to resistance train by the higher metabolism it gives me.It’s fast.  I am not training for an event.  My competition is LIFE.  My workouts are short (some of this is the result of pre-planning some is they need to fit into my life) and focused.  Twenty minutes.  I can always find (& motivate for) twenty minutes in my day especially when the pay-off is lower stress and higher metabolism.It empowers me.  When I finish cardio—I feel depleted.   When I finish resistance training (be it a silly PLAYout with the Tornado or a traditional lift) I feel empowered.  I feel strong.  Im reminded I AM MY OWN SUPERHERO.  Weight training helped my find my voice.  It gave me the confidence to speak up, demand to be heard & know Im worthy of taking up *space* in the world.Who wouldnt want to make time for something when it feels that amazing & extends into all realms of life?

I know.

I realize I can be a weight-training evangelist if  given the merest of opportunities & I do think there’s a small chance the poor dehydrated hungover foursome entirely regretted asking.

So now I throw it back to you (as the four are reading, ready and waiting for all your best tips too):

How do you motivate to resistance train when the call of the cardio is so easy to hear?

How do you track down D-List celebs when you KNOW they are staying at your hotel & you KNOW you must have a photo of you two together?

Please to hit us all up in the comments below.

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Set of 5 ProSource Premium Latex Resistance Exercise Bands Tubes Cords w/ Door Anchor and Exercise Manual.

The number one selling set of resistance bands on Amazon.com. Don't believe us that this product is high quality? Look at all the reviews. Don't be fooled by the imitators, get that beach body you always wanted courtesy of ProSource Fitness! All the bands measure 48 inches, and include cushioned foam handles to ensure a secure, comfortable grip. Plus, the bands come with a convenient door anchor, so you can do your exercises anywhere in the house.

Resistance bands are a great alternative to free weights and workout machines. They are also perfect for all types of physical therapy including rehabbing torn rotator cuffs, bad elbows, and damaged knees. This resistance bands set is light and compact enough to travel with you anywhere and supports some of the latest workout routines, including but not limited to P90X, CrossFit, Slimin6, Insanity and TurboJam.

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