The problem isn’t your program, your coach or your gym… it’s you.
Regardless of your fitness goals/sport there is always a new and “sexy,” fitness program, training regime or nutrition craze to follow - the grass always appears to be greener on the other side. While you are chopping and changing from one thing to the next, searching for answers as to why you are not progressing at the rate you desire, you are missing the largest characteristic for success – consistency.
Don’t feel bad, we’ve all fallen prey at one stage or another to thinking that our lack of progress is due to external factors. Looking for external solutions is just human nature, but unfortunately it won’t get you the results you are after.
What you need to do is honestly evaluate your personal work ethic and discipline – are you being consistent with these things or looking for a magic pill? Don’t strive for perfection, strive for consistency.
It’s not just about consistency in attendance or “turning up,” while this is obviously very important, it’s also about adhering to good habits regularly.
- Giving YOUR 100% for that day to your training session: remember each day will be different, and we are all different, and that’s ok – give what you can for that day and don’t waste time comparing yourself to others.
- Committing to your sport/gym/program for an extended period: often people are unsatisfied if they don’t see results in a couple of weeks, unfortunately success takes a lot longer than that so stick with it for a realistic time frame before moving on to something else.
- Looking after your body outside of the gym – recovery, hydration and nutrition will not only leave you feeling good but translate your hard work to positive gains!
- Having a positive attitude – turn up to the gym ready to work and enjoy the process!
While the above habits aren’t exactly thrilling, performing them consistently WILL get you results. It’s not easy, and we all have bad days, so help yourself out:
- Ensure accountability through family, friends and fellow athletes: utilise your support network to keep you on track, these will be the people who will help you stay motivated particularly on bad days.
- Utilise support networks: leading on from the above, coaches/trainers etc are there to help you, utilise their knowledge and expertise. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask for feedback or just debrief.
- Plan ahead – the old adage, “failing to plan is planning to fail,” is 100% true. Plan your day/week to make time for training and good nutrition to ensure consistency and success.
- Don’t be afraid to celebrate your results – if you hit a milestone – be proud! You’ve worked hard and earnt it. Celebrating the little wins will keep you on track.
If your current gym or training isn’t working, that’s ok – but before making any bold moves – do some honest evaluation and make sure you were consistent first.
JESSICA COUGHLAN
Crossfit Games Athlete