Prioritizing training when following multiple programs and having multiple hobbies
Received this question from a few athletes recently so thought I’d share my thoughts and help you get the most out of your training.
Following more than one program and or managing other hobbies out side the gym often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Which in turn leads to not achieving the goals you set out, and more often than not feeling tired a lot. Which leads to just getting through a work out, your program or you Monday night soccer match instead of attacking it and maximizing your results.
I get it, there’s a lot of things competing for our attention and energy. That evening functional fitness class with your buddy, that muscle up program that guarantees results, that mid week soccer match after 3 days of training, the 6am morning run with your partner 5 days a week and the Sunday coached olympic lifting session ;)
So what’s the answer??
Step 1 - Prioritirze
Take a minute and write down all your programs, activities and hobbies. And list them in order of priority.
Step 2 - Look at your schedule
Put pen to paper or make a spread sheet and note down your schedule across a 7 day period. Listing working hrs, training hrs, activities, coffee with friends etc everything your currently doing.
Step 3 - Reflect
This requires you be very honest with your self and your priorities.
Looking at your current busy schedule do a recap of the past 1-2 weeks and start to see how your currently turning up to each session/day. Write it down for reference.
From there see how many days your training, when and where your resting and how your feeling as a whole across the week.
For most people I’ve had this conversation with lately the answer is they are doing too much, not achieving their goals and feeling pretty tired when it gets to day x or session x.
Step 4 - Change
Now having your priority list, go through your week and carve out scheduled rest and recovery days/times so your turning up fueled and excited to attack your top goals and hobbies.
This may require you to say no to that Wednesday night session. Which is day 3 of training and has you feeling sluggish for that next day of olympic lifting programming which is at the top of your priority list. Or it may be the case that you really enjoy mountain biking on a Sunday with friends but it leaves your legs felling pretty fatigued for Mondays squats. Well If mountain biking is top of your priority list, Monday session should be a rest day and you either catch up on your squats the following day or you decide which days you can get to the gym with adequate rest and that becomes your squat day.
I agree this isn’t the easiest of tasks but having a planned schedule, with proper rest will set you up for success over haphazardly dragging your body through 8 days of training/ activities in a row.
If your struggling with this I highly recommend you speak to your coach who can objectively answer how many days you should be training/ resting tailored to you achieving your desired goals, crushing your hobbies and feeling great through out the week.
Step 5 - Try it
After stripping down that over saturated schedule, give it a few weeks to see how the body and mind responds.
Keeping a journal of how your feeling will be helpful here too to track the results.
Step 6 - Enjoy!!
