Start with what you love
Start with what you love.
So this post isn’t soaked in science or supported with proven research but makes some sense at ground level. Committing time to exercise is tough, motivation is a limited resource and oftentimes other things take up that resource leaving our interest and desire to exercise fall behind.
I’m no different, so a rule of thumb for me, is to start with what I love. My favourite workouts are the ones I do at the start of my training week. This simply gets me into the week – it’s easier to do. If that's a sea swim, then I start with that, if it’s an easy jog, or a yoga class, a back garden workout or a trip to the gym with a friend, whatever, I start the week doing the workouts I like most.
And taking this one step further – I start workouts with exercises or movements that are most enjoyable. These workouts usually commence with some full body functional movement patterns, or a couple of dynamic kettle bell exercises, or some movement quality speed oriented drills. The enjoyment here, I think, comes from the psychomotor aspect of the movements – there is some thinking to be done alongside the coordinated full body challenge. A great way to start a workout.
Applying this concept of starting with what I love increases the sense of fun and accomplishment I get from that first workout and puts me in a better frame of mind to keep going for the remainder of the week. And in a similar way, I’ll plan an enjoyable workout for the end of the week – generally that’ll be a freestyle workout, whatever I’m in the mood for, or I’ll join in with someone else and follow their program, or if I can, I’ll get out in nature and get active. What does that mean for the middle days of the week?! Well, it’d can’t all be just fun and frolics!
Note to coaches. With the athletes I work with, I usually provide 3 to 5 ‘blocks’ of work in a program. At the start of every session, I let them know they can choose the running order themselves. Most will naturally gravitate to and start with what makes them feel good, sharp and ready. This idea isn’t always viable with large groups or younger athletes who maybe need a bit more direction but it’s worth a try if your circumstances allow.
