You hear that?
Birds are chirping.
Buds are budding.
It goes from a snowstorm to plus 15 degrees in the matter of 2 hours … spring is here in Calgary.
Yeah, I said the "S" word.
After 3 full months into the new year, you’ve finally gotten into the groove of your fitness routine and daily activity schedule.
You’re probably already planning (if not, have planned) your summer getaway(s), booking campsites, buying sunscreen in bulk on sale at Costco …
… then you realize: “How am I going to maintain my gains?” … maybe you’re even slightly sad or anxious about this.
If you’ve been able to train semi-regularly, I’m hoping you’ve seen some improvements – increased strength, decreased pain, increased stamina, clothes fitting better, maybe even realizing you find joy in exercising regularly!
Summer time at the cabin does NOT have to result in a complete loss of your training gains.
Here’s a couple of things you can do to at least maintain the benefits you’ve noticed this winter:
1. Make a plan
When you’re away, how’re you staying active? This may be wakeboarding, hiking, manual labor in the garden.
If you’re away for more than 2 weeks, how can you incorporate a short & sweet strength/balance/posture routine into your daily schedule? Even with regular activity, balance, posture, and strength training in small amounts helps to keep injury at bay.
By short & sweet, I mean short & sweet. Your body will thank you for being consistent with 15 to 20 minutes of scheduled movement 2-3x per week.
My recommendation - do your movement routine early, get it out of the way for your day.
2. Find a buddy
A neighbor, significant other, random person in the park who you see doing dips on a park bench a couple days a week - whoever! Schedule activity with them.
This could even be starting a text group with your current workout buddies to keep send post-workout selfies to throughout the summer.
It’s more likely to keep you accountable.
3. Drop in when you’re in town
Gone for 2 weeks in June, July Stampede obligations plus a camping trip for 5 days, family reunion in August? Get a 10 pack of training sessions to carry you through the summer. (Psst 10% off with coupon code STRONGMOM22 this week).
You can use these when you’re in town, booking at random via GloFox.
Anything you don’t use will sit there until you’re back in the fall. You can use these drop-ins to touch base on what you need while you’re away.
4. Pack your 'gym'!
If there’s one thing COVID taught us, you don’t need sexy equipment to get stronger and fitter. Put a rock in your backpack, find a wall, and grab some bands for your traveling training.
Buy a pack of Zeal Bands (2x therabands, 2x mini-bands) and a Zeal Mobility Peanut for $40+GST.
We’ll send you away with our Summer Cabin Training Plan plus access to our 35-minute Virtual Small Group Recordings via YouTube. Email us at hello@zealperformance.ca and we'll hook you up.
5. Live. It. Up.
Struggling to find the motivation to workout when you’re away? THAT’S FINE.
There’s nothing worse than planning to do 4x 60 minute workouts a day BUT then actually struggling to get 5k steps in a day and drinking too many Coors Banquets at lunch time (...not speaking from experience). This leads to demotivation and feelings of failure – two things that DO NOT have a place in your carry-on!
Aim low and exceed your expectations.
2 ways to do this — (1) do your physio exercises or 5 minute daily routine 3x a week - this keeps injuries away (2) go for a 10 minute walk every day - hopefully you’ll enjoy it and go a little farther!
As always, I AM a traveling trainer. You just have to pay for my airfare, accommodation and alcohol, and I train for free.
Yours in Fitness,
Tessa
Comments