Hello again,
It seems I have disappeared off the radar for a wee while, maybe because its Summer!?... Well it is in California! (he he)
But never fear, I will be heading back to home base very soon, and by the looks on my daily weather update on my home page I’m going to need some knee warmers. And woollen socks and arm warmers and a rain jacket.......
So here I am, riding around in the 30degree temps picturing ways of how, when at home, I am going to get that 2 hour ride in when I’m not incredibly motivated for outdoor expeditions.
Actually, I’m incredibly motivated to get home and be a regular at the Gym, get the sweat going on the indoor trainer and whip out my Yoga DVD’s!
If you find yourself looking outside the window at work and viewing continuous droplets of water and trying to stay positive and picturing yourself setting up the indoor trainer when you get home, that’s Awesome! First step is achieved! Thinking of other ways to get going and moving without getting drenched is often difficult.
Trainer rides can be incredibly boring though! I agree! If you do things in time lots it makes the session go a lot faster.
So trainer sessions could include:
- 2min in every gear trying to stay at a constant pedal stroke
- 5 min hard, 5min easy...
- 20min up tempo...
- 20sec on 1min off...
- or going hard through the ad’s of your TV programme?!!
Changing the session up and mixing it around can make the time go a lot faster and be beneficial for your training.
If you find motivation lacking for a ride on the trainer then you can substitute other forms of exercise into your routine. Sit ups and core work in front of the TV in the ad breaks can do wonders for your stability on the bike. When I return home I will be ensuring that I allow myself other options and differing workouts. I have already invested in a Yoga DVD which I will encourage my mother to do with me!
It’s all about routine. You need a routine which incorporates and allows time for physical activity. Without a routine it is very easy to say “I will do it tomorrow” and to come home too late and/or tired to do those exercises “tomorrow”.
Joining a club or gym for organised and structured activity can be a blessing in disguise. I can’t wait to get home and be able to nip down to the gym for aerobics classes or yoga routines! Encouragement from others is great, and hopefully it enhances the experience for you and you will be encouraged to incorporate it into your daily routine.
The hardest part of the day is to pull on the workout clothes and tie the shoe laces.
Once this is done it is all easy forward motion and you just need to decide what physical activity you will do! Give yourself some differentiation to keep it interesting, Trainer workouts, core work routines, gym work; anything and everything counts to keeping your fitness up through the cold and hard months. Write a wall planner and stick it on the fridge so you can see what days you can do what.
Enjoy what you are doing! And laugh at the rain and the howling winds when you feel like you are in 30degrees while doing a spinning workout on the trainer.
