How I Stay Motivated To Get Up & Train

Before I begin, let me tell you how I got the inspiration for this post. 

So, I got up at my usual 6am, Mum's already in the shower and I'm hunting around my room for something to wear. My legs are aching from the sprints we did yesterday, but I know I'll be fine once I get moving. I've already checked the workout for the day (strict barbell press, double unders, hang power cleans and air squats) so I'm excited for the next hour and I happily grab my Reebok skipping rope. 

It's raining a little this morning when I get in the car, but it won't matter for this workout. I get to the box in good time and the previous class is just finishing up. I was going to get the foam roller out and tackle my sore legs, but then I spot Sadie the little black Pug. She was crying from lack of attention and there's no way I can resist going over to cuddle her. 

It gets to 6.30am (when class is due to start) and nobody else has shown up. Usually someone comes in later than me, but not today. Our typically small class was just down to me after some cancellations, so I decided to just come back for the mid-day class since there's no fun in doing it by yourself. It wasn't all bad though because I got to chat to my coach and had some more cuddles with Sadie. 

I came home, grabbed a coffee and yogurt, then sat in bed to watch the rest of Fittest On Earth (CrossFit documentary surrounding the games, stream it on Netflix!) I only got more inspired by these athletes and each time I watch this film, I remind myself of why I should train harder. 

Believe me when I say that I know how tough it can be to get out of bed some days. When you're sore and tired already from the week, the last thing you wanna do is go do a max-effort workout. These are some things that I have to remind myself of every once in a while. I hope you find them helpful too!

Doing the things you suck at is the only way you're gonna get better

This is especially true for CrossFit, simply because of how many different movements there are. There are definitely some that I'm confident at: deadlifts, cleans, hand-stand push ups, running etc) but on those days where we focus on a movement that I suck at, I always need that extra mental push to get out the door. It's natural to want to stick to the things you like and are proficient at. But it's not going to help you progress on your fitness journey. That's one of the reasons I love CF, my comfort zone is always being tested. So I've been sticking to a mentality where I look forward to those tougher classes, because it means that in a months time I will be way better at that movement than if I didn't show up to class. I might even start to like doing them more! 

Knowing the difference between being burnt out and muscle soreness

When you're active, the real test in the morning can be getting out of bed and seeing how much your body hurts. Some weeks I'm totally fine. Other times, it's Tuesday and my body is wrecked already. But being someone who runs regularly, I know that when my muscles are sore they need to be stretched out and worked again as part of the healing process. It sounds weird, but it's better for them to get used to the movements, so that you're not sore the next time. Obviously there have been times where I have to step back and listen to my body when it's trying to tell me to rest. But being sore shouldn't be an excuse to skip your training that day, and if you need to just have an active recovery session with some light cardio/lots of stretching. 

What would Katrin Davidsdottir do?

Most of you won't be familiar with this gorgeous lady, but she has been crowned the Fittest Woman On Earth two years in a row (and hopefully go for a third time in 2017!) She's an incredible athlete and always has the perfect mentality for any challenge. Sometimes when I'm training, I'll ask myself what I would do if she was there training with me. Would she put the bar down or would she keep going? It can be a powerful motivator when you imagine your fitness hero is standing beside you. Seems a little weird, but trust me it works. 

I'm definitely not perfect when it comes to early morning training. I'm consistent and I'll always be there ready to go. But there have been mornings when poor Steve has had to drag me out of bed to go train. It's only going to get harder in winter when the cold hits and I'm wearing ten jackets and a beanie into the gym. But hey, no excuses. I truly believe that being active gives you the best quality of life and I'm yet to regret a single workout. 

What are some of the things that motivate you to go exercise? 

Remember why you started!

Steph x.