Getting into Sport – Confession and Advice from a Lazy Former.
A priori I was not destined to get into intensive sport. A few years back, it can even be clearly said that I was in the category of big otters slumped on their couch all day. And yet, miracles happen, and here I am getting up at 5:45 am to go to the gym, or devoting my evenings to it after work. And I can even tell you how it happened.
A short-term vision and achievable goals
No, I didn’t wake up one morning thinking I was going to go there every day like this. It took several weeks, plus months, to fall into place . The starting goal was 3 times a week . I was the opposite of a sportswoman, I had good will but not much motivation, in short, it was better to bet small not to get discouraged the first 3 days. So 3 times a week, before a minimum of 45min. It didn’t take a long time and it was clearly doable (once unhooked from my sofa.) Once launched, we realize that 3 times is not bad, but 4 it would be more efficient, and that 45min is a minimum, but that 1 hour allows you to work more different muscles. And it ends up evolving nicely.
An environment that makes you want to go
It sounds a little silly, but you have to choose your gym / sport / equipment. S if you want to get into sport, you are going to spend a lot of time in an environment you don’t know much about , a priori with people who are better than you, so you might as well make it as pleasant as possible. Personally, I started in more “girls” oriented gyms (the Amazonia channel in France). Two reasons: it was very close to home (if you have to take a bus / car to get there, I knew I would never find the motivation, so I chose based), and was “beginner-friendly”. In France ( in the united kingdom, it’s really different), we can roughly separate the gyms in two: the girls rooms (light equipment, lots of newbies, access to advice and explanations, colorful and friendly environment) and boy rooms (cast iron everywhere, lots of very hunky guys, lots of testosterone.)
I didn’t feel like I was attacking in the second category, so worse, I accepted the decorative butterflies in painted paper and the club med atmosphere. No regrets, that was cool to begin with. But now I have a real boys room, and I may be the most “real drunk guy. testosterone ”of all.
No pressure, but good organization
There is absolutely no point in giving yourself a monster pressure to go exercise every day. At best, you can get sick of it and anxious every time it comes to sneakers. No interest. On the other hand, you have to set a rhythm: if it’s 3 times a week, it’s 3 times a week , and there are no excuses . Don’t we have time to go on Monday night? So instead of doing as planned and not going on Tuesday either, we exchange. The more attainable the goal, the more confident you are of achieving it. And that’s how I got to 6 times a week. Because as I went along, I adapted my time accordingly.
There are days with and days without – and the days without, we move our buttocks anyway.
One of two things: if you listen to yourself too much, you will never go , because there is always better to do – we always have a little pain somewhere – we are always a little tired – we can go tomorrow. No excuses. If it is planned, and except against enormous weather, let’s go. We shorten the session if necessary, we change our program if we have pain in a knee or to one shoulder, but let’s go. On the other hand, going to sports often helps you feel better if you have a slack : circulate the blood, evacuate toxins through perspiration, or even stay locked up all day and doing something constructive, that turns a lot of “blah” days into days that were worth it.
3 weeks and then go
Three weeks. This is how long it takes for something to become a habit. So we push each other singularly at the beginning, and then, I promise, it just happens. And the body claims it, suddenly going there is a pleasure. Now, spending 2 consecutive days without sport is really intolerable to me. It hurts all over, I’m tired and in a bad mood. Anyway, I’m addicted to the endorphins my body makes in training. Because that’s not a myth either: it REALLY feels good.
We share and spread the love of sport
Finally, it’s much harder to stay motivated when you’re all alone enjoying the benefits of sport. I spent a lot of time at the beginning with no one to share my little victories, my challenges, the things that went through my mind at sport. (Yes, I wanted to tell someone that I can do 3 × 10 push-ups in a row, and that guy who only strengthens his pecs and not his legs looks like a bedside lamp.) Find people in your friends with whom to share this . Or convert them!
I’m the lonely type at the gym, but there are a lot of people out there who like to work out with others. Try to see which side you belong to (and it’s easier to go to sport when someone is counting on you and you have a specific schedule. Especially at the start!)
So I promise, getting into sport is not hard, especially if you plan to stuff . To find out what to do for a sport / how to train in the gym, here it is!
