Kick start your Spring training with these tips
With the days getting longer and warmer, many of us will begin to get outside and start exercising more. Getting started, or restarted, can be the hardest part of the entire process so Team Inspire has some tips to help you kick start your spring training.
Take it easy
Don’t do too much, too soon. Often, after a Winter training hibernation, people try and get straight back into the same amount of training they were doing last Summer. Wrong. This can lead to injury and/or burnout. How much exercise you should start with depends on the level of fitness you have maintained over the break. If you have done not much at all, aim for around 50% of last Summer’s regime and see how tired and/or sore you feel during and after the session. If you are quite tired and sore then you’ve probably done too much, too soon. If you recover well or are only a bit sore then you’re on the right track.
The 10% rule
When you have determined the right level of exercise to commence your Spring training there is often a temptation to increase the load quickly to get back to where you were but this can be dangerous and detrimental (injury/burnout). A great rule of thumb is only change one training variable - weight, reps, rest time - at a time and by no more than 10%. Try 5% first and see how you go.
Get some help
Starting or restarting your Spring training alone can be hard - getting some help can be crucial in finding the right training and a sustainable routine. Who can help?
- Enlist a friend or family member as a training buddy
- Join some group session at a local gym, a running group, a cycling club, a swimming group, a multisport tri club
- Engage a professional - a training coach, a personal trainer, a strength and conditioning coach
Find your groove
When you do anything over and over, it becomes a chore - think mowing the lawn or ironing! So, it’s important to exercise doing something that you enjoy. Love the gym environment - go there. Love the great outdoors - run, bushwalk, paddleboard. Love some company - join a cycling bunch ride. Work out what you love to do and turn that into part of your Spring training routine. And, pop in some variety while you’re at it - they do say variety is the spice of life, right? Vary your routine or your activities from week to week or even every few weeks you could throw in something completely different to your normal routine.
Think short and long
Setting both short and long-term goals will help you stay motivated throughout your Spring training, right into Summer. Short-term - think about what you are aiming to achieve in a specific week or month. Eg. run three times in a single week. Long-term - think of a single big goal. Eg. running a marathon, finishing a triathlon.
*Disclaimer - we are not qualified personal trainers but we do train daily. Please seek your doctor’s advice before commencing any exercise program.