When it comes to fitness, it seems that it really is a case of no pain, no gain. If you want to see results, you need to give it your all. That means you need to be disciplined, focused and willing to give it your all in the gym. It isn’t all serious though – you need to be enjoying yourself in order to feel motivated to carry on. So, how do you combine all of these features to create a fitness regime that not only keeps you focused but is also effective? Experts agree that beginning your regime with a specific goal in mind makes it easier for you to navigate a programme that works best for you – for example, do you want to run the marathon in six months time or become a more agile cricketer? Whatever it is you want to achieve, settle on the goal in the early stages so that you can tailor your programme to meet your targets. Stating that you simply want to lose a little weight will leave you unsure of how to meet these goals, and you’ll end up wavering.
It’s also important to remember that your fitness instructor can support you, but you need to put the effort in yourself – they aren’t a crutch on which to place all of your weight. You’ll feel and see the benefits far more if you put the effort in and maintain a strong level of performance and focus. Finding a balance of training, competing and relaxing is key to seeing the kind of results you’re working towards – the moniker of “no pain, no gain” may be tongue-in-cheek for many, but there is an element of truth to it.
Fitness experts are quick to agree that many people start off in the same way, with no experience and limited drive to get fit – after a while though, you begin to see results, which serves as the best motivator for striving to improve. Being healthier is a bonus to the aesthetic effects of exercise, too. For example, if you spend a lot of time working in an office, you may have poor posture – exercise and regular training can improve this, which in turn can help you reduce your risk of bad backs and muscle problems. By improving your movement patterns in the early stages, you can reduce the risk of injury and enhance your performance overall.