The In-Between Days

One of the best things about being a trainer is that there is a certain, albeit fluctuating, amount of control we have over our jobs:  where we work, how much we work, what hours we work and, most importantly, what we do during the training sessions with our clients.  Some of my clients have very specific areas of need and/or focus, such as rehabbing from an injury, strengthening their core, improving their balance, putting on muscle or losing weight and burning fat.  A majority, however, just want to do exercise in a different way and not have to think about what they are doing:  they just want to get in a great workout and go about their day.  And that's totally fine with me.  But the question that almost always arises with each of my clients is what they should be doing on the days when they are not working out with me, which, for most, is the other 4-6 days out of the week.  Probably one of my biggest challenges is that although I can control what happens during the 30, 45, or 60 minutes during a training session, I can't control what happens during the other hours of the day (what they are eating, how much they are moving around) and the other days of the week.  Many have asked me to come up with routines for them on the "off" days, which I will do, and those that stay consistent and make it a habit to follow that routine reap the most benefit.  To be honest, it's pretty easy to tell who is consistent and who isn't, but that doesn't mean that I don't try to convince everyone that while I can certainly help them achieve their goals, ultimately it is up to each individual to decide how important it is to be healthy and how disciplined they are about it.

So my goal with this blog post is to highlight some ideas for those "off-days", i.e., the days when you are not working out with your trainer or simply have no idea where to go in the gym without any guidance.  What we're trying to avoid is the "Gym Wanderer" -- the person who strolls into the gym and bounces from machine to machine without any pattern or focus.  This is a pretty clear way to get bored and frustrated, and what usually ends up happening is that the "Wanderer" quits the gym altogether, never to return.  I know because I've seen it happen, many times over.  So here are some quick thoughts on what to do when you don't have a clear "routine" and your trainer isn't hovering over you with instructions:

•  CORE DAY (for the Men)  -- Guys are great about lifting weights.  We want to be big and strong, we want to build muscle and we want to be a little ripped.  I get it, and that isn't going to change.  But we are also almost completely neglectful of properly exercising and strengthening what I think is the most important part of our body, the Core area.  We all want a six-pack, but doing 50-minutes of upper body work and 100 crunches at the end of our workouts isn't going to get it done.  If you are a guy and you lift a lot of weights, add a Core day to your routine, only focusing on Abs, Obliques, Hips, Lower Back and Torso.  The stronger you are in those areas, the stronger you'll be when you want to bench your max.
• WEIGHT DAY (for the Ladies) -- Sort of the opposite of guys, women are usually meticulous about Core-type work, especially in the hips and obliques, but tend to neglect simple weight lifting.  I've heard a few women tell me that they don't want to lift weights because they don't want to "bulk up", however, that just isn't going to happen.  The fact of the matter is that if you are a women and you want to look and feel "toned", you have to lift weights, and you should lift them HEAVY.  Muscle is great because it helps you burn off fat, so take a break from the elliptical for one day and hit the free weights for maximum effect.
• BALANCE -- This one's pretty easy, at least in theory.  If you have a regular free weight routine, or do work with Body Bars, Medicine Balls and the like, try doing those exercises on one foot.  Bicep Curls?  Shoulder Presses?  Back Fly's?  Torso Rotations?  Stand on one foot and see if it makes those exercises a bit more challenging.  Not only will balancing on one leg strengthen your ankles and hips, but it will force you to stabilize your Core and concentrate harder on whatever exercise you are trying to perform.
• TRY SOMETHING NEW -- Ever done leg exercises with ankle weights? Worked out with the resistance bands?  Flipped the Bosu over to stand on the flat side?  How about ran a bunch of sets of sprints on the track?  Is there a new class that you want to try but haven't had the time?  Best way to break out of your routine is to dig into something totally different and challenging at the same time.  I've told my clients many times that no matter how good shape you are in, whenever you do something new it's going to be challenging.  And that's a great way to get in shape.

It's not a fun feeling to go into a gym and feel lost.  All you need is a little inspiration and direction (even without your trainer), and then you are on your way.