Getting Back To It

This time of year, lots of people are traveling and their training gets sporadic. I decided to take ten days off from training to give my body a little recovery time while I went on vacation. Tonight, I trained for the first time since I took my break. While my lifts felt good, my body felt very stiff and it took me a long time to warm-up. It was obvious my body hadn't moved in a while.

Taking time off from training is a slippery slope. Many people physically take some time off from training, which is fine every once and a while. But, mentally it is often hard to get back into the regular training mindset. So, how do you prevent yourself from getting out of the habit of regular training? Here are a few ideas:

• Think of your training in terms of cycles. These cycles can coincide with your weekly, monthly, or yearly schedule. Plan on training until you have a break and then restart, possibly changing some variables in your training program at that point.
• Be accountable to someone. Whether that is a trainer, a partner or a group, having someone call you out is important when you get out of your training routine.
• Allow yourself to ease back into training. Auto-regulation works well. That is, think of training in terms of building blocks. Start with an easy session or small block. Gradually add more intensity and/or volume as your body tolerates it.