I always find that the new academic year and start of the new rowing and swimming seasons can be tough! If we take a ‘glass half-full’ approach the mental side of this can really be the thing that makes the difference with coming out of it and into October in a month’s time in style.
What’s harder…?
Naturally, with slightly less warmth from the sun, typically cooler air and more rainy windy stuff, work and life commitments can seem that touch harder.
Those who exercised regularly throughout July and August will be reaping the rewards of staying fit! Those who exercised well during May and June would have been feeling great for it during the summer!
It is easier to maintain a raised state of fitness than to increase it.
It is worth keeping this in mind, for example if setting out on a new routine. If we’re striving for more, it’s going to feel harder, and the body will need more fuel and more recovery. Prioritise early nights and do things that promote quality sleep.
With the glass half-full…
Keep the above in perspective, and take the satisfaction from completing those exercise sessions!
Having had some rest over the summer, we can feel recharged, refreshed and ready to get stuck in again with renewed energy!
Making gains during September should therefore become very evident, acheivable and exciting.
Less number of hot days makes staying hydrated easier, and training more efficient.
Maintain what we gained during and before the summer. Approach the month with all the time and opportunity there is for development of new skills.
Make small adjustments, aiming to only change one thing at a time in an exercise routine, for example that new session in your timetable once/week. Keep the other good stuff going and don’t change those things at the same time.
Maximise the daylight hours and make the most of the outdoors.
Enjoy being motivated by each other during group exercise.
If you’re already doing these things then you should back yourself and take on each day of September with confidence!
Being fitter and stronger makes daily tasks easier.
I’m going to aim for consistency, in work, in training. I know that if I get the early nights and eat well the vast majority of the time, then I’m in a good place.
It can seem impossible to keep all one’s plates spinning. Research shows that when we’re feeling exhausted, a light 20 minute jog can increase our energy levels, compared with doing nothing. Getting good at listening to the body when deciding on a need to adjust exercise sessions can be crucial.
