As the world of functional fitness begins to get back to normal, it seems like many of us are either returning to training or will be in the coming weeks. It is worth remembering a few key pieces of mindset advice in this time:
Accept reality. Maybe you’re not going to be as strong as you were. Or your mobility won’t be as good. Or you may not feel as confident as you used to. In some way, you probably won’t be as good as you used to be. No amount of wishing it were different will change that for you. Accept it. Know that your end goal is still the same, but the path may need correcting.
On that note… remind yourself of the end goal. If you don’t have a vision of where you want to be in 3 years from now, create one. If you’ve already got one, refer back to it. Amend it. Refresh your mind with why you train and who you want to become.
Remember, progress over perfection. You may, after a brief interlude, be back at your previous level. Most likely though, you’ll improve incrementally, and slower than you like. If this is the case, stop comparing yourself to the end product. Look instead at how to improve in incremental measures
Listen carefully to your self talk. You’ll probably pick up on a lot of stories with this change. Are you too excited? Are you forcing progress? Are you jealous? What’s going through your mind? Listen for repeating phrases and words. Feel for your emotional state.
Mind the Gap. There will be a gap between where you want to be and where you are now. But this isn't the only gap. The other gap lies between where you were and where you are now. You’ve come further than you think. Balance the amount of time you spend thinking about both.
AMWAP your heart out. Wins are essential for rewriting the subconscious story. When you’ve been away from the gym for a while, you’ll probably get a lot of wins about being back. Note them down! Find gratitude and re-write those narratives
Do not compare yourself. Oh, old faithful here… comparison is the thief of joy, as we know. So watch for that like a hawk. When you notice your comparison creeping in, flip the language. What are you grateful for about yourself? Try that on for size.
There are your 7 key reminders when returning to the gym. There’s one bonus point though. One which caps everything else we’ve discussed:
HAVE FUN