5 days a week- your new program minimum for training

Week 2 of my new training program started today. Done and dusted by 8.30 and feeling great.

Last week was a huge success with a new idea I’ve been playing around with. I’ve also been suggesting it to a few of our clients and have been getting great feedback.

The idea is that you need to train (exercise, be active- whatever you want to call it) a minimum of 5 days a week if you want to get the best out of your health.

Humans are meant to move well and move often. Unfortunately, too many people move poorly and very little. This has massive implications for your long-term health and there is no other option to solve it other than being more active.

What I’ve been suggesting is that our clients make training 5 days a week their absolute minimum. This is actually much easier for most people than they think.

Here’s my suggestion>

3 days a week you get to the gym. The gym is where you build your strength, develop your power, build muscle to boost your metabolism, work on your joint mobility and posture, etc.

2 days a week you do whatever you like- martial arts, running, play football, go for a hike with the kids, etc.. You need to enjoy this activity and it needs to be something that is a good fit for you e.g.. If you have an injured knee, running wouldn’t be a good fit for you at this time. You need to choose another activity that won’t aggravate your knee.

Along with this weekly training routine, you also need to back it up with a super healthy lifestyle. No half-assing it thinking that because you train you can go party 3 times a week. Eat well, sleep well and recover well.

If you follow this template you’ll be the healthiest and fittest that you’ve been in years. You just need to commit to it. All we’re talking is 4-5 hours a week. Not a huge time commitment.

Once you do it for a few weeks it’ll become your norm.

Put another way. In 2015, you need to get………..

Real world example 1

• Monday, Wednesday and Friday- gym session for 1 hour
• Soccer- i day during the week
• Swim and walks with family

This girl is super busy, has children and works long hours but she still manages to stay on top of her health because it’s simply part of what she does. There’s no big drama attached to exercise.

Real world example- Me

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday- gym session (focusing on building strength at the moment)
• 1-2 walks during the week- fresh air, time to think, recover from training sessions, etc
• I do my training and get on with my day. No big deal

Real world example 3- several clients do this

• Monday to Friday (4-5days a week)- gym sessions that are a mixture of strength work, conditioning, mobility work, core work, etc.
• Weekends- walk with family and friends
• Go about their everyday lives knowing that their health and fitness is on auto-pilot

 

Could you manage something like this?

One thing I know for sure is that every has a few hours a week to get to the gym. All you have to do is add in another 2 days activity at the end of the week and you’re sorted. You could even do 30 minutes of skipping at home or a yoga class.

For the level of health that most people want and should be striving for, 1, 2 or 3 days week just doesn’t deliver. It’s great that you ar active but the magic happens you hit this 5 days a week or more.

Make this a goal in 2015. You won’t believe the difference and it will stand to you for life.

Train hard, train smart and stay healthy…….. (and exercise 5 days a week)

Agree?

Couldn’t disagree more?

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