Become a Consistent Lifter
Training has awesome highs and serious lows. While some factors are completely out of our control, there are others that we can influence. Controlling what we can will both improve our long-term progress and make our time in the gym more efficient. Here are 6 factors you can influence in order to have more consistent training sessions.
Disclaimer: Each of the following categories is incredibly nuanced, with thousands of hours of research dedicated to better understanding its role in performance. The purpose of this article is not to go into incredible detail for each category, but rather to highlight how each unique factor can positively or negatively influence your training, and to encourage introspection as to how you can improve your management of each of them.
1) Sleep
Make sure you are getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night!
Chronic sleep deprivation will negatively influence performance, fat loss, and increase your risk of injury. If long-term progress in the gym is a goal of yours, a more consistent sleep schedule will allow you to progress faster and over longer periods of time. Putting this into practice might look like having designated sleep/wake times, removing televisions/electronics from the bedroom, or establishing a nightly routine.
2) Food
Food provides the fuel for training, as well as for recovery. Ensuring we intake enough calories to recover and perform will allow us to get the most out of our training. Beyond simply how much food we eat, a consistent pre-workout meal will influence how we feel in the gym. Establishing a habit of eating a consistent amount of food and similar foods before you train will allow you to perform at your best.
3) Stress
Training is a stress to the body and if we are not properly managing stress, we jeopardize our progress. With so many ways for stress to enter the body (e.g. work, relationships, family, training, financial, etc.) having an ability to cope and manage stress levels will help us progress in the long-term. Stress-managing activities can include going for walks, playing with pets, spending time alone or with loved ones, or anything that helps you decompress.
4) Session Time
If your weekly training times are all over the place, you might benefit from trying to stick to a more consistent schedule. Squatting at 5pm on Monday, then deadlifting at 5am on Tuesday might not yield the best results. If possible, training at the same time each day will help you be more consistent in the gym. If this is not possible, it’s no excuse to skip training sessions. Getting the work done is better than not getting the work done, no matter the conditions.
5) Aerobic Capacity
Your aerobic capacity plays a huge role in your recovery between sessions and in between sets within a session
Building and maintaining an aerobic base will allow you to put in high-level efforts between sets, and throughout the entire workout. Improving your aerobic base can be done by implementing conditioning work to your training plan and by moving around more throughout the day.
6) Mental Attitude
Many lifts are missed before they’re attempted. If you go into reps, sets, and training sessions with the mentality that it’s going to destroy you, it likely will. Whether you’re having a good day or a bad day, focusing on the execution of the lift and blocking out external distractions will allow you to be more consistent with the weights that you lift and will improve progress over time.
Lifting to Full Potential
Consistency is key!
The common theme between all of these is the incredibly non-sexy idea that consistency matters. It’s not easy to create consistency, but its value is immeasurable. If you want to make your time in the gym more efficient and worthwhile, manage these 6 factors to the best of your ability.