Missed a workout? It’s like skipping a toothbrush day – don’t stop!
Missed a workout? It's like skipping a toothbrush day – don't stop!
I overheard a conversation the other day about training, missing sessions and the effects that has. Lets call them, oh I don’t know, John and Jennifer, and it went something like this
John - Missing a training session means you are not serious about your training, Jennifer.
Jennifer – Shut up John, you can still be serious about your training and miss one training session.
John - But by missing sessions you won’t make the progress that you expect.
Jennifer – That’s like saying if you miss a day cleaning your teeth you might as well stop as they will all now fall out.
John - No, I am just saying, if you can’t stick to your programme and be consistent, you are just exercising without a reason.
Jennifer – John, what have you been watching? Strength takes 2 weeks of no training to start to decline, not one session. I train because I love how it allows me to be active with my mates, so if I miss a session I am sure my mates will be okay with that, won’t you John?
John - What? I am just saying if you are not going to take it seriously then just do some exercise whenever you feel like it.
Jennifer – I do that John, and it turns out for 98% of the time I feel like it at the same time as the programme tells me to, I mean even Olympians have time off
John - Well, if I wasn’t consistent with my training, then it would just feel like I was filling time for no reason, but you do you Jennifer.
Jennifer – I would find it hard to ‘do’ someone else John, also, look at me, nothing lost, strong as an ox, fit as a fiddle, and not miserable because someone I knew missed a training session.
My thoughts are that this argument to apply to any aspect of a healthy lifestyle, so either training or nutrition.
What would happen if you didn’t clean your teeth for a day, or didn’t have a wash one day?
Would that mean that you stopped cleaning, or having a wash, for the rest of your life?
No, of course not. There might be several reasons why you were unable to do either on a particular occasion. I am sure you could think of a few.
All that would happen, is that you get back to it the next time. A healthy lifestyle is no different.
Training and nutrition are the same, as cleaning your teeth. If you miss a training session, or fall off your diet regime, just get back to it the next day, so you don’t lose the gains you have made.