Viral Workout - Episode 9
Prior to opening my gym in 2008, I purchased gym equipment to train at home because the one or two power racks found at my local commercial gyms were usually occupied. Initially after getting my home gym set-up I was quite motivated to train, but over time motivation waned and distractions became more enticing. This is a consistent theme in my life, because when I was in college I could never seem to effectively study in my apartment due to all the distractions. The phone would ring, my neighbor’s dog would bark, or there would be loud music blaring out of a car in the parking lot. My test scores got much higher once I took to my university library to study. I developed a studying ritual in college: I would stop by the convenience store on the way to the library to pick up an energy drink and a snack to stuff into my back pack. Once at the library, I would take the elevator to the fourth floor, post up in a cubicle in a quiet corner, and commit to staying until I sufficiently understood all the material.
I’ve always liked the casual comfort of being at home, but I recognize that I need to remove myself from distractions to be productive. This set the stage for my gym operation. When I describe Amarillo S&C to potential clients I say, “We’re a garage gym that doesn’t take up any of your personal garage space and has far fewer distractions.” Our current gym set-up boasts nine lifting stations and fewer than 50 keyed members, so having to wait for a rack is never an issue. I also make it clear to potential members that our gym isn’t for everyone, in that, one must follow a program and be self-motivated to effectively put the facility to use.
The secret to staying self-motivated is not only in having a program to follow, but making training a habit complete with training rituals. I carve out personal time at least three days a week to train. I train at roughly the same time each day. Before heading the gym I fill a insulated cup with coffee and a shaker cup with a couple of scoops of protein powder. I keep my gym bag in the car and spend the drive getting mentally prepared to train upon arrival. When I get to the gym I get my lifting shoes on, select the appropriate barbell for the lifts I’ll be training, and devise a plan for warm-up. I don’t get into much chit chat with other members until my training is underway.
Training has become a habit for me, and is rarely something I dread. Additionally, training rituals provide creature comforts that make me to look forward to training. I would recommend to anyone reading this struggling with training motivation to first find a program that you think you would enjoy doing, secondly carve out time during your week to commit to following the program, and finally find a place that you can complete your planned workouts with minimal distractions. And DON’T FEEL GUILTY! Training is a measure of self-care that benefits you AND your family, allowing you to be the best version of “you” for them.
Now that you’re sufficiently movtivated, here’s a home workout for today:
As many rounds as possible in 15-20min of:
4 Prone Weight Drags (R/L = 1 rep)
8 Prone 3-point flys (reps ea arm)
12 Weighted Thrusters
16 Jumping Jacks