Workout-Schedule Clarity Strategies
More endurance workout mastery strategies are what I promised at the end of my previous article, and I aim to please!
It seems, based on traffic, that my previous article caught the attention of many runners and walkers who struggle to deal with training for upcoming marathons, half marathons, and other endurance races.
The truth is that we all sometimes become overwhelmed by endurance workout schedules. When I talk with other endurance runners and walkers about their workout schedules, there are three Killer Problems with which they are dealing.
Put as a question, what are the three biggest problems in your workout schedule?
I bet that they are…
- Complexity
- Inattentiveness
- Interruptions
Consider what could happen if you could manage these three problems!
The fact is: You can! When you understand how to create a Clarity Mindset, mastering these problems is simple.
To quickly review the previous article that I wrote about workouts, I gave you two simple but powerful rules to prevent Being Overwhelmed by Workouts:
- Schedule WITH your emotions, NOT against them. The simplest, most powerful way to do this is to determine and stick to your best time of day to work out.
- Forgive yourself whenever you miss a workout. This lets you avoid using the Law of Attraction in a negative way.
Some runners and walkers resist these rules, saying that they prefer to “gut it out” and claiming that being hard on themselves is how they got to where they are today. Of course, these are often the very same runners and walkers who eventually get burned out with their workout schedules, get injured, or both.
“This is how I’ve always done it.” and “This is all I know.” are two popular reasons that many of these folks give for not wanting to change, but these also are very close to the definition of insanity — doing what you have always done and expecting different results.
No matter whether you like or hate these rules, being tough on yourself when you miss a workout and gutting it out to stick to a workout schedule are a complete waste of emotional energy. And you end up negating the reasons that got you started running or walking endurance distances in the first place!
Here’s a really simple strategy for when your workout schedule seems too complicated and you feel that you cannot keep up with it:
Workout Strategy #1:
Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.
That’s right. Look at your entire schedule, and SIMPLIFY IT.
If during the week you are running or walking in your neighborhood, on a track, on a treadmill, and in a park, eliminate at least one of these. You don’t need all four!
If during the week you are doing tai chi, Pilates, yoga, and dynamic stretching to improve your flexibility, consider letting go of one. You don’t necessarily need all of them.
If during the week you are strengthening your core at the gym, at home, and in the park, collapse these. You can reduce the total amount of weekly “set-up” and “tear-down” time (to borrow language from roadies who set up and tear down stages for traveling musicians) for your core-strengthening “events” by reducing the number of weekly events — and putting a little more core-strengthening into each remaining event.
And, from that moment forward, commit to keeping your schedule simple.
Having a simpler schedule is truly this easy.
Ultimately, having a simpler workout schedule is about Clarity. Be clear about exactly what you want to achieve, and you can easily make decisions to simplify your schedule! (Remember: “Decide” literally means to cut off.)
Think about that. What would YOU do with that extra time every week?
Here’s another strategy that will give you mastery over your endurance workouts, literally immediately:
Workout Strategy #2:
Pay more attention to your body and mind.
Did you have a visceral reaction when you read that? — as in, “Of course, I pay attention to my body and mind!”
Do you? Really? Always?
Have you completed a workout and later become strongly aware that you had overdone it? Or that you had started the workout with a nagging injury and only made the injury worse? Or that you had resented spending the time on that workout because you had something more important to do with your family?
The point is, it’s easy for all of us to become “mindless” about our workouts.
I am challenging you to become more mindful about your workouts — to pay attention to your body and mind before, during, and after your workouts.
The powerful part about this is that you can do this INSTANTLY!
Now, I am not saying that you will always be perfectly mindful about all of your workouts.
But you are committed to gaining more Clarity about your workouts, or you are not. Which is it?
Clarity should not be confused with rigidity, which leads to the next strategy…
Workout Strategy #3:
Expect and accept interruptions.
When you have incredible Clarity, you should expect and accept interruptions to your workout schedule.
I’m not referring to interruptions during your workouts, except in the case of emergencies. And, even then, you must be careful about what you classify as an emergency.
No, I’m referring to interruptions to your schedule. This ties back to rule #2 in my previous article.
If you can forgive yourself when you miss a workout, then you can accept occasional interruptions to your workout schedule.
And you should expect occasional interruptions.
Life happens. Things change. Prepare yourself mentally for shifting or skipping a workout by expecting that sometimes something else WILL intervene.
Now, the truth is, I have 24 strategies (and counting) for mastering your endurance workouts and creating a Clarity Mindset.
I’ve been compiling them for the past few years, and they are exactly what I use to have much more Clarity about my workouts than what many friends and acquaintances have.
Let’s do some market research here: If I were to create a powerful training program that shows you how to get clarity about your workouts, would you be interested?
I’m considering creating a very simple and easy-to-follow approach to installing a clarity mindset about the workouts that support your endurance running or walking.
This would not be lots of hours of training. Instead, it would be a tight, results-oriented course that would teach you to master your workout schedule.
Look, if you’re already struggling with your workout schedule, then a program that requires a high time commitment is not for you. What I’m talking about is to-the-point ways to take control of your workout schedule … and enjoy your workouts more!
So post a comment below to let me know whether this is something in which you’d be interested.
And do me a favor in your comment by answering this question:
What is the single biggest CHALLENGE you face when it comes to mastering your workout schedule?
If I get enough feedback, then I’ll look into creating a powerfully simple and effective program to master your workouts.
So, if that’s something you want, then let me know by posting a comment below.
Thank you, and remember to answer the question!
