Working Out in a Busy Gym: Advice for the New Year

It's that time of year. The calm before the storm. Everyone is busy with the holidays and the gym is looking pretty empty. Don't be fooled. Soon you won't even be able to find a free treadmill. You're just going to have to deal with it. Here's some basic advice to cope with the crowds.

Start Now

If you don't currently have a workout routine or program, start now. Don't wait until the 2023. You will be even more frustrated trying to adapt to a new routine or program in an over crowded gym.

Be Flexible

Make sure the aforementioned program has flexibility. Know the barbell, dumbbell, and machine variations for the exercise in your program.

If you have to use a heavier weight, do less reps. If you have to use a lighter weight, do more reps.

Simplify Your Workout

Try using just a few sets of dumbbells or kettlebells. The Smith-machine, bench press, and squat racks will have wait lines. There are usually multiple sets of dumbbells and kettlebells in a gym.

Take Mondays Off

Everyone's workout routine starts on Monday. Start yours on Tuesday. Make Monday your rest day. For me, it helps to mitigate the chaos that comes with Monday at work. Then think about coming into a mostly empty gym on the weekend.

Change Your Workout Time

Don't got to the gym at 5:00pm and expect it not to be crowded. Try going early in the morning. You might like it. If not you can adjust back to 5:00pm in mid-February.

Comments

It's the Holidays, Say "Yes" to Dessert

Let me start off stating that I'm not going to tell you to throw your tentative plan to survive holiday weight gain in the trash and eat an entire pumpkin pie in one sitting. What I am going to tell you is that you need to allow yourself to have dessert over the holidays. Numerous studies show that restrictive dieting leads to binge eating. If you tell yourself "I'm not going to eat any sweets or desserts", you're eventually going to find yourself in your kitchen late at night with a can of whip cream and the apple pie that was meant for tomorrow's holiday party...and you're probably not going to share. So what do you do? This is where understanding the food you eat in regards to calories, nutrients, and portions. This would allow you to look at your daily macronutrient goals and plan to make room for dessert. This is a learned skill that you can develop on your own or more quickly with the help of a nutrition coach. For now, let's look at the bas

Reduce Holiday Stress for Better Health

The holidays are known for bringing us all together with dinners, desserts, adult beverages, and too much turkey. They also come with unwanted baggage, including stress or, in extreme cases, depression. The pandemic will only increase this with COVID restrictions, inflation, shortages on certain goods, and the rising costs of travel. High levels of stress can lead to cravings, skipping exercise, and binge eating. You're going to deal with it, but applying the strategies below can reduce how it will affect your overall health. Have a Plan I discussed this in my original holiday post about fitness and health, but it applies to reducing stress as well. There are a lot of different events that will come up over the holidays. Here are some steps to help fit it all in. Prioritize what matters to you. If you know about events in advance (annual holiday work party, dinner at your in-laws', Black Friday, etc.) you can list them out from most to least important to you . Build out your c

Should I Exercise If I'm Sick?

The tridemic is upon us and everyone around us seems to be sick. Here are 5 common sense tips to avoid the increase of injury or more severe illness when deciding whether or not to exercise when you get sick. 1. Check for a Fever. If you have a fever, fatigue, or widespread muscle aches do not exercise. 2. Do a "Neck Check". If your symptoms are above the neck (sniffles, congestion) exercise with caution. If your symptoms are below the neck (hacking cough, upset stomach) do not exercise. 3. Proceed with Caution. Reduce intensity and exercise time. Attempting to exercise intensely or for long periods of time while sick can increase the risk of injury or more serious illness. 4. Practice Gym Etiquette. If you've tested positive for the flu, COVID-19, or any other illness that can spread to others, stay home! If you have a minor illness like a cold, keep up good practices like wearing a mask, wiping down equipment, washing your hands, and using hand sanitizer. 5. Seek

Strength, Grit, and Resilience Blog

Search This Blog