Fifty Percent of the Battle is Just Getting There

Fifty percent of working out is just getting to the gym. Don’t believe me? When you decide to start working out, does the earth’s gravitational pull start mysteriously working against you? For instance: “I want to workout today, but I don’t feel like riding my bike to Chelsea” — and you live in Hell’s Kitchen. “I want to workout today, but brunch with mimosas sounds too good to pass up” — but you went to happy hour last night. “I want to workout today, but there’s a hole in my favorite yoga pants” — but you have six other pairs in the drawer.

Are you enthusiastic for the first couple days of fitness before reverting back to your old ways? If you take an honest assessment of your current levels of enthusiasm toward exercise and you find yourself making excuses, it’s time to change things up. The good news is… half the battle is won by just showing up to the gym. All you need is a good reason to show up to the gym. Keep reading.

The Power of Enthusiasm:

If half the battle is won by just showing up, you’ve only got half way to go on your own. If you think about it, you can probably win another fifteen percent by picking a workout you actually like. There are plenty of choices.

1. Crossfit – seemingly the holy grail of exercise for advanced athletes, especially those who try to stay in peak physical condition throughout the entire year.
2. HIIT – short for High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT is a slight drop down from crossfit, but good for those who eventually want to take the next step.
3. Rowing – if you do crossfit or HIIT, chances are you’ll come across an Erg Machine, but you can also pursue rowing in specialized classes.
4. Cycling – SoulCycle and/or FlyWheel classes are for those who love to hit the bike and hit it hard. It’s also great training for biker’s who like to hit the road.
5. Running – workout’s like OrangeTheory Fitness and Mile High Run Club combine interval running and strength training in an indoor setting that’s good for all levels.
6. Yoga – not that I need to explain this one, but yoga integrates basic-to-advanced elements of stretching and meditation. As anyone will tell you, there are major benefits to working yoga into any exercise routine.
7. Barre – if you get good at any of these workouts, try a Barre class. It’ll put things into perspective (and kick your butt).

In today’s fitness climate, it’s not too hard to find a workout you’d actually enjoy. All you have to do is pick the one that’s right for you. If you’ve already done this, but you’re growing tired of a certain workout, it’s time to move onto something else. Switching things up keeps your exercise environment from getting stale.

Feed off the Energy:

If you can read between the lines, you’ll notice that exercise in a group setting is pertinent to my theory. Another ten percent can be won by feeding off of other people’s energy, especially if some of those people are your friends. But don’t pay too much attention to to what the next person is doing. Getting results is all about how much effort YOU put in.

While it may be hard to NOT notice other people, the main idea of a workout is to maximize our OWN personal benefit no matter what anybody else is doing.

To further explain, I’ll use my husband as an example. As many as five days a week he does crossfit at a popular “box” (crossfit lingo for gym) in New York City. On some days, an advanced crossfitter named “Paul” shows up to the workout.

According to my husband, Paul is “an absolute beast.” During some workouts, Paul almost doubles the output of my husband (according to the rules of crossfit). And my husband’s no pushover (well, maybe a slight pushover).

Anyway, if my husband pays too much attention to Paul, or even tries to keep up, he may get discouraged. Furthermore, an injury or blowout may occur. But if my husband uses Paul’s work ethic as motivation (instead of a distraction), he may start to realize his own potential.

You can’t make significant progress without facing reality, but a bunch of small steps start to add up. You don’t have to be the best one at the gym to get results, but you do have to be consistent.

Get to the Finish Line:

So if you just showed up to the gym, you’ve given fifty percent. If you’ve picked the right workout and you’re enthusiastic about it, that’s another fifteen percent right there. If you’re working out in a group setting, you can gain another ten percent by feeding off other people. The last twenty-five percent, well that’s up to you.

It doesn’t take a genius to understand what I’m saying. If you do any one of the aforementioned workouts, you’ll definitely give much more than twenty-five percent. The key is to put your mind in “twenty-five percent mode.” We’re all taught to give one-hundred percent, but in an intense workout setting a twenty-five percent mentality is more than enough.

If you go too fast, you’ll burn out. If you’re going too slow, you won’t get anything done. But if you’re in twenty-five percent mode, you’ll be strong and confident as you cross the finish line. At least don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Live in Your OcularPrime:

Remember, it takes a ton of hard work to become the star of the show, but we all have to start somewhere. When it comes to working out, don’t focus on what you might do. Focus on what you WILL do, then do it. Consistently.