No more excuses: stick with your training

Do you also have these voices in your head? They whisper: “The weather is so bad today, you should stay inside!” Or: “The gym is so far away, the sofa is so close…” These voices keep giving you excuses not to get up and exercise. They sound like they only want to do something good for you. But that’s not true. In fact, they just slow you down.

That’s why we’re giving you the perfect plan to counter the most common excuses for not exercising. With our tips, you’ll stick to your program, we promise!

Excuse 1: “I’m so bored during training”

Monday legs, Tuesday abs, Wednesday cardio… week after week. And yet neither your fitness level nor your motivation are increasing. Then it’s not worth training, you think to yourself and stay on the couch. The next day, your inner demons attack again – and the vicious circle begins. It’s high time for a change of perspective that will get you out of boredom. If your training plan is inflexible, it’s no wonder that you’re not getting any success and your motivation is low. Because the body gets used to a constant load and after a while is no longer sufficiently challenged. So if you’re bored with your training, change it! You do the same with other things that don’t challenge you enough.

• Update your training plan every 6 to 8 weeks. This is important so that you don’t stand still. Increase your working weight or do more repetitions of familiar movements. Other options: Add complex movements that also challenge your coordination. Or try a move you’ve always wanted to be able to do, such as a handstand or pull-up. Adjust your plan regularly as soon as you’ve ticked off a goal.
• Add 1 to 2 HIIT sessions per week to your plan. These workouts will keep your mind busy and will produce quick results in a short period of time. This will take your training to the next level. More on this in the next point.

Excuse 2: “I don’t have time”

Sure, the day is full of tasks, the week is full of busy days, and the month is overflowing with busy weeks. But be honest: there are always a few minutes left. And did you know that you can train enough in just a few minutes to last the whole day? We’ll show you how.

With a HIIT workout, you can reach your athletic limits in no time at all. We’ve put together a quick HIIT workout for you here – so you don’t even have to think about which workout is most effective for a short period of time. The best thing about it: your body will continue to burn calories even after the workout – keyword afterburn effect! Warm up for this workout for around 5 minutes and then do as many rounds of the following moves as possible in 10 minutes. Let’s go!

▶ Squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a kettlebell with both hands at chest height. Bend your knees, lower your bottom and come into a deep squat. Keep your back straight. Hold the position briefly, then push back up forcefully from your heels.
15 repetitions

▶ Bridge with cover
Lie on your back, place your legs at a 90-degree angle, raise your pelvis so that your body forms a straight line. Grab the kettlebell behind your head, then pull it up until your arms are vertical. Hold the position briefly, then slowly return to the start.
15 repetitions

▶ Burpees
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place a kettlebell in front of your feet. Squat with your hands on the floor and bring your legs into a push-up position, then quickly jump back to your hands. Grab the kettlebell as you stand up and stretch it out over your head.
15 repetitions

▶ Lung with rotation
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands. Take a big step backwards with your left hand, bend your knees and rotate your upper body to the right. Hold briefly and return to the start. Repeat with the other side, alternating.
15 repetitions

▶ Side support
Forearm support on the right, legs long. Stretch the left hand with a kettlebell vertically upwards, hold it. Raise the pelvis until the body forms a straight line. Hold the position briefly, then lower the pelvis, do not put it down completely. Change sides after all repetitions.
15 repetitions

Excuse 3: “I have sore muscles”

The good news: Muscle soreness is not a disaster and is not bad either. The other good news: You can continue training without worry. Muscle soreness is usually limited to a certain muscle group, for example the legs and bottom or the arms. The pain is caused by small tears in the respective muscle fibers due to unusual strain during training. The functionality of the other muscles remains intact, so you can train your biceps without worry, even if your legs are still sore. What you should definitely avoid, however, is putting the sore muscles under intense strength training again. If you don’t do this, you increase your risk of injury.

• A light cardio session can work wonders: the movement and increased blood flow loosen your muscles and even accelerate the regeneration process of the affected muscle areas.
• If you feel weak and the pain is widespread, do a light body weight session so as not to overstrain your body – and then go to the sauna or bath.

Excuse 4: “I slept so badly”

You lost track of time while watching Netflix in the evening, or the upcoming project at work keeps you from sleeping at night. The morning consists of too much coffee and horrible dark circles under your eyes, the day drags on and you long to go back to bed. Tiredness and lack of sleep affect your performance in many ways – including training. But that’s still not a valid excuse to skip training. What your body needs now is not a nap or more coffee, but exercise! So get off the couch and into your workout clothes.

• A moderate-intensity workout reduces fatigue and increases your alertness better than a power nap or caffeine could.
• Be aware that you will lack energy due to lack of sleep. Therefore, take your training a little slower, for example with moderate cardio training, a yoga flow or light strength training. However, if your energy returns during training, there is nothing to stop you from going full throttle.

Excuse 5: “I just don’t feel like it today”

Work was stressful, the weather is terrible, and you’re in a bad mood anyway – there are many reasons why you’d rather leave your sweatpants in the closet on some days. That’s completely normal, nobody is always motivated, not even your favorite fitness influencer! The difference between her and you: she still puts on her sweatpants, while you keep looking for reasons to postpone your workout until tomorrow with a clear conscience. That’s over now! All it takes is a few little tricks to change your mindset and attitude to training and to help you successfully overcome your inner demons. You’ll still have days when you’re not motivated every now and then – with the small but important difference that you’ll be wearing your sweatpants more often now.

• Be aware of your goals – and every training session will bring you closer to your dream figure, the next race or whatever drives you.
• Just do it! It sounds banal, but it is often the best way out of a lack of motivation. So don’t think about it for too long, just do it.
• Go shopping again! With your new sports outfit, the desire to train comes naturally.

Excuse 6: “I can’t find my headphones!”

The protein shake is mixed, the gym bag is ready and you’re already standing in the door when you notice that your headphones are missing. Training without motivating beats? Out of the question! After a few minutes of futile rummaging and searching, your motivation has finally disappeared. Tomorrow is a new day… No way! Music can improve your performance. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t train without it for once. In fact, training without music has advantages that you would otherwise miss out on: If you don’t constantly look at your phone, you’ll be less distracted and able to give it your all with full focus.

• Go to the gym anyway! Without music you will be more focused and can concentrate better on more complex movements.
• When training, focus more on your breathing. If you breathe in a controlled manner, you will be able to do more repetitions than usual.
• See the lack of music as an opportunity to take your training to the next level and increase the weights in some exercises.

Excuses don’t really protect you, they only seem to be your friends, but in reality they keep you from achieving your goals. With our tips, you can overcome most of these obstacles and complete your training program!