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Running Out of a Rut

Even athletes will sometimes find themselves in situations when they don't feel like training. This can be after a long playoff run. It could be during the rehab of an injury. Or it could near the end of a career when the drive just isn't the the same as it once was. So what do you do to overcome a rut? How do you get going when you have no momentum? What helps you develop inertia to fuel future efforts? Sometimes it's as simple as taking the first step. And trail running offers a great analogy to help us get going. Here's how.   1 - The Arms Are the Drivers If you're a runner you'll know how important the arms swing is for success. The arms help propel us and help us maintain balance. And because the arms don't have to overcome the same resistance to gravity and are shorter levers than the legs, they can dictate the cadence of our stride. What this means is that our legs will follow the speed of our arm swing. Want to move your legs more quickly? Swing your arms faster. This is a great technique when climbing hills and near the end of races when fatigue may limit how quickly we can turn over the legs. There will be something health-wise that comes easier to you than most. Maybe you are really good at meal planning. Maybe you are good at getting yourself to sleep on time. Maybe you are always punctual. Maybe you are good at keeping notes and journalling. All of these things lead to success. The key is to do what you're good at to start. Other positive habits will spin off from the good effort you are making in another area of your life. 2 - Lean Into...

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Consistency is the Key

Consistency is the Key

Coaching, programming and nutrition are important components of a fitness program. But they aren't the most important. At this point many will be rolling their eyes or scratching their heads. What else could be more important? Certainly not supplementation, recovery or equipment. We would argue that mindset trumps all of the things that normally are seen as the essential elements in a fitness routine. Because let's face it...great coaching, programming and nutrition mean very little to someone who doesn't want their goal. It means little to someone who doesn't believe in their goals. And it means very little to someone that isn't willing to make changes to achieve their goal. And with the right mindset is the commitment to do something on a consistent basis. This is part of the secret formula of success which is to do things repeatedly. Success doesn't come with training 1,2 or maybe 3 hours per week. And it doesn't happen by eating healthily during the week only to drink beer and eat pizza during the weekend. And it doesn't happen by getting to bed on time four nights of the week and staying up too late the other three nights. Success happens when we do the right things regularly. [caption id="attachment_4934" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Positive, consistent habits lead to success. After having coached, presented to and interacted with tens of thousands of clients and teams I can tell you this be true. Consistent positive efforts lead to successful outcomes. But I was curious what consistency meant to our clients? I wanted to know what consistency meant to them? And how does it relate to their health and fitness goals? Here's what they had to say. 'Consistency means overcoming inertia. A body at rest wants to stay at rest. If I'm always resting it's harder to get going again.''When...

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