You’re tired. You’re sore. You’re busy. You just don’t feel like it.
There are so many excuses to skip the gym, or Karate class, and miss a workout. Then what happens?
You feel like a loser. You swear you’ll make it up next week. Or maybe you think about quitting workouts altogether.
Stop torturing yourself! It doesn’t have to be that way! Check out this video or read this tricky idea and get sweating! 🙂
ONE-MOVE WORKOUT
I work out every day. Not because I’m a health nut or a compulsive whack job. I’m just a guy who figured out the secret to getting results even on days when I don’t want to do anything. Here it is—
DO ONE MOVE.
That’s it. Don’t try to break a world record. Don’t give it your all. Just show up for yourself ONE TIME.
Go to the gym. Step outside. Get off the couch—whatever!
Just pick one move. A punch. A kick. A push-up or squat. Pick up a rock. Anything!
The secret move to getting results on your worst day is whatever move you choose to do!
I recommend you do your one move workout first thing in the morning. Seriously—as soon as you wake up! That way, no matter what happens, or doesn’t happen, the rest of the day, at least you accomplished something.
Let me give you an example…
Let’s say you wake up feeling too lazy to go to the gym. Go anyway!
You don’t need a plan. Or a “workout of the day”. Or a trainer. Just walk in. Then let your instincts choose one exercise.
Maybe you slump on to a stationary bike. Maybe you lie on a yoga mat. Maybe you punch a bag. Maybe you pick up a pair of dumbbells and walk them around.
That’s when the magic happens!
That first move will suddenly lead you to a second move! Then a third… and a fourth. Before you know it, an hour will pass and you’ll be covered in sweat.
It never fails—movement gives birth to motivation. You’ll remember how good exercise feels. You’ll have fun making up a new workout instead of following some old routine.
It’s so easy to talk yourself out of doing something because you feel you must give it one hundred percent. You feel you must impress someone. You feel you must be better than last time.
Um…no, you don’t!
Instead, give yourself permission to replace expectation with exploration. Give yourself permission to simply do what you can without comparing it to anything you’ve done before.
Bottom line—when you don’t feel like working out, make a promise to yourself that you will always do at least one move, one time. If you stop after that, well, congratulations! That’s still better than doing nothing.
But I bet you won’t stop. That would be like eating one chicken wing or one bite of pie. Ain’t gonna happen!
Instead, I bet you do a second rep… and a third. Watch how that one rep turns into one set! That’s the secret to getting results… even on your worst day.
Guess most things ARE one step at a time….thanks for the encouragement!
Yep! Get the ball rolling and let the momentum carry you along. Thanks!
Thanks Sensei@. No matter what 1 move a day. I feel inspired to keep it moving
You’ve got the power, Miss Lynne! 🙂
Very good advice and I also find that when I just get going I keep on going. We all need some motivation and I truly appreciate the reminder! Thanks Ando.
Amen, Andrea. Just get started and the rest takes care of itself! 🙂
I couldn’t agree more with this article, I’m currently training for a 10km run in September and after work on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I go on the treadmill for 50 mins to an hour, today I nearly didn’t, my legs ached and my friend offered me a lift home but I thought to myself no I’ll just hit the punching bag for a bit, maybe do some leg presses.
So I started and after hitting the bag for about 15 minutes I thought ‘you know what I’m going to do a run even if it’s only a couple of miles’. 2 miles comes along and my legs actually felt better than before, 4 miles and I’m thinking wow I still feel alright. I ended up beating my record for a 10km run by over a minute and a half :). It’s amazing what can happen once things get going 🙂
Keep up the great articles sensei (your tips for hitting a bag have helped me a lot as well 🙂 )
Exactly, Andy! You just designed your own tee shirt– “It’s amazing what can happen once things get going!”
Keep punching… and running… and fighting… and winning! 🙂
I was tired, weak and hungry. I’d just finished Karate practice and decided I’d skip gym. I simply didn’t feel like straining with heavy weights.
I jumped in the car and started on the drive home. I didn’t remember much else until I reached my ‘destination’.
When I snapped out of my “trance” I found myself parked, not at home as intended, but in front of the gym!
I was outside the very place I wanted to avoid. Habit had hijacked my subconscious. Habit, it seems has the power to kick in and get you to act even when you don’t feel like it.
Suffice to say, I got my workout done even though I didn’t feel like it. So, in addition to the “one move workout” simply show up day after day and before you know it, it’ll be habit and you’ll be showing up even when you don’t feel like it!
Thanks for sharing, Boykie! Yes, that’s a great point… only habits will get you where you want to go. Waiting around for motivation will get you nowhere.
Keep fighting the good fight! 🙂
Yes I did 2 mikes on bike, 300 crunches and 4 sets of lay pulldowns. I did them at my home. My Gym today was out I said. Gyms gets boring st times, especially when individuals are sitting at each machine, texting and surfing the web. God, what a waste and hold up others from exercising. If you ask for a time on the machine, they say they aren’t finished as yet. So, you try another machine and discover the same – only a different person.
I’m fighting the urge to quit and merely work out at my home.
Have you heard others complain about this occurring issue? Just curious.
Thanks for your continual advice. Great stuff.
Hi Wayne!
People stalling on machines is a plague. You’re not alone in suffering! 🙂
I try to workout wherever I go. That’s what’s so great about martial arts. I don’t need a gym! Keep fighting! 🙂