Skip to main content

Cross Trainer Day

Cross Trainer Day


http://howistayfit.com/training/cross-trainer-day/

Cross Trainer Day

 admin 

Cross Trainer Day

Cross Trainer Day – my least favourite kind of day at the gym!  It happens every so often.  Sometimes it won’t be for a few weeks.  Other times it will be a few times a week!  During really bad periods, it might be EVERY day of the week!  Yes, the dreaded cross trainer day.  Let me explain.

No Scheduled Rest Days

I don’t have scheduled rest days.  I am not saying that this is the best approach.  Nor am I saying that this is the approach everyone should be using.  But I don’t set aside any days off from training.  This is for a few reasons.

Firstly, if I am feeling good and fit and full of energy, I don’t see it necessary to have a rest day just because it’s in the schedule.  Secondly, I cannot guarantee for sure that I will be able to make it down the gym every single morning.  I go to the gym most mornings, but just like everyone else, I have a life too.  And sometimes life gets in the way.  So these odd occasions that stop me making it to the gym tend to compensate for any rest days.

That being said, I am still only human.  So sometimes all of the training and other stresscross trainer dayes of life catch up with me, and I just feel drained.  Absolutely drained.  This might be when most people would take a day of complete rest, but I’m not most people!  Again, I am not saying that this is right for everyone, but if I am really tired, I find I always feel better after some low intensity activity.  This is where the cross trainer comes in.

I feel that low intensity activity helps speed up my recovery as opposed to just taking total rest.  So this is what I do – a cross trainer day.

Surprises

Usually my gym friends know when it’s a cross trainer day just by watching me walk to the gym entrance from the other end of the car park.  The way I’m laboriously dragging my feet and struggling just to carry my gym bag is a tell-tale sign!
I’ll walk into the gym and my friends Jack or Chris will greet me with the question “cross trainer day?”  And I’ll give a defeated nod as I stumble towards the changing room.

Sometimes I surprise myself, as I will feel like death as I enter the gym, but as I begin to warm up I actually begin to feel better.  So sometimes what I thought was sure to be a cross trainer day ends up actually being a pretty good bag workout.  But most of the time, no.

Embracing it

I used to get really frustrated with myself when days like this happened, but now I have come to accept it and embrace it as part of the process!  You can’t train hard all of the time, and rest and recovery are important often overlooked elements of fitness!  I tell myself that ANY workout is better than NO workout, so at least I have done SOMETHING!

This applies to when I am feeling a little ill too.  Obviously if I am really sick I will stay well away from the gym (I don’t want to spread my illness to others!).  But if I am just a little under the weather, then I am grateful to have still been able to do some kind of workout, no matter how light.
cross trainer day

Protocol

I don’t really have a specific cross trainer workout protocol.  But generally I will do steady state cardio for anywhere from 30 – 60 minutes.  Sometimes I switch it up and do intervals, adjusting the resistance level up and down every minute or so.  But these are definitely NOT high intensity intervals (so not HIIT), just something to make it a little less boring really!

Headphones

I hate gym music by the way – it’s like every gym worldwide purposely plays shit music for some reason.  As if the struggle of exercising in the first place isn’t torture enough for some people, they have to endure crappy music too!  I channel it out usually if I am doing a boxing or muay thai workout.
But when I am stuck on the cross trainer, it really gets to me!  So this is why, when I remember, I will put my headphones in and listen to a podcast or something to help kill the time.

We all have cross trainer days sometimes.  It’s all part of the journey!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Doughnut Diet – FREE 7 Day Flexible Eating Challenge

https://howistayfit.com/diet/the-doughnut-diet-free-7-day-flexible-eating-challenge/ The Doughnut Diet – FREE 7 Day Flexible Eating Challenge    admin   26/06/2019 Sign up for The Doughnut Diet – FREE 7 Day Flexible Eating Challenge  , where I will be teaching you the system I use for losing fat   while still being able to include junk food  .  I will be emailing you a short video (most are a little over 5 mins or so) each day over the duration of the challenge.  To make things easier, I’ve provided notes for each video too, that you can download.  So please check your inbox daily!    Each day, I’ll be setting you a few very short tasks to do (it’ll only take 5 mins), so please keep on track and complete the daily tasks! It’s all important for teaching you my method for losing body fat   without cutting out junk food!  If you have any questions or are unsure about anything, please fe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How my Online Fitness Coaching works

https://howistayfit.com/diet/how-my-online-fitness-coaching-works/ How my Online Fitness Coaching works Through my Online Fitness Coaching, I coach busy people to lose fat, build muscle, and feel healthier. And I deliver it all online. You will still live a full and balanced life. You will NOT have to sacrifice your favourite food or take much of your time. I work with you to get you leaner, stronger, and healthier, with results that stick. By my personalised coaching being delivered online, my service is accessible to you from anywhere at any time. All at the touch of your phone, computer, or tablet.  I am there to answer questions and guide you along the way. What it includes : My service entails a full lifestyle package to support you with your: Food and drink intake Exercise Your Lifestyle (stress, sleep, meal and exercise scheduling, time management),  And Adherence (staying on track) Ideliver my online coaching to you through my sof...
Post a Comment
Read more

Clients’ Progress – it’s more than how you look!

https://howistayfit.com/life/client-progress-health/ Clients’ Progress – it’s more than how you look! How about we consider Health for a moment when we think about Fitness… Fitness is MORE than just your looks and appearance.  Instagrammers, take note: fitness is not just about how you look! I see the people I work with make awesome transformations, but these are NOT solely physical changes to their appearance.  I see them make positive changes to their health and their wellbeing.  They change mentally and psychologically, as well as often physically. Yes, clients’ physiques change.  They lose body fat, they tone up, they gain muscle, and they gain strength.  But so often many more changes than this take place, that you just CANNOT capture on camera. My point here, is NOT to put too much emphasis on the way you look when it comes to gauging your fitness progress.  And of course, usually the worst thing you can d...
Post a Comment
Read more