Staying Motivated During the Off-Season (and Holidays!)

Every athlete, from professionals to weekend warriors, has experienced a feeling of stagnancy, a point when their motivation decreases due to boredom or a plateau in their workouts. This can happen at any point during training, but can really be felt in the off-season, when motivation can be hard to come by. However, as every athlete knows all too well, off-season training is key to maintaining your competitive edge. So with the holidays approaching (a time which can feel like the off-season), the question is: how do you stay motivated and continue to perform?

While this question has many answers, the focus of this article is on variation: change up your normal routine to challenge the body as well as the mind. Every athlete has an embedded challenge mentality, or they wouldn’t be an athlete. Use this to your advantage. Take up a new exercise routine and challenge yourself to conquer it. Here are 3 tips on how to tackle the challenge of changing up your workout routine.

1.       Remember High School: Many people return home during the off-season (or holidays), so bring back a blast from the past! What unique workouts did you do in high school? Track workouts? Stadium runs? Was there a hill in your neighborhood you used to sprint up? Can you workout with your old high school team or coach? The break in your normal routine combined with the emotional energy that your past memories bring to the table can result in pushing yourself harder than ever.

2.       Grab a Buddy: It’s no secret that athletes work harder when being pushed. So grab a workout partner and do their routine for a few weeks. The competition will not only result in you pushing yourself, but by doing your friend’s routine you may uncover some great new workouts.

3.       Pay to Play: When in doubt, money is a motivator whether we like to admit it or not. By paying a trainer or paying for a studio class, you’re much more likely to workout. Add to the challenge by taking a studio class you’ve never tried before. So if you’ve never done yoga, grab a mat and Namaste!