(originally published in Men’s Fitness May 2008)
What’s your reason for letting your exercise regime slip? With the advice from the country’s top trainers you’ll never fail to hit your fitness goals again
The Excuse
“I’m too busy”
The Solution
By Rob Burr, a personal trainer at Phoenix Exercise Professionals
‘So many men are obsessed with a session lasting only one hour. When you factor in getting changed and showering, you’ll start hearing that old chestnut. It’s one of the most common excuses I hear.
‘Cut out the crap. Forget a long warm-up on the cross-trainer: do 30 minutes of compound push-and-pull exercises such as squats and chin-ups. If you perform contrasting moves that use different muscles, there’s no need to rest in between. You’ll be fitter and stronger and back at your desk within an hour.
’Treat training as you would a meeting and mark it in your diary. If it’s not a firm appointment it’s easy to prioritise other things and suddenly you’re out of shape. Exercise is important so give it the respect it deserves.
‘If you are short of time, get up 15 minutes earlier and go for a fast walk or jog. Doing this four times a week is better than going to the gym for an hour just once. It will fire up your metabolism and set you up for the day ahead.
‘Do what you enjoy and you’ll stick with it. I see many treadmill junkies who run every day at the same pace for the same time and it’s so monotonous. Inject some fun and you’ll find it’s easier to fit into your day. Having the right attitude is vital too. Instead of ‘I don’t want to be fat,’ think, ‘I want to be healthy.’ You’re more likely to ditch the excuses if you’re moving towards a goal rather than away from something negative.’
Excuses, excuses
Rob Burr
‘One women I was training refused to use the treadmill in case her highlights ran. A guy I worked with tried to get out of a session by saying he’d lost his trainers. He must have thought he was still at school. I made him work out in his boots and shorts – he never forgot his trainers again.’
Need a push?
Rob Burr
‘A mate of mine who’s also a trainer does exactly twice what his clients do. If they perform 20 press-ups, he does 40. Sometimes it makes him sick but it motivates the client to push themselves so much harder because they can make him suffer for a change.’