We’ve all heard the phrase ‘consistency is the key to success’, and it really is. Consistency is the act of doing something regularly for a period of time. It’s also is the key component for achieving results in the realm of exercise and fitness. Without consistency, the body will not get the progressive load, nourishment, rest and recovery that it needs to make improvements. Consistency is everything, but how can you get there?
Here at Buzz Performance, consistency is the cornerstone of everything we do. Whether it’s classes in the studio at the Hive, strength improvements in our gym or regular rides around the valley or further afield, we keep our schedule accessible, fun but always consistent and with that in mind, here are our five tips to help you build consistency.
1 – Schedule your training and work outs
Creating, maintaining and sticking to a regular workout schedule is the best way to achieve consistency and consistency over time is the best way to achieve success. Pushing your fitness in sporadic bursts increases the risk of injury, illness and burn out while also taking longer for the effects of exercise to occur.
Choose realistic days and times to schedule your workouts and develop a weekly routine. Squeezing 30 minutes into even the busiest of days should be achievable. You could either get up earlier or go to bed later or quit your screen time for that day – imagine! If you can commit at least 30 minutes a day to your exercise routine, habits will form and consistency will grow.
2 – Set goals and keep them clear in your thoughts
It is important to know your ‘why’. Why are you following this schedule? What are your objectives? Set yourself a goal, make your goal clear and set a realistic time frame to work towards. Write the goal down and reflect on every decision that impacts on your consistency to working towards this.
3 – Be hard on yourself, but not too hard
Life is busy and it’s easy for work, family and friends to consume your time, but having time to exercise is essential to your health and wellbeing. Often when we are exercising regularly, we are more inclined to eat a well-balanced diet, drink more water and get better sleep.
When the body is well nourished, well hydrated and rested we are then often more efficient at work, have more patience with our loved ones and don’t feel guilty for taking time to work on ourselves and our personal goals.
It’s important to recognise that missing a workout here and there isn’t going to mean your goals will not be achieved; things come up. An exercise and fitness schedule and a well-balanced diet should be there to enhance your life, not take over it. But we also have to put in the work to reap the rewards.
4 – Keep showing up
This is where having plan, creating a schedule and knowing your priorities helps build the habit of exercising and helps you to make smart decisions about what to do. Sometimes it’s a matter of turning up even if you don’t feel like it. It doesn’t have to be perfect every time even getting 15 minutes of a workout done is better than nothing.
5 – Regularly review your progress and celebrate success
Progress is not always linear, and you won’t feel good every time you workout. You might be training for a month without noticing any differences and then, from nowhere, there is a lightbulb moment and you feel fitter and stronger than you ever have before. If you don’t stick at it, you won’t see these progressions. When you do, celebrate your success, then set yourself a new goal and continue on your journey.
The whole team at Buzz Performance love helping people be the best they can bee. Our home at the Hive in Morzine offers a place for people to come together; it’s where our coaches can share the knowledge and experience they’ve gained over many years in the sport and fitness industry. We set training plans which are realistic and achievable. We encourage you to set SMART goals, help make your training fun, set challenges along the way and celebrate together when progress is made. We offer support and encouragement. We provide accountability and guidance. Working with a coach is often the missing piece of the puzzle!
