Many of you have been around for a while and have got a nice routine established as far as gym attendance. You get a little stronger and a little faster every time you come in to the gym. Once this happens, taking a day or two off can feel like a life time. Normally these rest days are well needed and are very beneficial to those that train regularly and push their limits each time. After you attend for a while you get use to parts of you being sore on a daily basis and just working through it. Your body has escaped the “beginner” phase where you feel incapacitated on a daily basis. Being a regular around here is great and once you get that momentum it can be easy to maintain.

What can be extremely difficult is to rebuild that momentum if one falls out of the routine... whether it be do to any situation in life.... pregnancy, school schedule change, work schedule change, travel, injury/illness or just being lazy.

I know that over the past year I have had several slumps in my training. Some of them do to injuries that I sustained... I some how managed to rake up a few truly random injuries that screwed up my training for weeks at a time. As well, the first month at the new gym facility my training was practically none existent and my eating was beyond terrible and my sleep was hindered a fair amount. Getting back into the swing of things was pretty rough... Some of you get bumbed when you are 5-10lbs away from your last PR on a lift... how about maxing out at 50-75lbs under your last pr? That will get you stoked on life for sure! When I would actually get around to a met-con there would be several names beating my score that normally I would place well above... that made me feel great.

Coming back from a long break can be rough for multiple reasons. You will go through that “beginner” phase of being incredibly sore again while your body gets use to training. You will feel weak compared to what you were doing before you took your break. Things in general will be harder then you think they should be... which is kinda what could keep you from diving back in.

If it has been a significant amount of time... say a month or more since you last were in a solid routine around here and you want to dive back in, here are a few things that can help prep and be ready for the jump.

• The first step is putting on the big kid pants and driving, walking or riding your way over to Elysium and just getting in for that first class.
• Know that the second you walk through the doors of Elysium you will have a whole group of people that will welcome you back... or just welcome you since they might not know who you are... we got a lot of new faces around here.
• If you don’t remember which move is which or what a term is... just ask. While you might get a half way smart ass reply first. Know that it is filled with care on the inside. Your question will be answered and you will be caught up with everyone in no time.
• Expect things to be harder then they were before. Don’t worry about your old records, think of it as hitting the refresh button and you will get back to your old records and smash them in no time.
• When you see people that you remember and they ask where you have been, be honest with them and declare you are getting back into it and committed. Let them know, “I was being kinda lame and not coming in cause I let myself get distracted from training... but I am getting back in and looking forward to training with everyone again.”
• Use our fancy technology to help you commit. Rsvp for classes through out the week on mindbody so that way you have to show up because you already have the time blocked out. One of my favorite quotes from someone was when I asked them, “Has work been mellowing out lately? Been seeing you in class a lot more?” The member replied with, “No, I have been been making it a point to make it in.”
• Be the annoying workout person on facebook. Talk about how much you deadlifted, pressed or squatted. Talk about how you are gonna work your snatch today in class and let people know when you are going to class. Public announcement of showing up can have a strong impact on the want to actually show up. The over all goal here is to create a sense of accountability.
• Don't wait. The longer you sit around and think about coming in, the more anxious you get about it. Get the first visit back over with. 

You know it is a great time around here. Even with all the hard work that we put in, almost everyone leaves with smile... granted it looks like a half way drunk semi conscious smile. Expect a hard week or two, expect some sarcasm and expect to work hard. It won’t get easier but you will get harder. Promise.

Coach P