One Reason Why Your New Year's Fitness Resolution Isn't Working

Lots of people make the same New Year’s Resolution year, after year, after year.  They say that they’d like to “get in shape” or “lose some extra pounds” or “tone up a bit”.  Do any of those sound familiar to you?  Sadly the majority of resolution makers never achieve their goals.

I’m sure you recognize these people.  They’re the ones filling up cardio rooms in gyms all across America the first 2 to 3 weeks of January.  If you’re in a warmer climate, you’ll see tons of joggers appear during the same time frame.  These crowds of new gym members (or runners) usually disappear by Groundhog Day, though sometimes there’s a resurgence right before beach season too.

What’s wrong?  Why aren’t they transforming their bodies into stronger/leaner versions of what they had before?

Mustache March, Hockey Playoff Beards, a Mohawk and Staying Committed (Dealing with Success) Part 3

Make sure you check out Part 1 and Part 2.

Phase #2 has wrapped up and I’m already well into Phase #3.  I hit several PR’s in each lift over the last training segment and if you read any of my tweets during that time you know that there were a few weeks in a row where new PR’s were a daily experience.  I’m once again up in all my lifts and have been at a steady 198 – 200# for weight (about a 17# increase since May).  So far I’ve been able to show the same drive and intensity that I had at the beginning of Phase #1.  My goals now are to maintain my weight and strength (possibly continue increasing strength) while transitioning to more conditioning and speed work in Phase #3.  Once I’m done I may post some progression pics to show the transformation throughout the 3 training segments.

Mustache March, Hockey Playoff Beards, a Mohawk and Staying Committed (Dealing with Success) Part 2

Please read Part 1 first.

Snowboard off-season is long here, lasting from mid-March often to early December.  The good news is it gives me and the athletes I coach a ton of time to train and get stronger, faster and more mentally tough for the new competition year.  I got back from Nationals in mid-April and started my off-season training at the end of the month with an initial combined goal of increasing my overall strength and getting my weight up to 200# (I started at a very lean 183#).  It worked out that I could fit 3 different training phases into the off-season and I immediately got started lifting, eating and sleeping.  Each phase would become increasingly difficult and more challenging, so no time for messing around.

Pre-Nationals workout February 2012