Don’t be a Christmas pudding
The last thing you want to do this time of year is throw all of that hard fitness work down the drain and park up like a partridge in a pear tree, Stephen Heard advises.
Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry, become one with the couch and do as little as possible before worrying about the consequences on the other side of the New Year.
You might have spent the past few months working on your beach body, attempting to beat your personal best, or finding the perfect balance between moderation and variety – it must be about time to park up like a partridge in a pear tree.
It’s well reported that fitness levels start to decline surprisingly quickly after periods of inactivity – particularly when it comes to cardiorespiratory fitness.
Those who are particularly well trained can see their peak fitness level start to drop off anywhere from 4 per cent to 14 per cent after just one or two weeks of doing absolutely nothing.
The last thing you want to do is throw all of that hard work down the drain and go backwards in your training. So what’s the best way to approach those lazy couple of weeks filled with loafing around and baconwrapped everything?
Dr Kelly Sheerin, a registered sports scientist and senior lecturer at AUT Millennium Sports Performance Clinics, says the first thing you need to do is ‘‘determine exactly what it is you’d like to achieve during the holiday period’’.
‘‘Having an understanding of what your goal is for that period dictates what your plan looks like,’’ Sheerin says.
Some things worth considering are whether you’re looking to keep up regular exercise, using the opportunity to try something completely different or improve, or to start training for an event a couple of months out.
Get planning
The next step, once you’ve found that purpose, is to set some realistic goals for the holiday period, especially with your carefree Yuletide schedule taken into account.
That doesn’t necessarily mean documenting inconsequential details like the number of reps and sets. Sheerin says that while having a plan is important, it doesn’t need to be hugely detailed while you’re on holiday.
‘‘Your plan doesn’t have to be elaborate, just as long as you know what you are doing. It could be that every second day you’re going to do half-an-hour worth of exercise in the morning. That’s your plan, you know what it is, and you’re sticking to it.’’
Those who are training for events might be more specific with goals and planning. A consistent schedule is important if you’re looking to hit specific fitness goals and see improvement.
Motivation can be easily lost when trying to determine what exercise you’d like to complete next, so considering your basic plan of attack can also be helpful. And if you need an additional bump of motivation, exercise apps can be helpful by sending workout reminders direct to your phone.
Assess your environment
Grandma’s conservatory, the family bach or the local black-sand beach might not have all the bells and whistles of your local gym, but they shall have to suffice as aworkout space. Building on your initial planning stage, you should design your workouts around the tools and environment available.
Sheerin suggests that you don’t necessarily need fancy equipment to get a good workout.
‘‘There are a lot of really simple training methodologies out there at the moment, whether it be resistance bands or strength loops that you can rig up on a deck. They’re easily packable for moving around and you can create your own little bootcamp or CrossFit-style circuit wherever you are.’’
Switch it up and keep it snappy
Creating an exercise regime that you enjoy will help lift you away from the Christmas leftovers but, to maintain results and retain focus, the activities should also challenge your body. That doesn’t mean you need to attempt half-marathon distances on a stomach full of turkey – as long as your heart rate and breathing are elevated.
Sheerin says that if you’re changing location then ‘‘switching up your routine is a good idea’’, and shrinking your exercise down into smaller, tighter packages is a good way to get the job done.
‘‘The philosophy behind circuit training is that it’s high intensity but with shorter durations – of the exercises and rest periods. Doing things like walking, running and stair climbing, or even bodyweight type exercises through to jumping and skipping are really good for maintaining your fitness and strength.’’
Reducing rest times between exercises will also help to keep your heart rate up and make your workout more time efficient. And if you can’t exercise as often, then exercising at a slightly higher intensity will help to maintain fitness.
Find an exercise buddy
Your social run club might have completed its final lap for the year, but you should still consider finding aworkout buddy. Sheerin says working outwith someone is ‘‘great for motivation and accountability in terms of sticking to a plan over that time’’.
‘‘Working out with a partner is great for variety, especially if you’re exercising with someone different and they’re introducing you to something that you usually wouldn’t do.’’
Backing that up, a recent study found that finding a brand new workout partner can actually be the key to exercising more. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen investigating the benefits of an exercise buddy reported that a new companion can increase the amount of exercise you do.
Resting is OK
There’s actually nothing wrong with taking some time out from your training regime. Sheerin says having a break is important from a training and fitness perspective.
‘‘If you take the example that you’re training for a key event or a match, then you are structuring your training towards that. You can’t maintain the upper level of fitness throughout the entire year.
‘‘Professional athletes always have their off-season and I think what’s missing from recreational athletes is a good structured offseason to give their body a break.’’
Doing something different is a good way to give your body a rest from what it normally does and to ensure that you’re not going completely backwards. Your best bet is to include the recommended minimum of 30 minutes physical activity per day.
Getting back into it
When you are ready to rev back into it, it’s not recommended that you head into the weight room, all guns blazing. It’s likely that you’ll have lost some of your peak fitness.
‘‘If you do try to go back into the same session from where you left off, your body will struggle to adapt and you’ll be prone to injury. Then, you’ll be off for a couple more weeks.’’
Sheerin suggests taking a couple of sessions to ease back into it.
‘‘Take two or three sessions to ease back into a routine and don’t go too hard on yourself that you’re unfit. If you do take it sensibly and slowly then that fitness will come back really quickly.’’