How to work out (when you don’t really want to)

Sometimes the hardest exercise is just lifting your butt off the sofa. That’s why we’ve constructed these fail-safe contingency plans for the most common cop-outs. No more excuses!

Solutions for the four excuses you use to avoid exercise.

Excuse 1 YOU’RE STILL SORE FROM YOUR LAST SESSION

Perhaps you’re new to fitness, or you haven’t dipped your toe in for a while. Or maybe you overdid what you usually do. No one’s judging. Quite the opposite, in fact. “You should be satisfied that you’ve achieved significant enough overload,” says physiologist Jim Pate. The inflammatory response to the tiny tears you’ve caused in your muscles is what drives your body to adapt so it doesn’t get overloaded next time. “Soreness is a good sign,” he confirms. So, you’ve earnt a sofa day, right? Not quite. A slightly softened effort will keep your body ticking over and allow it to let go of that soreness.

Quick fix

Warm up sore muscles with five to 10 minutes of moderate cardio first. If only certain parts of your body ache, train the rest as normal.

If it all hurts, try a light version.

Excuse 2 YOU HAD A TERRIBLE NIGHT’S SLEEP

Training is the best way to give your tired brain a lift. One study by researchers at the University of Georgia found that exhausted volunteers who took part in moderateeffort exercise experienced a significant decline in fatigue, while separate research revealed that a 10-minute stair climb can boost alertness more effectively than 50mg of caffeine. Pate advises avoiding anything too intense, and bear in mind that your coordination will be impaired – this is not the time for complicated gymnastics.

Quick fix

Understand that you’re going to find things harder.

Replace high-skill movements with simpler versions focused on stability.

Excuse 3 YOU’RE BORED TO DEATH WITH YOUR TRAINING PLAN

If you have a bona fide exercise plan – and not just a bunch of moves you do out of habit – you’re probably working towards a goal, such as adding muscle, losing fat or improving on your time. Mix things up too much and you’ll violate the effectiveness of the routine to achieve your targets. Yes, consistency might not exactly fire you up, but progress will.

Quick fix

Make your plan progressive, rather than doing the same squats and biceps every time.

Tweak that plan every four to eight weeks, changing the movements to ensure they remain challenging.

Excuse 4 YOU JUST REALLY, REALLY DON’T WANT TO

It happens to the best of us sometimes, but if you feel that your drive is constantly stalling, take a moment to reflect on the underlying causes. “It’s often the result of trying to force an end game that goes against your true aspirations,” says CrossFit coach Tom Foxley. In other words, if you genuinely want to reach a goal, you should feel pulled towards it, rather than always having to push. So bring distant consequences closer in your mind. Or you could cut yourself a deal. “If the full session is an hour long, tell yourself you’ll do, say, the first two sets,” explains Foxley. The chances are that, once you’ve completed them, you’ll be inclined to do more. “Turning up and doing 20 per cent is better than doing nothing at all.”

Quick fix

To borrow a phrase, just do it! You’ll never be disappointed you did.