So you’re breaking a sweat before even getting to the gym (or lifting a weight)? At its most dedicated point (mid-way through January), the resolution crowd is taking over the parking lot and taking up space on the gym floor. With a long list of overlapping New Year’s resolutions, current members of the healthy eating and no boozing club are working to drop weight, build muscle, strengthen cardio and cut calories — for now. Between snatching exercise machines and jam-packing exercise classes, the struggle (for regulars) is real. Check out the following ways to keep calm and squat on.
- Avoid Peak Out Work Times
Well it’s easier said than done, steering clear of peak hours will make your January gym life worth keeping. Depending on daily routine and commitment level, there are two types of gym-goers: same day, same time and whenever works. If you’re one of the lucky ones that benefit from a flexible work schedule, make the most of it. Swap early morning sessions for mid-afternoon sessions or dinner hour for dessert hour. Even better, if you’re a night owl and your gym is 24 hours; get into the habit of fitting in your reps and steps just before bed.
Keeping it real: while it might seem like a hassle at first, establishing a new routine can translate beyond the last day of the month. Quick tip: take a look at the daily class schedule and note what time(s) the studio(s) are free for a solo session.
- Try a New Class (or Type of Work Out)
Jump on the new year, new you bandwagon and push outside of your comfort zone or beyond your limits. The end of the countdown is always a good time to change it up or try something new. Expand your work out routine (i.e. reps, sets, intervals of time, types of exercise, work out partners), to avoid reaching a plateau or suffering from boredom at the gym.
Don’t hesitate to speak to staff members or other patrons to get an idea or receive advice. Whether trying a new class or type of work out, focus on developing and/or maintaining one specific component of an overall exercise program such as strength, cardio, flexibility or agility.
- Maximize Your Work Out Space
If you fall into the category of defined schedule + same old, same look, navigate the resolution crowd by maximizing a minimal work out space. For a regular gym-goer, there’s nothing worse than waking up extra early in the dark, brushing snow off of the car and letting the cold creep in on the way to the gym – only to have to battle for a bench and wait to use a machine.
The game plan: create a solid playlist, arrive with a cold (and full) water bottle, pick up an exercise mat, select a corner of the gym floor and try your best to sweat it out within the rectangular boundary. Tip: first things first, make sure to collect all of the required equipment before pressing play. This way, you’ll minimize your travels and interruptions.
Still not feeling the spike in go-getters? No problem. Give it a couple of weeks; most of them will call it quits by February.