what season of life are you in?
What do I mean here? We all have different seasons of life. Whether we are in school, newly married, new job, between jobs, life has ebbs and flows where seasons change.
Training is no different: seasons will change.
Stay with me.
From the age 8, I trained 20 hours a week minimum as a competitive gymnast. This was through college. Training was my life. My schedule revolved around training, rather than training revolving around my daily schedule.
But, that was how things were in that season. I wouldn’t change it. I had the time, the energy, and the passion for that to be my focus.
IT WAS A SEASON
Fast forward post college: I became a competitive CrossFitter and trained 2+ hours per day, 6 days a week for roughly 6 years. The meals I prepared revolved around performance. I woke up to train at 5:00am and went back after work most days to train more.
IT WAS A SEASON
Fast forward again: I got married, opened a small business, and slowly my season changed again. I realized this season did not allow the capacity or desire to train like I used to. I still trained roughly 60-minutes 5 days a week, but my intensity decreased, and this felt so much more sustainable.
IT WAS A SEASON
Then, I got pregnant and had my daughter. I was no longer training for performance, I was training for pure health and to show my daughter a positive relationship with our bodies.
This was a new season of training. The intensity dramatically decreased, form and consistency took precedence over PR’s and speed. I had to really focus on the “mindset” behind my training, and this was probably one of the most positive shifts I’ve been able to make.
Then, had my son. Phew, probably one of the hardest seasons I’ve gone through, BUT I learned a lot. Between him having a lot of issues with food sensitivities to essentially zero sleep, my capacity for training looked very different than it had historically. I had to decrease my intensity in training altogether, and moved to strict strength training + consistent movement for my mental health.
IT WAS A SEASON
Currently, I’m pregnant with #3, still running (and now expanding) a small business. I know this is just a “new season”, and I’ve assessed what works best in the now. Currently, I jump into group training 3-4 days a week and will most likely switch to Semi-Private training next month, because I know I need that to finish this pregnancy. I go on long walks days I don’t train, and I am constantly listening to my body. “Training” right now looks very different from post-college training, but the key is I just don’t stop moving.
Yes, seasons will continue to change, and I’ll adjust my training to those seasons. It’s crazy to think we won’t have to adjust.
You’ll get burned out.
Life will ask more from you.
Life will slow down.
Life will speed up.
Stresses will ebb and flow.
BUT, don’t stop moving because seasons change.
PIVOT instead.
Pivoting is one of the KEY factors in long term health.
So, what is YOUR current season?
What is YOUR current capacity?
I’m not saying it will be easy. Trust me. I’ve been burned out. But I still moved, because I knew the long term benefits it would provide and what it did for my mental and physical well being. I’ve had seasons where Group Training was what I needed, and I’ve had seasons where I’ve hired a personal coach to help me. There’s not a right or wrong here. It’s recognizing what will keep you moving in the season you’re in.
If you feel you’re in a season you don’t know how to navigate or feel burned out, reach out. This is why we’re here. We want to sit down and discuss the different ways you can tackle training to make sure you keep moving consistently, regardless of the season of training you’re in.
Always. Move. Forward.
-COACH CRISSY