Learn a beneficial — and practical — approach to training through the Holiday season via a healthy balance of gym training and holiday cheer!
If you’re like me, the holiday season can trigger a wide range of emotions…from stressful to joyous…and overwhelmed to grateful. Exercise is a useful tool to modulate these feelings, maintain a sense of centeredness, and avoid the “bah humbugs.”
Here are four tips to help your holiday season training best serve you.
1. Take a Break from Intense Training
Consider going to the gym and climbing for fun more than performance. Rather than obsessing on absolute difficulty, dial back the intensity and ramp up the volume a bit—this approach can be therapeutic and renewing, leaving you ready to fire in the New Year.
2. Let Yourself Indulge, Within Reason
Don’t feel guilty…about having a slice of your grandma’s famous apple pie or enjoying your favorite Christmas cookies or holiday drink!
However, you should intentionally choose your indulgences and try not to go overboard. Strive to maintain a performance nutrition focus on the majority of days.
3. Diversify Your Training
Add a few new exercises to your routine; for example, antagonist muscle training, rotator cuff exercises, yoga or flexibility training, and perhaps even running a few days per week. This added variety gives you a mental break from your normal routine, helps build new motor skills, and improves muscle balance.
4. Be Consistent with Your Training
Try to do something physical every day throughout the holidays—at the very least, go for a short walk or do some floor exercises (push-ups, planking, etc) for 10 or 15 minutes. If possible, engage in two or three gym climbing sessions per week (as mentioned above, focus on fun volume-focused climbing rather than absolute difficulty).
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Of course, we all have unique holiday obligations, travel requirements, and climbing/training habits—you’re best holiday program is one that’s highly personalized. For a more in-depth look at various holiday-training approaches listen to Training For Climbing podcast #55.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
–Coach Hörst
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