How Covid-19 Made My Workouts Better

On reflection, I think I had my own training wrong for quite some time. I had found the sweet spot when training for my personal training exams in 2016. I was a supply PE teacher in a lovely private school, so my 10k steps were easy to get. I had joined a gym on the way to work, so it was easy to go before work. I didn't miss a session, not one! I had followed a plan from a book I read, ate well and did all of the basics right. I achieved some good results, I would probably say it was the best shape I had been in during my 20s. My problem came along when I left the teaching job and started my journey as a personal trainer, how ironic! I started to overcomplicate my training. I would second guess if they type of training suited my goals, if I had enough reps or even if I was training for long enough. Looking back now, I can honestly say the results I got from the training I first described weren't directly from the training plan, but more my consistency and ability to turn up every time and do the work. So how did Covid-19 make my workouts better? Well I didn't have all of the kit I believed I needed. I had a skipping rope (I couldn't skip until the end of May), a barbell and 20kg and a medicine ball. I tried to just go and workout, to hit the main muscle groups, to consistently train. What happened was amazing. Not only did I lose around a stone in bodyweight (I made sure my nutrition was better too), but I fell in love with training again. It was like all of a sudden I had so many new ideas that I wanted to try with my training. My training during this time made me realise that consistency was much more important than type. Enjoyment was much more than having abs (obviously these are still nice, but can be a by-product of enjoyment). Nutrition didn't have to be tough or always measured, sometimes the scale can stay in the cupboard and I can eyeball what my body needs.

It all makes real sense sitting and writing it now, but if you enjoy something you tend to do more of it. Make sure you enjoy your training!