Are you someone who has tried all the programs, all the workout classes, seen results, and then back to where you started? It seems to be an endless cycle that just frustrates you? This is so common and when it comes to workouts there is a reason this happens. 

Yes, you can do your own workouts or take any class and get the same results as if you had someone programming your workouts. BUT, only short term! Research shows that in the first 30 days of working out, ANY program gives you results. I often tell new clients that this is the time to develop routine and habits. Just show up. That’s the hardest part. Don’t worry about what you’re doing, just do something.  

After that initial month however, good, QUALITY programming is extremely important. Not only for better results that are reached quicker, but also for minimizing injuries and reducing the chance of plateauing. A good program revolves around incorporating a variety of movements, rep ranges, intensities and weights so that your body is challenged without overtraining. Unfortunately, women’s fitness is often tied to doing exercises that “burn”, with an emphasis on leaning out and participating in high intensity interval training. The problem with this is that these also often lead to overtraining, hormone imbalances and adrenal fatigue.

Let’s break this down some more. First, what are we referring to when we say programming. Programming is the workouts and the sequence and schedule in which they are performed. There is a method to the madness in order for a program to be effective. The what, why, how, where and when are all considered and taken into account to maximize the benefits of a workout program. 

Now let’s talk about intensity and frequency. Recent research shows that our bodies are only able to participate in 2-3 high intensity workouts A WEEK! And anything more than that can stress the body. A stressed body means elevated cortisol levels which can lead to our bodies storing fat, especially abdominal fat. Once our bodies have reached this point, it can take a long time to get back to where we were or reach our specific health and fitness goals. 

When we look at professional athletes or really any person that competes you will always see a competition season, a season where the focus is training for competition and then an off season. We often forget that. We workout year round and forget that we need variety. Our bodies require recovery time and times when the workouts aren’t as intense. Unlike athletes, this does not need to occur at different times throughout the year where there is one major focus. Instead all of these occur within the weeks and months.  There needs to be rest days, days where we focus on strength, days where we focus on intensity, form, etc.  

Here at Sweat + Soul we will offer programming every month ranging from full body, to mobility, maternity and prehab programs. We will also teach you how to create your own program and what makes a good program. We want everyone to have the tools to take the driver’s seat of their own health and wellness journey, while having a community for support, continued education, laughter and accountability.

Be on the lookout for more information on the 1st program being released in the coming days! These programs are 4 weeks long and can be started at any time! If you have questions don’t hesitate to reach out to us.