Like many people, you probably exercise when you can, which is perfectly reasonable. You can’t ignore obligations like going to work, grocery shopping, and similar in favor of training.
Still, establishing a regular exercise schedule and trying to stick to it offers numerous benefits that can have a profound impact on your adherence, fulfillment, and long-term results.
Let’s discuss.
- It Makes You More Consistent
Many people struggle to exercise because they go about it vaguely. For example, “I hope I can find the time to exercise this week.” Sure, time is often scarce, but this attitude will stop you from gaining momentum with your training because you always leave it up to chance.
One of the best ways to become more consistent with your exercise routine is to set a schedule. Get clear on three things:
- Where the training will take place
- When you will exercise
- What you will do
For example:
I will do a full-body workout at my local gym from 6 to 7 PM on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Doing so adds specificity, making you much more likely to be consistent because you know exactly what you’re missing if you don’t show up.
- It Makes Your Workouts More Effective
Many trainees go about their training vaguely, and it shows. They train when they feel like it, do what feels most enjoyable, and cut their workouts short at the first sign of exhaustion.
While it pays to listen to your body and learn to take the occasional step back, improvising all the time is not the best way to train. Often, we have to suck it up and do the work, regardless of how we feel.
Having a regular exercise schedule is beneficial because you can train in a balanced way, push yourself more, and set practical goals.
- It Leads to Better Training Progress
As a byproduct of the previous benefit, having a regular training schedule allows you to make better progress. Instead of being sporadic with your training and doing what feels comfortable, there is purpose and thought behind every action you take. As a result, you maximize your training efforts, work toward specific objectives, and can track your progress more effectively.
- It Brings a Sense of Fulfillment
Many people who exercise sporadically find themselves dissatisfied with their efforts. Sure, having a workout is rewarding, and it does boost your mood for a while. But you can’t help feel like you should be more serious about it.
Maintaining a regular exercise schedule is a fantastic way to bring a sense of fulfillment into your life. Instead of feeling like something you do from time to time, exercise is a part of your life and identity. Every time you think about it, you can’t help but feel good about yourself and proudly say, “I work out.”
- It Minimizes Uncertainty
Every long-term process comes with its fair share of uncertainties. Sure, we might be working to achieve a goal, but we can’t always see improvements, which can be disheartening. For example, people who want to lose weight sometimes stall and don’t progress for weeks.
The problem with a sporadic training schedule is that it exacerbates these feelings of uncertainty. You don’t have a specific plan, which makes you question the effectiveness of what you do inside the gym.
Having a consistent exercise schedule makes you feel like you’re on a mission and brings a sense of, “Sure, I might be stalling a bit right now, but this is a normal part of the process, and I will start improving again.”