STARTING A NEW fitness regime is an exciting time. The promise of the body you’ve always wanted is a pretty cool incentive.
You devise a plan with the help of a fitness instructor and begin to dream of the body you’ll have in 10 weeks.
The plan works to perfection for the opening sessions and you can already notice a change after three weeks.
But slowly, the motivation dips, the appetite for hurting yourself declines and bad habits begin to creep into your game.
You’re on a slippery slope back to where you started if you don’t arrest the slide, a slide that can often be accelerated by that word we all despise…routine
Chances are you know the answers already…but we’re here to remind you of the warning signs of this routine…
1) You’re not excited about your workout
You know that feeling when you hit the gym and you’re 100% motivated to smash yourself because you know the session will make you better? Well, that’s not there anymore.
There’s no spark to your training and you find yourself ambling through the session, at the same pace, listening to the same songs and doing the same exercises.
Going to the gym should be fun and something to look forward to. It should be mentally stimulating and physically rewarding.
Exercise shouldn’t be a chore that you dread, but something that makes you feel good about yourself.
2) You’re not hurting afterwards
You know that feeling you had when you first started doing that killer arms workout?
The feeling where you struggled to take your t-shirt off afterwards?
You know that feeling where your legs literally shake from the exertion of all those dead lifts or your core is in agony from the pounding it took during those 10 sets of leg raises?
You’re coming out of the gym now fresher than you went in. Not good.
You know it’s time to lift more and lift faster. And take less rest in between those sets.
3) You’re getting weaker
Maybe you’re training too much and adopting a ‘more is better’ approach?
Never is this okay, and instead of getting stronger, you’re getting weaker.
If you don’t give your body ample recovery time, you’ll progressively become more and more fatigued and this can lead to sickness or worse, injury.
If you have been overtraining, your first priority should be rest.
Take note of what you lifted on each day and compare it over time. Are you improving or not?
We suggest a rest week once a month where you lift the same weight – but half the number of sets/reps.
I always thought he was one of the outstanding players at Connacht…was surprised to hear that his contract wasn’t being renewed. Good he’s found his form with Munster!
@Con Cussed: very popular with Connacht fans, but we understood with age (32 this month), and recent injury profile it means he was a cost Connacht couldn’t take a risk on. Anyway, with Aki, Forde, Hawkshaw, O’Connor as options, and young Hugh Gavin to come through (sooner rather than later by the way he’s performing every time he steps up a level). Plus, we’ve a bunch of back three lads who’ve played centre as well and can do a job (Jennings, Ralston, and Bolton)…
@Con Cussed: he is an excellent player, but his injury profile probably didn’t help his cause. Getting rid of Daly and Farrell probably freed the funds for POC, who is younger and has a better injury profile. Between Aki, Forde, Hugh Gavin and POC, center is strong for us, not to mention others who can deputise there too like Hawkshaw and Bolton. Farrell is a great signing for Munster – there was a lot of furore from their supporters when Frisch left and Farrell was mooted as a replacement, but in reality I think Farrell is an upgrade on Frisch, who I thought had a poor 2023/24 season (he was excellent in 2022/23). I’ll miss seeing Aki/Farrell in midfield, but glad Farrell got a second opportunity.
@Ronan Byrne: I should have refreshed the page before I commented! You hit the nail straight on the head.
@Con Cussed: of interest too is how in the 2016/17 season, both Connacht and Munster had injuries that needed short term cover – for Munster, NIE Saili was injured and so they signed NIE Taute, while Connacht had its own injury crisis, and being barred from signing NIQ players (as indicated by the Lam situation), signed Farrell on short term from the championship team Bedford Blues. In the end, both Taute and Farrell were exceptional signings and were given long term contracts, but now Munster are in a position to benefit from Connacht developing an IQ player, while the short term fix of Taute had no real long term benefit for Irish Rugby.
Great signing for Munster. Loads to offer on and off pitch.
People on here were quick to jump to the conclusion that Munster were poaching players from Connacht when he signed.
From what I have seen of him so far he looks quite good. I can see him and Nankivell striking up a good partnership. Munster badly needs a settled midfield after constant changing of personnel.
Could turn out to be another Paul Warwick
Fantastic signing. Seems to be getting a run without injury too which does help
He’s an absolutely quality rugby player. Serious skillset. Ireland chance has probably passed now but he’ll get plenty of big days with Munster. Has had some very unfortunately timed injuries in his career.