Go WITH the flow or AGAINST it?

Strength Essentials 716 at Lake Erie Buffalo, NY

Go WITH the flow? Or go AGAINST the flow?

We all get into our routines. If you’re someone who transformed from disorganized and lazy to having good habits and structure, you probably place high value on your routine.

There’s nothing wrong with that. Having a routine can help you in the gym and at home/work..

But what about those times when you need to go against the grain?

When you need to get out of the FLOW and shake things up.

An example from my life-

Yesterday I went for a ruck. In my mind I wanted to go for a long one. (2 hours)

As I got about halfway through, I had an idea to walk to the lake.

I had no idea how far the lake was and the thought made me nervous.. I had all these thoughts running through my head why I shouldn’t do it.

Basically, the thoughts were weak. I laughed to myself and knew right then that I had to take up this challenge.

It was time to get OUT of the flow, which was my normal hike and go on an adventure.

I’m glad I did.

You’ll never regret the times you listen to your inner voice and get out of your comfort zone.

Our routines give us structure and control, which is good.

Sometimes, you just gotta break free of the routine and try something new.

How to adjust your workouts on the fly

Often, people change their programs SO much that they never find what works for them.

These folks need to stick to a routine or a template for a few months.

Eventually, most everyone will need to change the program, even if its just minor adjustments.

For instance- this morning my plan was to do Trap-bar Deadlifts and sit in the sauna.

After I was done with the deadlifts I felt great and decided to do a set of front squats. Then, I added some weight and did another… and another..

Never planned on it, but it felt right.

A part of me knew that I wasn’t going to do squats later this week, so this morning was a good time to add them in.

How do you know when to switch it up?

There’s no easy cut and paste answer here. It really depends on you and your current training program and your goals.

If you have never been consistent with a routine, you need to do that first.

When you follow a program diligently for 3-6 months, then you may be ready for changes.

Of course, there are many options.

So when you want to know what is BEST for you, I always say “it depends”…

Not making progress even though you are doing everything right?

It might be time for a change.

Sick of the routine you are on and need some variety?

Go for it. It’s your training and your life!

There’s no ONE perfect universal way to train.

Some ways may work faster and some are more sustainable long-term, but you will never know what is optimal until you try it.

Are you going WITH the flow or AGAINST it?

Some days you need the routine.

Other times, you need to shake up your world and see what you’re made of!

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For a training program you can follow every day- check out my ONLINE TRAINING ROUTINE