This is how you really pull through your training

Continuity and staying tuned are key factors in achieving long-term success with fitness training. Anyone who decides to take their body to a new level and do something good for their health with a fitness subscription is usually fully motivated at the beginning. But far too often this flame goes out again after a short time, on average after about two to three months. The training is neglected and the subscription continues unused. But why?

After all, health and a good work-life balance are increasingly important to the Swiss. The boom in the fitness industry is unbroken. Despite the corona crisis, around a third of Swiss fitness companies rate the sales development as positive. According to surveys and statistics, the number of visitors has leveled off at a similar level as before the pandemic. In addition, the market is changing. Fitness chains are vying for supremacy, new and more flexible subscription structures are being tried out, prices are being lowered and the offering is becoming more and more attractive. Nevertheless, one in four people still breaks off the training in the short to medium term. So what can you do to stay motivated and stay tuned?

First of all: If you struggle with motivation from time to time, you don’t have to be ashamed. Man is lazy by nature. Or, to put it more correctly: the body is a machine that has to economize on its energy; The aim is to achieve as much profit as possible with as little effort as possible. If you want more, you have to force yourself, you have to surpass yourself. This energy-saving mode makes sense when food is scarce or when the food actually still had to be hunted and caught. However, in today’s society with its abundance, we encounter neither the one nor the other situation. It is therefore no coincidence that one in three people in Switzerland struggles with being overweight. In strength training, a so-called suprathreshold stimulus is needed so that the muscles adapt to new loads. It is difficult for those who train too little or incorrectly, perhaps neglecting nutrition and rest.

It can definitely be seen as a first success if a trainee regularly manages to go to the studio at all. Here the member can pat themselves on the back before any major changes are visible as a result of the training. After all, with one unit, the current fitness can be maintained and the general well-being can be greatly improved. Significant progress can be made with two workout units per week. It is important that realistic goals are set. If you take on too much, you run the risk of being disappointed – and losing motivation.

So how do we best set ourselves ambitious but realistic goals? And what if your own drive is not enough?

The key often lies in the point that interested parties and members often ask of their gym as the most important quality feature: professional support. A qualified trainer will help you to formulate the right goals, to plan realistically and effectively and to see quick and long-term success. Defining your personal goal is crucial, because if you don’t know your goal, you will get lost on the way or break off the journey prematurely. At Activ Fitness, the largest fitness chain in Switzerland, support is also the focus. New members are accompanied in several appointments at the start. The current state of fitness and health is checked to prevent training interruptions due to incorrect training, injuries and pain. The personal training goal is defined in detail and integrated into an individual training plan. If you still feel unsure, you can contact the staff at any time to arrange further appointments. Trainers do not act from the top down from the “specialist’s control room”, but act as partners and companions on the members and their wishes. They impart knowledge about training and, for example, about nutrition. This brings the trainees further in their personal development. Uncertainties can be reduced.

The support and close monitoring increases motivation and minimizes the risk of dropping out. Those who know what to expect, who feel confident in what they are doing and who do not place too high demands on themselves are happier. Once the first one or two months are done, the inner bastard gets quieter and quieter. Training becomes routine. If the success and the training plan are also checked and periodically adjusted, the workout remains varied and physical development does not stop.

After about two months, the exercises should be adjusted to give the muscles a new stimulus. If you get impatient, you can seek advice earlier or even use personal training. In the accompanied 1:1 workout there is definitely no boredom, on the contrary: personal limits can be broken. Training is more fun. If you want to lose weight, you lose weight faster. If you want to be stronger, you build muscle more effectively. The flame of motivation is rekindled again and again and the ambition to set and achieve new goals is awakened.

With personal care, overcoming the “magic” threshold of two to three months and enjoying exercise, staying on is no longer torture, but rather becomes a loyal companion who is looking for the next challenge – and masters it.