Stick with it: Why we should never overlook maintenance training
In the fitness world, where everyone talks about getting better, there’s a hidden secret that’s just as important—keeping up with your routine. We call this maintenance training. Let’s talk about why it’s essential to exercise regularly, how you don’t always have to aim for improvement, and why maintaining what you’ve got is a big win.
The power of sticking to it
Doing a little bit of exercise regularly is like having a steady rhythm in your fitness routine. Even if you’re not always making big progress, staying consistent is what keeps you on track. Life gets busy (think Christmas), and energy levels go up and down, but sticking to your routine is what turns occasional efforts into long-lasting results.
Maintenance: Your secret superpower
There’s something very special about just keeping things as they are. Maintenance training is all about saying, “I’m good right here right now, and I want to stay this way.” It’s not about standing still; it’s about recognizing and holding onto the progress you’ve made. Unlike the idea that every workout has to make you better, maintenance training is a realistic and down-to-earth approach. It’s a reminder that you don’t always have to push for improvement. Sometimes, just keeping up with what you’ve achieved is the smart way to go.
Making exercise fun again
Apart from the physical side of the maintenance training there is a huge psychological benefit as well. Maintenance training lets you rediscover the joy of exercise. Without the pressure of always trying to get better, you can enjoy different ways of moving that make you happy. It could be a quick HIIT session in your living room, a 20-minute interval run in the nearby park, or a simple mobility workout in your hotel room while traveling. Even if you can stick to your normal training routine the mindset of “I am just going to do this for fun” will be a healthy break for your brain.
What happens if you skip maintenance
Fitness levels don’t stay the same for long. Your body will quickly adapt to what is required from it. If you don’t stick to the routine, things can go downhill fast. Also, it will postpone the point where you can actually make progress again with weeks if not with months. Remember, you will first need to climb up to the point where you stopped exercising in the first place. But don’t worry—maintenance training is like a superhero that stops the decline. By doing regular, manageable workouts, you make sure you don’t lose the progress you’ve worked so hard for.
Quick and easy: Your hotel room workout
One great thing about maintenance training is that it’s flexible. You don’t need a fancy gym or lots of time. Your hotel room can easily become your exercise spot with short, effective workouts. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), simple exercises using your body weight, or easy yoga routines can help you stay fit, even on the go.
Ask your gym what they offer for your holidays. We, at CrossFit Kreis 9, offer a holiday workout plan for all our members. As discussed here, the workouts are fast and simple and can be done with limited space and equipment. In fact, the workouts can be done without access to a single dumbbell or resistance band. Looks like the good old CrossFit saying “No excuses” is valid here as well.
Conclusion
By doing maintenance training, you’re not just keeping things as they are; you’re also getting ready for future improvements. It’s like a calm period before exciting things happen. The effort you put into keeping fit becomes the base for reaching new heights later on.
Sticking to your routine is like the glue that holds your fitness journey together. Maintenance training is a way of celebrating where you are, committing to stay there, and getting ready for more achievements down the road. Forget about always reaching for new goals; sometimes, the best victories come from keeping up with what you’ve already achieved. Stick with it, and you’ll see the magic of staying consistent!
