Everyone could use a little motivation every now and then. This is especially true for those that are just entering the 'thick' part of winter, and outdoor training becomes almost nonexistent due to icy roads, sub freezing temps, and limited daylight hours. So how does one stay motivated and keep plugging away through the dark, cold, winter months to prepare for the season ahead?
All are great ways to keep pushing you along the way....but today I wanted to share one of the big things that keeps me going day in and day out and hopefully can help others as well... 'creating your space' What I mean is having an area that you feel comfortable in and get excited to train in. This was one of the first things that was decided on before even moving into my house. There was going to be a dedicated space to train with all of the tools necessary to stay driven and focused. It keeps me excited, and I really do look forward to working out in a space that I created. Now I know that there are plenty of people out there that stick a bike trainer/treadmill in the darkest, gloomiest corner of their garage and pound out interval after interval saying that it makes them mentally tough/stronger. And I have no doubts that they are able to improve and become better athletes if they have that kind of will power/motivation to get after day after day that way. If that is what they can define as their optimal space and have the drive to keep charging forward, then all kudos to them. But for me, the thought of riding in a cold, dark, corner of the house while blankly staring at the wall just doesn't work. I have tried it and failed. I was not excited to train and dreaded the next time I'd have to stare at the wall for hours. I wanted a space that was comfortable and had distractions (tv, music, etc.). A place that I could write out my goals and execute than plan to achieve them. So for this post I wanted to show how I created my space - A space that is comfortable and accommodating, yet still allows me to dig deep and get the most out of each training day. And this is especially true through the winter months when this is the view from the front door- First and foremost- I'm not saying that my space is the best, nor am I saying that it is the only way to go. But I wanted to give a glimpse at what I find helps me get the most out of my training. Maybe you can pick out a thing or two and implement it into your space! As I said, before even moving into my current house I dedicated a room in the basement that would service the sole purpose of becoming my "pain cave." This is what it looked like before moving in- In my head, I wanted more of a gym type atmosphere. So the first step was paint and putting some flooring in. I bought some thick rubber square tiles that can be picked up at just about at home improvement store. Since the room was small and square shaped, it wasn't that expensive nor difficult to cut and place the rubber. It also worked out really well that there was a back corner that turned into a space for race gear/tools/storage. Once the room was ready to be furnished, I measured out the space required to fit two computrainers and a treadmill. It was important to get the measurement of the space as that played an important role on which treadmill to get (some are much bigger than others). From there it was time to fill the room with everything that I thought would help keep me excited to train and this is how it turned out- The breakdown of how it is set up- The most important training tools were the treadmill and dual computrainers. Those took up the majority of the space but fit in perfectly side by side along the back wall. The computrainers have been a critical tool in my training as I can dial in the workout without any thinking needed. I can zone off and power away at the pedals. The treadmill has also been key as I am a a big believer in hill work. I am able to do hill repeats at set inclines/speeds. One of my favorite parts of the space are the chalkboard painted walls. I have written goals, motivational quotes, workout details (so I don't have to memorize them), and reminders to my wife about how much I love her t̶o̶ ̶t̶a̶k̶e̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶s̶h̶. A powerful fan to create airflow. A fan is a deal breaker for me. I never realized how important having one was until I started using it. And butt cream...yes I said it. As I mentioned, anything to make the workouts more enjoyable is going to keep me motivated. Would you be excited to ride if you were dreading the pain you were going to experience down under? And lastly, constant reminders. I like to change up the screen saver on the computer with either a quote, a goal race that I have coming up, or something to remind me why I do what I do. I always log onto the computer to type in my bike workouts, so it is the first thing that I see. Some simple words or an image can really make a difference on your mindset and turn your workout completely around. So now I ask you, if you had your own space, would it change your outlook on training?
1 Comment
12/25/2016 12:04:19 pm
Mate, what a great place you guys created! Plus, amazing times up on the wall!
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AuthorCoach Ryan Giuliano Archives
July 2016
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