It’s Time to Get Strong
Regardless of the season, it’s probably time to get strong.
In Hobart, there’s a noticeable shift when winter finally starts disappearing. The mornings get lighter, there’s colour again, people start getting outside and suddenly there’s a little more energy around training. After four Hobart winters, I notice it more every year. Winter can make routines harder. It’s dark, it’s cold, and getting yourself out of the house can require considerably more effort. That’s why having somewhere to go, a program already organised and people expecting you can be valuable for much more than simply building muscle.
Strength training gives us an opportunity to build capacity for the things we actually want to do outside the gym. Walking further, travelling, running, hiking, playing sport, getting off the floor, carrying things and continuing to do those things as we get older all require physical capacity. But training can also get us out of the house and, sometimes, out of our own heads. It can kick-start the week, reset a routine, shift a bad mood and simply make us feel better. Most people don’t train purely to look different. Although changes in body composition might be a great bonus, many people keep training because they like feeling strong, capable and physically prepared for their life.
You also don’t have to wait until you feel motivated to start. Motivation is fleeting, and relying on it alone makes consistency difficult. Often, motivation follows action rather than coming before it. Routine, discipline and positive reinforcement matter. Every time you show up when you didn’t particularly feel like it, you reinforce the behaviour you’re trying to build. Eventually, training becomes less of a decision you have to make and more of something that simply belongs in your week. A good training environment can remove even more friction. You turn up, you know what you’re doing, your program is ready and there’s someone there to help when you need it.
You can reduce that friction before you even leave home. Put your training clothes out the night before. Have your shoes ready. Put your alarm somewhere that requires you to physically get out of bed. Make a rule that once you’re up, you stay up. Organise your morning so there are fewer decisions standing between you and the front door. You don’t need the perfect routine, you just need to make the behaviour you want a little easier to start. Getting yourself out the door is often the hardest part.
So as Hobart starts coming back to life, use it. Get outside. See your friends. Walk more. Find some sunshine. Lift some weights. Build some capacity. Training doesn’t need to dominate your life for it to make your life easier. Sometimes you just need the routine, the environment and enough consistency to keep showing up.
Winter is ending.
It’s time to get strong.
Ready to get stronger?
If you want structured strength training without having to figure everything out yourself, our team can help you build a routine around your current capacity, goals and life.
Get in touch with By Design Physiotherapy & Strength in North Hobart to learn more about our strength memberships.
