Do you need to stick to your training plan?
Do you need to stick to your training plan? How flexible can you be?
You’re deep into your training season and committed to your outdoor climbing goals. You know that the training will pay off and that being consistent is such a major factor in making gains.
But the weather forecast for this weekend is unusually good… and your friends are planning to get out…
Do you join them or stick to your training plan?
Can I be flexible with my training plan?
Fortunately, it doesn’t always need to be as rigid as this! Social time and moving on rock can be key to motivation.
When in this situation, I often ask the following questions:
1. Can I achieve the same intent of a training session outside this week?
For example:
- Could I drop one of my structured indoor bouldering sessions for an outdoor project session?
- Could I do my aerobic capacity training by lapping easy routes at the crag?
- Could I replace my anaerobic capacity session with a more unstructured outdoor session on longer boulders?
If I can’t substitute a training session, I often also ask:
2. What do I need to stay psyched?
What do my body and mind most feel like they need to maintain motivation right now?
If it’s a session with friends and being outside then it’s okay to drop a training session to allow for this.
Sometimes, being consistent in the longer term means letting go of some structure here and there.
Keep the goal the goal, but take a step back when you’re agonising about what to do – what is going to help the most to keep fuelling your fire?!
Sometimes it’s better to not stick to your training plan.
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