Consistency vs progression

We love witnessing the birds consistently showing up for themselves. Each class or training session giving instant rewards; endorphins, a purpose, a sense of achievement. The art of simply showing up has that sweet domino effect; the internal narrative shifts to positivity, nutrition becomes more mindful, the quality of productivity improves, without the need to 'do more. We love seeing birds consistently putting themselves out of their comfort zone; taking on new physical challenges, trying that new class, taking on those humbling rings. Birds connecting properly with their breath, sitting in stillness, allowing feeling over thinking to rise up. Allowing the tears to flow.

Consistent group exercise (at Fitbirds) is women supporting women, making new connections and building community. Not rushing out of class to have that conversation.

Does consistency equal progression though? No.

So birds, if you are showing up in class or training to reach a goal; whether it be strength, mobility, rehab, endurance, power, speed - you need to show up consistently AND progressively load your training. Progression can look like one of many things:

• an increase of load - weight

• an increase of reps

• change in temp - slowing down, isometric (holds) or speeding things up

• advancing an exercising (eg. squat, to split squat to Bulgarian split squat)

  
  

Last month in our SGPT sessions our birds did this: 10 reps x 3 sets, once a week in their session for a month. The key: The 10th rep they were just squeezing out AND each week the goal was to increase their load. The outcome: Each week all birds successfully increased their weight (by 4kg!), and yes there were a lot of groans while pushing out those last few reps.The progression: all birds increased their load by 100%. That’s right, in just one month, in just 4 sessions - all birds got twice as strong.

So, the lesson and question here: What are you aiming to achieve when you show up week after week? With the hundreds of women I meet, the no.1 goal is always to build strength (clever birds). So if this is your goal too, what are you doing to progress your load - week by week? To add, there are plenty of nuances within this;

• how did you sleep?

• how has your nutrition been?

• sunlight exposure?

• stress?

• hormonal shifts?
  

All of these could affect your training. However in saying this - our birds were all riding the waves of sleepless nights, work and family load/stresses. And yet, they ALL progressed - profoundly. What now? To the birds who are showing up consistently to their training but feel as though they have plateaued, what can you do?

• Pay attention while you are training.

• Choose a specific goal, keep it simple, what are you trying to achieve? Improved strength in your upper body, lower body or core? Then choose an exercise which you can actually SEE progression. Ie. How many (full range of motion) push-ups can you do? How heavy can you split squat? How long can you active hang or hold a plank?

• TRACK. Write down what you can achieve today, and each week actively.

• DO MORE week after week. Even if it is squeeze out one more rep, increasing the load by 1kg, hold that bar/plank for 1 more sec.
  

Ok, hopefully this has sparked some interest in how you are showing up to your training, to the birds in our community - talk to us, your trainers - what is going on for you, what do you want to achieve. We've got you, and you've got this. Shani x