Staying motivated
No matter how determined you are to stay focused on your goal, for many of us, it's all too easy to lose motivation as the weeks pass. At TenPilates, we make sure that each class is different from the last, helping maintain your interest levels as well as the intensity and effectiveness of your workout.
For most of us, though it differs from person to person, there's a fairly predictable pattern that emerges every time we start a new exercise or fitness regime.
Weeks 1-6: off to a good start
Whilst it's tough initially, it's new and challenging, and as a result, fun. It doesn't take long before you start to see and feel some benefits, and unsurprisingly, it's pretty easy to stay motivated.
Weeks 7-13: getting fitter and stronger, but...
You're getting fitter and stronger, and you're beginning to find the workout easier. Physically and mentally, you're getting used to the programme.
You're still seeing improvements, but the rate of change isn't what it was in the first few weeks, and while you're still motivated, the levels aren't quite as high as they were when you started.
Week 13 onwards: less of a challenge, more of a chore
You're fitter and stronger now and so your workout no longer challenges you like it did before. Your programme isn't just familiar, it has become routine – even a little dull. You're not seeing improvements at anything like the same rate you were – in fact you may not feel as if you're seeing any increased benefits at all. Your body has become used to the endorphin release, so that post-workout 'feel-good' factor no longer feels quite as good.
Unsurprisingly, this is the stage where it's hardest to maintain that motivation and momentum, where there's the highest dropout rate, and where, all too often, we fall back into our old bad habits.
At TenPilates, maintaining motivation is a shared challenge, and we're here to do all we can to help you stay focused.
Breaking the Cycle
The TenPilates programme is designed for maximum flexibility. We will always ensure that your workout is tailored precisely to your ability and needs, and remains involving and challenging even as you improve.
Because it incorporates elements not just from Pilates but also from circuit and weights training as well as cardiovascular and body sculpting techniques, there are literally hundreds of exercises for your Trainer to choose from. Enabling him or her to make every single class different, so there's no routine to get bored with.
A change is as good as a rest
Sometimes it can help to do something different for a week or two.
Try our new Cardiolates and TenSpin class (if you haven't already). Or get together with a group of friends and book a Trainer and a whole studio just for yourselves? Or book a few PT sessions – on or off the Reformer.
With our new dedicated PT studios, we can design a programme that will not only meet your needs and goals, but that will give you a fresh challenge physically and mentally, and that will set you up beautifully when you return to your class.
Alternatively, why not try something completely different. Mix it up with a couple of sessions of yoga or tai chi, or book one of our Trainers for a few outdoor circuits or even a good-old fashioned run.
A problem shared
Your goals are as important to us as they are to you, and we're happy to be as involved as you'd like us to be. So if you're finding it harder to keep up that initial enthusiasm, talk to us.
There's a lot we can do to help. All you have to do is ask.
