How To Get Your Sweat On (when you really don't want to)

There are times, no matter your motivation, end goal or superpower, when the hardest exercise is lifting your bum off the couch. That's why we've constructed fail-safe contingency plans for seven of the most common cop-outs. Here endeth the excuses...

- JAMIE MILLAR

EXCUSE #1

You’re still sore from your last workout

Perhaps you’re new to fitness, or you haven’t dipped your toe in for a while. Or maybe, more likely, you overdid what you usually do or tried something new. No one’s judging. Quite the opposite, in fact.”You should be satisfied that you’ve achieved significant enough overload,” says physiologist Jim Pate. The inflammatory response to the tiny tears you’ve caused in your muscles is what drives your body to adapt, so it doesn’t get overloaded next time. “Soreness is a good sign,” confirms Pate. So, you’ve earned a couch day, right? Not quite. “You need to rest, but you don’t want to be static,” adds Pate. “You’re trying to encourage your muscles to work better for you, so you need to maintain them.” In other words, rest is relative.

While the thought of it might make you wince, a slightly softened effort will keep your body ticking over and allow it to let go of that soreness. Hop on a treadmill or rower if you have access to them, or take to the streets in your trainers, and warm up with five to 10 minutes of cardio at between 50% and 60% of your maximum intensity, with a few bursts of higher-level stuff. Once your muscles are warmer and more pliable, dynamically stretch and mobilise (think: lunge rotations), paying extra attention to tight, sore areas. If it’s only one area of your body screaming at you, train the other areas as normal. Cool down with static stretches, holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds. See you in training tomorrow, bright and early.

EXCUSE #2