Getting started, motivation and discipline...

[Redcello41]

Hi everyone, I think this is my first time posting on here even though I joined months ago! I've been running for a little less than a year (I have my very first half marathon in less than 4 weeks, yikes!) and I keep on thinking I really should build a strengthening routine on my rest days but I have next to no motivation to actually do it. So I thought posting on here might give me a few ideas and get me started. I'm super motivated to get up at 5AM and run 5 miles and stuff like that but for some reason the thought of doing other exercises that aren't running, really puts me off. I love playing different sports like badminton, football and hockey but gyms and working out exercises do not appeal to me at all, but I know I need to do it if I want to be a better and faster runner.

We all have things that we really enjoy (for me in this context, it's running) but there's the other things that we don't enjoy but it has to be done and it's good for us to do (for me, it's strength building or gym work - I don't want to do it mainly because it's not a sport and I don't really enjoy it and I never have).

I'm a musician and I love playing pieces of music and I used to hate studies, scales and arpeggios because 'they are not pieces of music' as I used to say BUT they are the backbone of good technique and enables you to play actual pieces of music well and improves your ear and musicianship overall (I even teach this to my music students when they complain about scales!)! Now that I understand the importance of scales and all the other technique-building stuff and I still do them as a discipline when I practice my cello and I have even learnt to enjoy them! I just wish I could cultivate that discipline for strength training to improve my running. Anyway, you get the analogy...

So, I need some suggestions and advice because I am feeling very unmotivated in this area and need to build some discipline. It's odd how I have no problem with this in my world of running or music (I can even go over the top sometimes!) but with things like strength training, it's a struggle. I just want to start off small (like learning how to do a plank or something like that) and build from there, just like I did with my running (and music!). And I work better when I do have some form of accountability or groups (I often can get out to meet a friend to go for a run when I don't feel like it...) and having my own reward system has helped me in the past with music and my present music students, so I might try that out again but for this. Any advice or tips would be great and much appreciated!

[ju-ju-]

Hello and welcome. I so get you... when I started C25k I wasn't the slightest bit interested in the strength stuff, and only a couple of years in I started to get into it. For me, I needed to have something to aim for ( rather like your music) so I started to get into handstands and training for a pull up. That way I ended up doing a lot of the strength stuff without it feeling a chore as it was a means to an end. So- perhaps think of something you have always wanted to achieve ( rather like that beautiful piece of music you have always wanted to play) and then work backwards looking up how to go about training for it. There is of course the strength and flex app, but I am guessing you know about that? I am also running a Plankety Plankathon which you are more than welcome to join if you fancy a bit of that?

[Redcello41 in reply to ju-ju-]

Thanks for your reply, so helpful! Yes I have heard of the app which I may be tempted to do but I want to start smaller! I would totally be up for taking part of your Plankety Plankathon, hut I think I am already too late because it has started already? And yes, goals are great motivators, I need to give that some thought too 😃

[ju-ju- in reply to Redcello41]

Hey its never too late to join, the vids will all be there to follow along with.. Have you ever tried a plank? I have one for starting from 10 seconds OR to work towards a routine, starting from 30 seconds.

healthunlocked.com/strength...

healthunlocked.com/strength....

There is a print off highly *sophisticated ( *cough) chart that you can print off

[Redcello41 in reply to ju-ju-]

Ah amazing! Yes I have tried one before, my brother challenged me to do it hahaha! Will totally print that out and let you know how I get on! 😃

[BaddieThePirate in reply to Redcello41]

Was going to recommend the Plankety Plankathon but Ju-ju beat me to it. Join us!

I love that you're a cello player. I'm a wannabe cello player 😀

[Redcello41 in reply to BaddieThePirate]

Hahaha yes I have already written the workout into my diary! That's so cool that you want to learn the cello, it is of course the best instrument out there! 🤣 what made you want to learn the cello? 😃

[BaddieThePirate in reply to Redcello41]

It's such a lovely deep sound, and quite a physical thing to play coz you have to almost cuddle it and the sound reverberates through you..

[Redcello41 in reply to BaddieThePirate]

Yeah it does make a great sound! It has the closest range to the human voice apparently. 😃

[BaddieThePirate in reply to Redcello41]

Not my voice unfortunately 🤔

[Redcello41 in reply to BaddieThePirate]

Hahaha not mine either! 😃

[BaddieThePirate in reply to Redcello41]

Is your cello really red? Thinking of painting mine with patterns or skulls.

[Redcello41 in reply to BaddieThePirate]

Hahaha it's a reddish brown if that counts? 😃

[BaddieThePirate in reply to Redcello41]

I was hoping for pillar box red! 😀

[Redcello41 in reply to BaddieThePirate]

Hahaha! 😃