3 Proven Ways To Stick To Your Training Plan: Approaches From Sports Psychology

Training Plan Adherence - what does the sports psychology say?! In this solo-podcast session by Tom, he takes you through the 3 areas of behaviour that will massively increase your chances of following through on your plans and reduce the chances that it will feel like a struggle. 

Keeping It Fun! 

• Add in your friends and/or family - rely on them for accountability and support and fun banter!
• Initially, do what you like, not what you struggle with. 
• Add in new skills to your training plan. Learning and the associated quick success feelings will make you feel great. 
• Always begin slow on a training plan initially. Plans are hard to follow anyway, don't make it even harder by putting crazy high training loads into the first mesocycle. 

Check Your Life Realities

• Convenience will help massively. Look at the aspects of time, location and conflicts of scheduling
• Start with a routine and with time it'll become a habit
• Prioritise your training. Do not try to do all of your training with you're tired at the end of the day, even if you're a busy person! 

Tracking

• Keep your data collection simple. Less that 5 metrics is a good place to start. 
• Put your tracking records where you can see them regularly and where you can't possible lose them! 
• Retest if you get strange results. 
• Remember that data is just a feedback. Aim to have as little emotional attachment to your scores whether they are positive or negative. Focus on trends and not individual data points. 

The Lattice jingle is brought to you by Devin Dabney, music producer of the outdoor industry who also hosts the American Climbing Project.