The Fun-Maxxing Split
Harmonizing effort levels for people getting back into fitness
What to make of effort?
Yesterday I shared a bit of my own fitness process, how I harmonize hard and light efforts, and why aiming from the heart helps me feel what my body needs and is capable of. I stack consistency over months, and years, to be in tune with my performance and recognize when to push and when to hold back (read about it HERE).
But what about someone just getting back into fitness after years away or someone who’s here to establish their process for the first time?
How should they go about harmonizing their effort levels?
It’s a good question, and one that trips up too many people as they make their way in the first weeks and months of establishing a habit in fitness.
Today I want to share a basic outline that will help anybody calibrate their efforts levels first through the heart, and then allowing the body and mind to follow. But it’s specifically targeted to the beginner.
One thing that beginner’s tend not to do is go hard enough in training. The haven’t yet figured out the sweet spot of pushing right to the line, but pulling back so they can reset the next day and come back in a good physical and mental spot. Nothing demoralizes you more in fitness than getting CRUSHED by a workout you weren’t expecting to be so hard and having to fight fatigue, sore muscles, and a bruised ego, in the aftermath.
But without going hard, you don’t bring the heart into the activity. Without some level of pushing, there isn’t the requisite level of care and effort to get the most out of it.
Below is a different kind of exercise split that prepares the beginner for a hard effort but one that builds on day to day consistency and works off feel and interest.
Fun Maxxing Split
I call it the Fun-Maxxing Split. Why? Good question.
It’s no fun to just go to the gym and go through the motions, that’s movement without soul or meaning. It’s also not fun to go into every session thinking it’s a battle to the death. There’s a harmony in between that’s ready for each individual to find on their own.
Here’s the general framework of the split:
1 HARD effort on the weekend in the sport you love
2 EASY efforts during the week in that same activity
2-3 EASY cross training sessions for general and sport specific strength and conditioning
There’s a couple points I’d like to highlight about this split.
FIRST it’s oriented around an activity you LOVE. By doing this you are creating a routine based on your internal motivation, you’ll want to keep at it because you enjoy doing it.
SECOND it’s mostly based on easy efforts that stack. Consistency becomes easier when you want to show up the next day, you leave a bit in the tank, and come back refreshed and ready to work. You get a chance to practice/play the sport you like but without needing to go all out. There’s also the chance to stack smaller complimentary cross training workouts to keep you moving forward day to day.
THIRD there is space for the ‘sacred effort’ on the weekend. That’s you space to go long, go hard, and then grab a rest. It’s your chance to feel the fitness gains of the week materialize while your having fun doing the thing you love.
FOURTH it’s entirely dependent on your imagination and time management. This split fits into ANY schedule. The workouts during the week can be 25-45 minutes. The sacred effort can be 60-120 minutes. It’s entirely customizable to your interests and responsibilities.
This is how I go about setting my own weekly training and how I teach my coaching clients to go about setting up their fitness routines as they find their way through re-establishing their fitness habits.
Get creative and have FUN
Here’s a basic breakdown of my own Fun-Maxxing Split
1 Hard Effort: Long sunrise trail run 90minute minimum
2-3 Easy Efforts: 4-5 mile trail runs / 6-7 mile road runs during the week
2-3 Easy Cross Training Efforts: 25 minute routines (weighted jump rope / steel mace and club / body weight calisthenics)
I’ve run this weekly for the past 10 years and have progressed in my sport, gotten stronger and more durable, avoided injuries, found community, and carved out my own space for personal expression through excercise.
I love trail running, but it might not be for you.
The most important thing about the Fun-Maxxing Split is to get that one activity at it’s core correct.
You may already know what that is, but for most it’s still the missing piece of the puzzle.
This is where you get to bring your spirit in from the beginning, all by unleashing your imagination , wonder, and creativity.
A fitness routine built around fun gives you freedom to explore, experiment, try out things you’ve always wanted, or a chance to return to a sport you used to play but haven’t in far too long.
I tried a lot of different things before realizing my love of trail running. I enjoyed swimming so I started with laps in the pool.
My best advice for someone getting back into it is to start with something you know you enjoy and then let consistency and opportunity aim you towards finding an activity you fall in love with.
Don’t put a lot of pressure on finding the activity right away. Get comfortable with the cadence of easy efforts stacking to a bigger effort on the weekend so when you DO find that activity you are able to plug it into a framework that’s already working for you.
The harmony of that one big effort will keep you disciplined all week so you can show up for the easy efforts. The easy efforts won’t weigh you down and will have you anticipating the hard effort to show what you can do.
I’ve helped dozens find their way in fitness using this formula and know you will find success with it as well. I wish you the best of luck on your journey.
If you’re looking for someone to help guide you through the first months of getting back into fitness and finding your own style based on fun and passion send me a message using the button below and let’s chat about what a fun-maxxing split might look like in your life!
Happy Training Team!