Discussion on: Secrets From Fellow Techies on How to Start A Workout Routine

Hey Molly,

thanks for taking the time to read and filter those comments!

After living in a different city during the week for work reasons, I started training 2 times a week in the morning.
I had gained a little weight and went to the gym in the morning because I was uncomfortable training with "so many others" in the evening. I was afraid of being judged.

After about two weeks it was no problem for me to get up at 4 o'clock and be in the studio at 5 o'clock.

I packed my training bag the night before, set the clothes I wanted to wear for work (right after the gym) and prepared my breakfast (for at work after training).

After a while my training stagnated and I sought help from a personal trainer. In the beginning we met in the studio at the same time as before and trained together. That gave me a huge motivation boost.
What was positive for me about this was that I had fixed appointments with the trainer twice a week in the morning and so had less excuses and an "inner obligation" in front of me, because it is more unpleasant to cancel someone else 10 minutes before the agreed meeting point than to cancel yourself!

After he had set up his own gym, I continued training with him there in the morning, instead of the gym.

After 2 years the business trips increased and finding appointments with the trainer became more difficult. I moved back to my hometown full time and started training in the fitness studio again there by myself.

This time with a good friend and in the evening after work.
That was also a good experience, but I often felt exhausted in the evening after work and sometimes had the feeling the training would give me the rest.

I came to the conclusion, that training in the evening is not for me.

Like many answers on Twitter, I have a demand for variety in training.

Meanwhile I train 2-3 times a week in the morning again, because afterwards I feel fit for the day, am more balanced and automatically force myself to go to bed on time the night before.

I change my exercises regularly, also the principle in every training.
I change between the following principles:

• Standard 3x10, moderate weight
• 3x10 with lighter weight and concentrated, slow repetitions
• Opposite row (write down the numbers 1-10, under it backwards 10-1. Results in super sets in the sense of 1x exercise A, 10x exercise B. 2x exercise A, 9x exercise B, etc.)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
10| 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A
B | B | B | B | B | B | B | B | B | B

1st set: 1xA, 10xB
2nd set: 2xA, 9xB
3rd set: 3xA, 8xB
...

• 5x8 with lighter weight
• 3x4 with very heavy weight