Saturday, January 07, 2006

Law Number 7

#7 The Plan


SCHEDULE ALL WORKOUTS IN ADVANCE. This creates accountability. Plan an entire month ahead of time. Try to schedule as many workouts as possible with friends who have similar goals. WOWY was developed so that we could find an easy and effective way to stay accountable and workout together. Now we’ve got people in Trumbull Ct. (my hometown) doing Power 90 with people in Hollywood at the same time. That is cool!

I believe that your workout calendar is your most important tool. Power 90 and P90X have everything you need to stay consistent. But for those of you that are having trouble with motivation and consistency, you need to place that calendar where you’ll see it often, every day. The bathroom mirror, refrigerator, next to the TV or right on your front door if you have to. I have a desk calendar that stares back at me all day long. After 25 years of training I still write down the type of workout I’ve done, and circle the day I did it. At the end of the month, I add them up. My goal (for the last 21 years) has been a minimum of 20 workouts a month--that’s 240 a year with 125 days off.

I've always said that you can focus on Intensity & Variety, but if you don't know what you're doing and when, you're toast. It amazes me how so many people wake up in the morning and don't know the exact time they're working out. We’re pretty good at scheduling when to go to bed, and when to eat, when to watch our favorite show on the tube, but for some reason we're trying to fit the workout in whenever we can. The "fit it in whenever" philosophy might work short term, but never survives the long term. You can't have a fitness lifestyle if you don't have a long term plan.

Beachbody provides the variety--and even the motivation through the boards. But you need to plan way ahead. In most cases, if you don’t plan when you’re doing your workout, you probably won’t do it. If you make a point to schedule your workouts in advance you’re chances of success will sky rocket. My calendar has been a simple and powerful tool for me for over twenty years. Without it…I’m lost. With it, I’m organized, committed and successful.

WOWY is another tool to help you lock it in because it creates accountability. Accountability: The obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions. I schedule 6 workouts every week. I am accountable to the people I schedule them with. Monday I take off. Tuesday I meet 4 guys at 5:00 PM for a weight workout. Wednesday I meet 1 to 3 people for cardio at 5:30 PM. Every other Wednesday I meet friends at 7:30 to rock climb. Thursday I do weights at 5:00 PM with the boys. Friday is cardio or leg/plyo day at 4:30 or 5:00 PM with 1 to 3 friends. Saturday is Yoga at 4:00 PM. I meet 2 to 4 friends at the yoga studio. It's Locked In!

Even at a million miles an hour, anxious thoughts and feelings take you nowhere. Stop the mind chatter and plan when to Push Play. Move your workouts way up the priority list. Don’t think about doing them whenever. Schedule them as if they were very important meetings or appointments. BECAUSE THEY ARE! You can love what you're doing & eat like a star, but if you don't plan those workouts (a month in advance) you won't go far.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Tony,

I am all scheduled. Eating Healthy. Ready to achieve my goals and keep them.

See you in chat!

XO
mary

Anonymous said...

OK so you updated your blog just in time! 3 things got me to workout lastnight when I didn't want to. First I checked my wowy calendar and found out I would be missing my plyometrics. I love that workout. Second I checked your blog and got a little guilty cause I ran around for appointments yesterday but I was ready to bail on my health/workout plan. And third I went to chat and expressed that I was pooped but I hadn't pressed play and coach Kathy said I bet you feel good if you do it (which is too true). So I did it. And you know what I pooped out in parts but I did the whole thing and I had great intensity and was in my hr zone the whole time. It felt great. Someone in chat once said the biggest thing is just to get in front of the tv and pp and you will end up moving and it is very true!! Thanks Tony! See you in Chat tomorrow!! Whoo Hoo!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Tony
For the first time ever I let WOWY set up my schedule for the workout I am doing and I love it - I am there and have set buddies for two weeks out. IT really does help me stay committed.
Take Care
Joyce aka Sage

psalm9567 said...

Nice rhyme at the end, Mr. Man!! I love the calendar! I am so anal about my workouts, I put the day number as well as what workout I'm doing. Not just "cardio" but Sweat 3/4 or Cardio Party 1, etc. I love having those X's on the calendar as I crush each workout! I have heard from Traci Morrow that you do the same. Yay for us anal types!! :)

Thanks for making me feel not so weird!

Lovin' the plan,
Sarah/Psalm9567

Anonymous said...

hi tony! been awhile since i logged onto here, but when i do, you always have great wisdom!

The new year is a tough one for some reason to start fresh.....even tho we're already suppose to be following the plan! For me, I think the problem is the end of the year weighs so much on my shoulder and finally when the new year begins.......all my problems from the year past are lifted and i can finally feel some rest time and relief and that is where i get slowed down. I feel like i deserve some 'off' time from LIFE , not necessarily from bb, however, bb stuff gets affected. Crazy huh/

So anyway, just to let you know that my new PLAN for 06 is to remain accountable! I've been loggin in, and SCHEDULEING my wowy sessions, and it's helpful. Sometimes life still gets in the way and i may not wowy when I wanted to, so I change my wowy time and do it later. So far so good, except my wowy buddies havent' been showing up.....so thats a bit depressing.....but i figured it's their loss....not mine! I was here, pushin play!

So nice to see you!

DEEDEE

ps. my computer has been down for like the last week, so it's so great to see everyone again! i miss this place!

Anonymous said...

Hi Tony! I too, am a scheduler!!! Not only do I use the great WOWY to schedule my workouts with my WOWY buds, but I also have a calendar in my home office (next to my computer) where I also keep track of those workouts (by listing them by name). I love putting those big "Sharpie" X's on it too, when I'm finished! Great motivator!!! I've just finished ordering the final two DVD's of the Master's Series! Looking forward to scheduling those into my week very soon!!!

Thanks for keeping me motivated on those days when I'm down on myself and am feeling discouraged with my progress!!! You're the best!!!

Lori J
Ontario, Canada

Anonymous said...

ummm, Tony, Love the plan thing, but isn't it time to update the blog??

Anonymous said...

Tony,

I hear you loud and clear about the scheduling thing. I've been doing P90 off and on for about 2 years now. Whenever I need to get a boost, I plan a 60 day "boot-camp" for myself. Gets me in shape for other activities and such.

I plan what I can, I remain flexible with the rest. Life, sadly, isn't a static affair... three kids have proven that to me.

HOWEVER, Control What You Can Control and Plan for What You Can't and you'll be ducky. For me, Karate on Wednesday and Saturday at 7:00 EVERY week. Thursday is lunchtime P90 on WOWY. Monday, Tuesday and Friday are floaters... workout when I can, if I can, or take it as a "rest" day.

Thanks for the continued support and inspiration, Tony.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Tony (HUGSS)

My wowy P90 MS workouts are scheduled from now til August 2006!!!

I am so ready 'n pumped - can't wait to get started!!

Laura33