For every season there is a purpose

That line may sound vaguely familiar if you heard a lot of folk music like I did growing up. The version of this song that I heard the most, from the song, Turn, Turn, Turn, was sung by Pete Seeger, but you may think of the Byrds, The Limelighters or even the Dolly Parton version.

It was a big hit in 1965, but the meaning when it comes to your fitness routine is very much applicable now.

For every season.

A purpose makes a difference. Whether you are training for events, for fitness or for life having a purpose makes the season more effective.

If you answer yes to any of the following you might be ready for a change of purpose in your workouts.

Are you getting slower? Or feeling stale? Struggling with aches and pains that won’t go away?

Do you feel like you are losing strength or power?

Are you lacking the motivation to be active? Does exercise feel like a chore? Are you skipping workouts or cutting them short?

Do you feel mentally or physically fatigued? Do you struggle to sleep through the night or wake up feeling like you haven’t had enough rest?

Have you been doing the same routine all year?

Or for years?

Whether your best time of year is summer, fall, winter or spring having a plan for each season does make a difference.

And NO, it doesn’t matter if you are training for fitness, health or an event.

Periodization

This is a system of planning physical performance to reach the best possible fitness level for an event or important competition. It involves cycling through different phases of training that have variety in intensity, volume, and types of training.

Periodization allows for adaptative physical responses, overload and planned fatigue to result in an adaptation that increases performance.

You can follow a sport-specific periodization cycle or a  seasonal cycle.

It is important that you have a purpose for each season. Unless you like feeling tired or burnt out, never getting any faster or stronger.

Over and over research shows that periodization increases strength, power, muscular endurance and speed. It increases motivation, focus and maybe even more importantly helps you to avoid burnout.

What is your purpose?

Over the next month, we will look at periodization, having a purpose for each season and getting better results with some little changes that make the biggest difference.

But first, let me know, do you have a seasonal plan or do you mostly do more of the same?

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla