Mighty Monday: Unleash Your Inner Fitness Warrior with These Expert Tips

Monday mornings can be tough, especially when getting back into the routine of working out. However, with the right mindset and practical tools in place, you can turn your Mondays from something you ‘have to do’ into something you ‘get to do.’ Creating this mindset will set the tone for a successful week of achieving your goals. 

At Crunch Fitness, we call it “Mighty Monday,” where you unleash your inner fitness beast and set the tone for the rest of the week. In this blog post, we’ll share expert training tips to help you get motivated and crush your fitness goals for Mighty Monday. 

Let’s get into it! 

Prepare every Sunday 

We’ve all been there, where you let the weekend slip away, and come Sunday evening, you have no meals prepped, no fresh laundry and no schedule set in place for your workouts. Preparing for your week ahead on Sunday can help you reduce stress and save time come Monday morning. 

But don’t worry; here are some pre-Monday fitness motivation tips to help you prepare: 

• Plan your workouts: planning your workouts ahead of time can help you stay on track and ensure you’re progressing towards your goals. You can use a fitness app or planner to organise your workouts for the week. Ensure a mix of strength training, cardio, and mobility work, and if you’re new to the gym and unsure about what workouts to start with, you could read our beginner guide or speak to a Personal Trainer for more help. 
• Pack your gym bag: packing your gym bag the night before can help you save time and reduce stress in the morning. Make sure to include all the essentials, such as your workout clothes, shoes, water bottle, headphones, towel, and any other equipment you need, such as resistance bands, wrist straps or ankle straps. 
• Pre-cook your meals and snacks: meal prepping or meal prep, as many gym goers would say, can help you stick to your nutrition goals and fuel your body for your workout. The last thing you need is to grab a snack that has no nutritional value and won’t keep you full because you didn’t prepare in advance. 

Instead, make sure you have your protein and carbs meal-prepped for the week. That way, you can add your fats, such as oil, avocado or hummus, as well as your fruit and vegetables on the go. You can pre-cook your protein sources like chicken breast, lean beef mince, fish, or tofu and portion them into containers for the week. You can also pre-cut veggies, fruits, and nuts for easy snacking. 

Set short-term goals 

Having a clear and achievable goal can help you stay motivated and focused. This could be as simple as hitting your water intake, completing each workout or getting 8 hours of sleep per night. No matter your short-term goal, it’s important to keep yourself accountable and prepared to achieve it. Here are some tips on how to set and achieve your goals: 

• Use the SMART method: SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. When setting your goals, ensure they are specific (clearly defined or identified), measurable (how your goal will be quantified/measured), achievable, relevant to your overall fitness goals, and have a deadline. 

For example, your goal could be to increase your bench press weight by 30 kilos in four weeks. Is this attainable and time-bound? The answer depends on your expertise, strength, nutrition, training program, and much more. In this example, you could adjust it to be more achievable by suggesting your goal is to increase your bench press by 10-15 kilos in 4 weeks. 

• Write it down: write your goal and put it somewhere visible, like on your phone or a sticky note on your fridge. This can help you stay accountable and motivated. It’s also helpful to write down your daily tasks and tick them off as you go to ensure you stick to your weekly plan. Start your Monday fitness motivation routine by creating visual goals and see the difference for yourself. 
• Celebrate your progress: celebrate your progress towards your goal, no matter how small. For example, if your goal was to increase your push-ups from 12 to 20 in a row, and you can now do 16, celebrate that accomplishment. As much as we want to be the best and jump from beginner to pro in many aspects of our life, sometimes it’s the small wins that make a difference. 

Warm-up effectively 

Warming up is crucial for preventing injuries and improving performance. Unfortunately, the pre and post-stretching aspects of working out can be ignored even by gym fanatics who have been training for years. But, when this step is skipped, not only is your body tight, but the lactic acid build-up can cause pain, muscle fatigue, and delayed onset muscle soreness. So, here are some tips for warming up effectively: 

• Do dynamic warm-up exercises: dynamic warm-up exercises involve constant movement and help to increase your heart rate and activate your muscles. It’s important to remember the difference between dynamic and static. Dynamic stretches closely imitate the activity to be performed, and when stretching, you would use similar muscle groups and perform similar movements. As for Static stretches, this can be especially useful for cooling down after a workout and is a movement/stretch that is held for 45-60 seconds. 

For example, if you’re training glutes and are about to perform barbell hip thrusts, a great dynamic warm-up would be to use a resistance band below your knees and perform bodyweight hip thrusts to activate your glute muscles. And then a pre-and-post static stretch after your glute workout would be a hip flexor stretch. 

• Start slow: don’t jump right into your workout without warming up first. Instead, start with a lower-intensity exercise like walking or light jogging, then gradually increase your intensity as your body warms up. When it comes to exercising correctly and safely, the saying ‘slow and steady beats the race’ is 100% true. 

Train with a partner 

Training with a partner can help you stay motivated and pushes you harder with every workout. In addition, it’s being shown that you’re more likely to stick to your workouts if you train with a partner. Still not convinced? Here are some tips for finding a suitable training partner to help power your Monday fitness motivation: 

• Look for someone with similar fitness goals: having a partner with similar fitness goals can help you stay on track. Not only do you have the support, but you’re connected in the sense that you share similar goals, passions and a love for fitness. Keeping each other accountable because of this is guaranteed to push you towards your goal. 
• Find someone at a similar fitness level: if you’re at a different fitness level than your partner, finding exercises that work for both of you can be challenging. Look for someone at a similar fitness level, and then incorporate a BFF workout plan that you can do together, making training more fun! 

Embrace new challenges 

Doing the same workout routine week after week can get boring and lead to a plateau in your progress. Here are our tips on how to keep your workout routine fresh and challenging: 

• Try new exercises (speak to Personal Trainer or source videos and content online for ideas) 
• Experiment with different training styles (strength training/bodybuilding, powerlifting, callisthenics, HIIT)
• Explore new fitness classes like Yoga or Pilates 
• Work with a Personal Trainer or Fitness Coach to develop a personalised workout plan 
• Mix up your cardio routine with outdoor activities like hiking or cycling 

Also, ensure you vary your workout intensity and duration and change the order of exercises in your routine. You could even increase the weight or reps of your exercises with progressive overload to push and stimulate muscle growth. 

By incorporating these tips, you can prevent boredom and break through plateaus in your fitness journey. Remember to listen to your body and make adjustments as needed. 

Recover properly 

Rest and recovery are just as important as exercise when it comes to achieving optimal performance and avoiding burnout. Make sure to give your body adequate time to rest and recover between workouts, and incorporate recovery techniques like stretching, foam rolling, and massage into your routine. 

Stretching can improve your range of motion and prevent injury, and it is recommended to be performed before and after you exercise. Massage can also be helpful in relieving stress and anxiety. So, it’s always a good idea to include some yoga in your post-workout routine. Foam rolling is another great recovery technique. It helps release muscle tension, increase blood flow, and reduce inflammation. It’s also a great way to release tight muscles and improve flexibility. If you’re new to foam rolling, start with a soft foam roller and gradually work your way up to a firmer one. Focus on the areas that feel tight or sore and roll back and forth slowly for 30 seconds to a minute. 

Lastly, remember to get enough sleep and hydration. Sleep is crucial for muscle recovery and growth, while dehydration can lead to fatigue, cramps, and poor performance. So aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night, and drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workout. 

Fitness motivation for every Monday 

We can agree that Mondays can be tough, but with the right mindset and support, you can kick off your day with a powerful workout and set the tone for a successful week of fitness and wellness. 

At Crunch Fitness, every Monday is an opportunity to start fresh and take another step towards a stronger, healthier, and happier version of yourself. We offer a FREE day pass if you’re looking

for a supportive community and top-notch facilities to help you achieve your fitness goals. So join us, and let’s crush Mighty Mondays together!

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