Consistency Over Intensity

When it comes to exercise, we often think we need to do more.

More sessions. More weight. More kilometres. More intensity.

But after more than 26 years working in exercise, sport and health, I believe one of the most important things we can do is simply be consistent.

You don't need to train perfectly. You don't need to exercise every day. And you certainly don't need to follow the same program as everyone else.

Your body is different. Your history is different. Your lifestyle is different.

Exercise should be about what your body needs — not what everyone else is doing.

Think of exercise as building small blocks.

A couple of strength sessions each week.
A walk.
Some mobility work.
A bike ride.
A Pilates session.

These small blocks might not feel significant at the time, but repeated consistently, they build strength, fitness, mobility and confidence. More importantly, they build a habit.

And this is what helps create a body that works well rather than constantly breaks down.

I see too many people go hard for a few weeks, get injured or exhausted, stop exercising and then start all over again.

Exercise shouldn't be about continually breaking your body down and trying to build it back up.

It should be about giving your body the right amount of challenge, allowing it to adapt, and then building from there.

Consistency doesn't mean perfection.

Life gets busy. You will miss sessions. You will get sick. You will have holidays and weeks when exercise isn't your priority.

That's okay.

The important thing is that you come back.

So instead of asking, "What should I be doing?" ask yourself:

"What does my body need, and what can I realistically do consistently?"

Start there.

Small steps, repeated over time, create big changes.

And ultimately, the goal isn't to have the body that everyone else has.

It's to have a body that allows you to live the life you want to live.