Why I Write My Own Workouts
If you can't tell from the title of this post, I write all of my own workouts. Generally I write out two weeks of unique workouts and rotate through them during a single month and write out whole new workouts for the next month. Sound like a lot of work? It can be, but I get better and faster at it with each passing month and I've found the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. So why do I do it? Keep reading...
Autonomy
I'm the type of person that thrives on autonomy and tends to balk at someone telling me what to do all the time. Writing my own workouts gives me that autonomy I crave, without allowing me to slack when I'm actually in the workout.
It's More Challenging
I've noticed that I work harder and do a lot more when I write my workouts ahead of time instead of making them up on the fly. When I make them up as I go I tend to be a little easier on myself, I may quit sooner or do less, just because I'm not in the mood. I still listen to my body when I write my own workouts and adjust if I have to, but I am far less likely to slack.
Goal-Specific
Writing my own workouts allows me to focus on my specific goals. My goals have changed over the last year and because I am writing new stuff every month, I get to adjust according to those new goals and make sure I am constantly challenging myself as I get better. Some ways I like to challenge myself: adding compound movements, increasing weight, and increasing reps.
Accountability
Having things written down generally makes them feel more like an appointment or a promise I've made to myself. It's also painfully clear when I skip a workout because I'm now a whole workout behind and once that workout is written, I complete it, no questions asked. Yes, I've gotten sick. I've traveled. There have been reasons that make it difficult so I shift my rest day or combine an arm day with a HIIT day and it all seems to work out in the end.
It's a Learning Experience
I LOVE to learn. I frequently joke that if I could be a career scholar I'd drop everything else and head back to university. As much as I love work, I love learning more. Writing my own workouts forces me to constantly be learning new moves and learning what works and what doesn't work, or what gives me better results for one goal versus what gives me better results for another goal.