.svg){kind=icon}
Developing & Redevloping Habits
Bounce back after a rough patch
.webp)
We all hit rough patches. When life gets busy, something has to be sacrificed to make up the time. Instead of cutting out binge watching a TV show or waking up early, they’ll choose to sleep in and skip their workout.
This article is not about avoiding the rough patches – if you’re reading this, chances are that ship has already sailed. What I want to do is help you come out the other side armed with ways to stick to your fitness goals.
Whether you’ve been in a funk for two weeks or two years, these principles will help you out!
How small changes deliver big results
Have you ever heard of the ‘Mosquito Effect’?
It can often be tricky to see your way out of a rough patch. You look for significant actions that can make a big difference… but these can seem daunting and often unreachable.
The trick is to break things down into smaller, more achievable goals – these actions then add up to make a huge difference overall. This idea helped David Brailsford turn British cycling and team Ineos into a world-conquering powerhouse and it can do the same for you, too.
What does that have to do with a mosquito? Well, think about this: a mosquito is less than 1% the size of you, yet it can keep you up all night, torment you with itchiness and even kill you.
If you think that small things can’t make a big difference, think about the Mosquito Effect!
Redeveloping Habits: 1% Gains and 1% Losses
When developing and redeveloping habits, we want to not only look at what 1% gains we can make but also what 1% losses we can remove.
How to identify bad habits
If you ask most people what bad habits they have, they may find it hard to answer.
An excellent place to begin looking is around how you start and finish your day. Screen time habits? Eating habits? Exercise habits? Believe it or not, they’re all connected.
Stressful situations often have us hooked to a screen, desperate to know what’s happening. In this case, ask yourself what you’re monitoring and if you need to be doing it right now.
So many people are hooked to the news to know the following headline. Is it helpful to see before you head out on the run you’ve been putting off all week, or is it better to have a clear head? Should we check what’s going on just before going to bed?
The answer to both questions is: probably not, so the 1% move here is to not look at your phone upon waking or 60 mins before sleeping. Remove the phone from your view!
That’s a small change that’ll make a big difference.
Why do we develop bad habits?
Rough patches usually come with a need to elicit dopamine to make ourselves feel better.
One way we can do this is to eat! Food can trigger a huge dopamine response before eating a mouthful, but be careful – with big ups comes big downs.
Planning out your week of food can remove the 'surprise' our dopamine-hungry brains love and keep levels much smoother. Seeing food as your fuel and not your emotion controller is vital.
People who love food gifts don't actually love the food (or they would already have it in their house). They love the fact they weren't expecting it and now have it. Make a plan that you are in charge of.
Don’t over-commit to unachievable goals
Exercise can also trigger many emotions along the same lines as food and news flashes. Usually good ones!
When emerging from a patch of nothing or even a patch of chaos, be hyper-aware of how you might be thinking. We can get ourselves into trouble repeatedly by setting goals out of our reach or the exercise bar a little high.
3 Principles to make fitness habits easy
If you are a little stuck at the moment or are emerging from a difficult time, try to focus on these three things:
- Small differences can make big changes
- Make a plan that you are in charge of
- Avoid comparisons
How to develop realistic habits
“I’m going to go to the gym every day this week” is not an exercise goal. Nor is “I’m going to complete an Ironman in 2 months’ time” if you’re just returning from an injury.
Seeing exercise as your partner in getting better is far more productive in these situations. Do you prefer exercising alone or with a friend?
If you prefer working out with a friend, then be willing to try what they are doing and go to the workout with an achievable goal – either spending time with your friend or simply getting out of the house.
Don’t focus on burning Kcals or working so hard that you’re too sore and stiff to workout the following day.
If you enjoy exercising alone, then do just that: avoid crowded sessions that may increase stress or data-focused workouts that you can compare with others or your previous self.
All these are possible slip-ups that could set you back again. Exercise is about raising your heart rate above baseline and stressing the muscular system, which has positive knock-on effects on your metabolism, hormones, and cardiorespiratory system.
It doesn't need to be about numbers, winners, losers, or selfies!
ENGINE
Revisiting Mikkos with some over and under-threshold intervals.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we will spend some time on ring dips! Get read for isometric holds, eccentrics, strict work, and kipping progressions. We’ll prioritise lockout strength, crucial for pressing movements like handstand push-ups, strict presses, and jerks.
HYROX
We will take on a full HYROX for the race simulation. It can be done individually or in pairs.
MOBILITY
This weekend, the mobility focus is improving the range of motion in joints and muscles. Upper body mobility focuses on the shoulders, wrists, and T spine, helping with movements like reaching and rotating. Lower body mobility targets the hips, knees, and ankles, improving flexibility for activities like squats and lunges. Come join us to keep those bodies healthy.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength this week, we are hitting some cluster sets on the front squat on Monday, followed by some single leg work coupled with the bent-over rows. We are clustering the Bench Press and ring rows to build some push and pull strength, followed by some dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts on Wednesday.
WEIGHTLIFTING
For weightlifting this week, we will focus on the squat snatch. With a fun complex snatch pull, Hang squat snatch and OHS. Great technique session!
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email rf@innerfight.com
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Tempo
PM Session only: This evening we will be building in pace as the blocks progress. Each block of work is 6 mins long and has a 2 mins recovery. Start at a 5/10 effort and gradually build to a 8/10 RPE.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Today we will be running 200m repeats at 1km pace. This is a fast session, focus on keeping good running form throughout.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 4:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you in the morning. The session at 5:59am will be 1km into 400m repeats, back to 1km.
In the evening we will run easy at 4:59pm this week with IFE ahead of Iftar in Gym 2 from 6pm.
Friday
Hills Start Time: 5:29am
Tempo
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will have bridge repeats for those who want elevation, and tempo for those who want to push the pace on the flat surface. The choice is yours. (If you are running Two Oceans, we recommend the hills option).
Saturday
Location: KhorFakkan
Session: LRC Training Camp
We will be back in Hatta this week for our Sunday long run. We will be in Khorfakkan this wekeend for our LRC Training Camp. All details or run distances, start times, and locations will be share in TrainnigPeaks and WhatsApp.
Please talk to Steph for further details.
SH@Innerfight.com
Sunday
Location: KhorFakkan
Session: LRC Training Camp
We will be back in Hatta this week for our Sunday long run. We will be in Khorfakkan this wekeend for our LRC Training Camp. We will be in Khorfakkan this wekeend for our LRC Training Camp. All details or run distances, start times, and locations will be share in TrainnigPeaks and WhatsApp.
Please talk to Steph for further details.
SH@Innerfight.com
Here we go, people! The start of a new block! The next 12 weeks are going to be loaded with strength, some nasty but epic short workouts, lots of strongman and, every now and again, some longer conditioning pieces! Fridays will be something special. Scroll down, and you know what we are talking about! Time to get stronger and fitter!
Monday:
We are kicking the week off with some knee flexion strength work, heavy back squats, step-ups, and cyclist goblet squats. Then we have a simple sprint workout of row wall balls row. How much do you want to hurt on the final row?
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 5 Back Squats Tempo 30X1
B) Every 2:30mins x 4 - 8 Barbell Box Step-Ups
C) Every 90secs x 3 - 8 Reps 1 1/4 Cyclist Goblet Squats
Conditioning:
For Time:
500/400m row
50 Wall Balls
500/400m row
Tuesday:
Tuesday, we have an Earthquake bar bench press followed by a triset of dumbbell presses, isometric chin over ball holds and push-ups. You will need a partner for the workout as you get stuck into some kettlebell carries and assault bike efforts.
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 8 Earthquake Bar Bench Press Tempo 20X1
B) Every 75secs Alt x 12 - 1) 10-12 Seated DB Press 2) 10-20 Second Chin Over Bar Hold 3) 30sec Push Ups
Conditioning:
10 rounds for time In Pairs YGIG
15/12 cal bike
2 lengths carpark dual KB front rack carry.
Wednesday:
Wednesday is all about power from the hips. Box jumps, power cleans and a frog stance deadlifts to build the posterior chain. Then we have a short, hard effort with the sandbags and dumbbells.
Strength:
A) 5 Mins to establish a Max height box jump
B) EMOM x 8 - 3 hang power cleans
c) Every 2 mins x 5 - 5 frog stance Deadlift
Conditioning:
For Time:
30-20-10
Sandbag Over Shoulder
DB Push Press
Thursday:
Thursday's strength is focused on some upper-body pulling with a Pendlay Row, and then we have a longer EMOM conditioning workout.
Strength:
Pendlay Row
Every 2 mins x 4 - 10/10/8/8 Pendlay Row
Conditioning:
EMOM 24
Min 1 - Assault bike
Min 2 - 25 ab mat sit-ups
Min 3 - Ski erg
Min 4 - 15/12/9 burpee
Friday:
Friday, we are finishing the week with some pull-ups and Olympic lifting in the strength piece before we cap off an epic week of training with a screamer of a workout!
Strength:
Conditioning: Bring everything, including the kitchen sink! FUF are here and here to stay!
We all hit rough patches. When life gets busy, something has to be sacrificed to make up the time. Instead of cutting out binge watching a TV show or waking up early, they’ll choose to sleep in and skip their workout.
This article is not about avoiding the rough patches – if you’re reading this, chances are that ship has already sailed. What I want to do is help you come out the other side armed with ways to stick to your fitness goals.
Whether you’ve been in a funk for two weeks or two years, these principles will help you out!
How small changes deliver big results
Have you ever heard of the ‘Mosquito Effect’?
It can often be tricky to see your way out of a rough patch. You look for significant actions that can make a big difference… but these can seem daunting and often unreachable.
The trick is to break things down into smaller, more achievable goals – these actions then add up to make a huge difference overall. This idea helped David Brailsford turn British cycling and team Ineos into a world-conquering powerhouse and it can do the same for you, too.
What does that have to do with a mosquito? Well, think about this: a mosquito is less than 1% the size of you, yet it can keep you up all night, torment you with itchiness and even kill you.
If you think that small things can’t make a big difference, think about the Mosquito Effect!
Redeveloping Habits: 1% Gains and 1% Losses
When developing and redeveloping habits, we want to not only look at what 1% gains we can make but also what 1% losses we can remove.
How to identify bad habits
If you ask most people what bad habits they have, they may find it hard to answer.
An excellent place to begin looking is around how you start and finish your day. Screen time habits? Eating habits? Exercise habits? Believe it or not, they’re all connected.
Stressful situations often have us hooked to a screen, desperate to know what’s happening. In this case, ask yourself what you’re monitoring and if you need to be doing it right now.
So many people are hooked to the news to know the following headline. Is it helpful to see before you head out on the run you’ve been putting off all week, or is it better to have a clear head? Should we check what’s going on just before going to bed?
The answer to both questions is: probably not, so the 1% move here is to not look at your phone upon waking or 60 mins before sleeping. Remove the phone from your view!
That’s a small change that’ll make a big difference.
Why do we develop bad habits?
Rough patches usually come with a need to elicit dopamine to make ourselves feel better.
One way we can do this is to eat! Food can trigger a huge dopamine response before eating a mouthful, but be careful – with big ups comes big downs.
Planning out your week of food can remove the 'surprise' our dopamine-hungry brains love and keep levels much smoother. Seeing food as your fuel and not your emotion controller is vital.
People who love food gifts don't actually love the food (or they would already have it in their house). They love the fact they weren't expecting it and now have it. Make a plan that you are in charge of.
Don’t over-commit to unachievable goals
Exercise can also trigger many emotions along the same lines as food and news flashes. Usually good ones!
When emerging from a patch of nothing or even a patch of chaos, be hyper-aware of how you might be thinking. We can get ourselves into trouble repeatedly by setting goals out of our reach or the exercise bar a little high.
3 Principles to make fitness habits easy
If you are a little stuck at the moment or are emerging from a difficult time, try to focus on these three things:
- Small differences can make big changes
- Make a plan that you are in charge of
- Avoid comparisons
How to develop realistic habits
“I’m going to go to the gym every day this week” is not an exercise goal. Nor is “I’m going to complete an Ironman in 2 months’ time” if you’re just returning from an injury.
Seeing exercise as your partner in getting better is far more productive in these situations. Do you prefer exercising alone or with a friend?
If you prefer working out with a friend, then be willing to try what they are doing and go to the workout with an achievable goal – either spending time with your friend or simply getting out of the house.
Don’t focus on burning Kcals or working so hard that you’re too sore and stiff to workout the following day.
If you enjoy exercising alone, then do just that: avoid crowded sessions that may increase stress or data-focused workouts that you can compare with others or your previous self.
All these are possible slip-ups that could set you back again. Exercise is about raising your heart rate above baseline and stressing the muscular system, which has positive knock-on effects on your metabolism, hormones, and cardiorespiratory system.
It doesn't need to be about numbers, winners, losers, or selfies!
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email rf@innerfight.com
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Tempo
PM Session only: This evening we will be building in pace as the blocks progress. Each block of work is 6 mins long and has a 2 mins recovery. Start at a 5/10 effort and gradually build to a 8/10 RPE.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Today we will be running 200m repeats at 1km pace. This is a fast session, focus on keeping good running form throughout.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 4:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you in the morning. The session at 5:59am will be 1km into 400m repeats, back to 1km.
In the evening we will run easy at 4:59pm this week with IFE ahead of Iftar in Gym 2 from 6pm.
Friday
Hills Start Time: 5:29am
Tempo
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will have bridge repeats for those who want elevation, and tempo for those who want to push the pace on the flat surface. The choice is yours. (If you are running Two Oceans, we recommend the hills option).
Saturday
Location: KhorFakkan
Session: LRC Training Camp
We will be back in Hatta this week for our Sunday long run. We will be in Khorfakkan this wekeend for our LRC Training Camp. All details or run distances, start times, and locations will be share in TrainnigPeaks and WhatsApp.
Please talk to Steph for further details.
SH@Innerfight.com
Sunday
Location: KhorFakkan
Session: LRC Training Camp
We will be back in Hatta this week for our Sunday long run. We will be in Khorfakkan this wekeend for our LRC Training Camp. We will be in Khorfakkan this wekeend for our LRC Training Camp. All details or run distances, start times, and locations will be share in TrainnigPeaks and WhatsApp.
Please talk to Steph for further details.
SH@Innerfight.com
Here we go, people! The start of a new block! The next 12 weeks are going to be loaded with strength, some nasty but epic short workouts, lots of strongman and, every now and again, some longer conditioning pieces! Fridays will be something special. Scroll down, and you know what we are talking about! Time to get stronger and fitter!
Monday:
We are kicking the week off with some knee flexion strength work, heavy back squats, step-ups, and cyclist goblet squats. Then we have a simple sprint workout of row wall balls row. How much do you want to hurt on the final row?
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 5 Back Squats Tempo 30X1
B) Every 2:30mins x 4 - 8 Barbell Box Step-Ups
C) Every 90secs x 3 - 8 Reps 1 1/4 Cyclist Goblet Squats
Conditioning:
For Time:
500/400m row
50 Wall Balls
500/400m row
Tuesday:
Tuesday, we have an Earthquake bar bench press followed by a triset of dumbbell presses, isometric chin over ball holds and push-ups. You will need a partner for the workout as you get stuck into some kettlebell carries and assault bike efforts.
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 8 Earthquake Bar Bench Press Tempo 20X1
B) Every 75secs Alt x 12 - 1) 10-12 Seated DB Press 2) 10-20 Second Chin Over Bar Hold 3) 30sec Push Ups
Conditioning:
10 rounds for time In Pairs YGIG
15/12 cal bike
2 lengths carpark dual KB front rack carry.
Wednesday:
Wednesday is all about power from the hips. Box jumps, power cleans and a frog stance deadlifts to build the posterior chain. Then we have a short, hard effort with the sandbags and dumbbells.
Strength:
A) 5 Mins to establish a Max height box jump
B) EMOM x 8 - 3 hang power cleans
c) Every 2 mins x 5 - 5 frog stance Deadlift
Conditioning:
For Time:
30-20-10
Sandbag Over Shoulder
DB Push Press
Thursday:
Thursday's strength is focused on some upper-body pulling with a Pendlay Row, and then we have a longer EMOM conditioning workout.
Strength:
Pendlay Row
Every 2 mins x 4 - 10/10/8/8 Pendlay Row
Conditioning:
EMOM 24
Min 1 - Assault bike
Min 2 - 25 ab mat sit-ups
Min 3 - Ski erg
Min 4 - 15/12/9 burpee
Friday:
Friday, we are finishing the week with some pull-ups and Olympic lifting in the strength piece before we cap off an epic week of training with a screamer of a workout!
Strength:
Conditioning: Bring everything, including the kitchen sink! FUF are here and here to stay!
ENGINE
Revisiting Mikkos with some over and under-threshold intervals.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we will spend some time on ring dips! Get read for isometric holds, eccentrics, strict work, and kipping progressions. We’ll prioritise lockout strength, crucial for pressing movements like handstand push-ups, strict presses, and jerks.
HYROX
We will take on a full HYROX for the race simulation. It can be done individually or in pairs.
MOBILITY
This weekend, the mobility focus is improving the range of motion in joints and muscles. Upper body mobility focuses on the shoulders, wrists, and T spine, helping with movements like reaching and rotating. Lower body mobility targets the hips, knees, and ankles, improving flexibility for activities like squats and lunges. Come join us to keep those bodies healthy.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength this week, we are hitting some cluster sets on the front squat on Monday, followed by some single leg work coupled with the bent-over rows. We are clustering the Bench Press and ring rows to build some push and pull strength, followed by some dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts on Wednesday.
WEIGHTLIFTING
For weightlifting this week, we will focus on the squat snatch. With a fun complex snatch pull, Hang squat snatch and OHS. Great technique session!
We all hit rough patches. When life gets busy, something has to be sacrificed to make up the time. Instead of cutting out binge watching a TV show or waking up early, they’ll choose to sleep in and skip their workout.
This article is not about avoiding the rough patches – if you’re reading this, chances are that ship has already sailed. What I want to do is help you come out the other side armed with ways to stick to your fitness goals.
Whether you’ve been in a funk for two weeks or two years, these principles will help you out!
How small changes deliver big results
Have you ever heard of the ‘Mosquito Effect’?
It can often be tricky to see your way out of a rough patch. You look for significant actions that can make a big difference… but these can seem daunting and often unreachable.
The trick is to break things down into smaller, more achievable goals – these actions then add up to make a huge difference overall. This idea helped David Brailsford turn British cycling and team Ineos into a world-conquering powerhouse and it can do the same for you, too.
What does that have to do with a mosquito? Well, think about this: a mosquito is less than 1% the size of you, yet it can keep you up all night, torment you with itchiness and even kill you.
If you think that small things can’t make a big difference, think about the Mosquito Effect!
Redeveloping Habits: 1% Gains and 1% Losses
When developing and redeveloping habits, we want to not only look at what 1% gains we can make but also what 1% losses we can remove.
How to identify bad habits
If you ask most people what bad habits they have, they may find it hard to answer.
An excellent place to begin looking is around how you start and finish your day. Screen time habits? Eating habits? Exercise habits? Believe it or not, they’re all connected.
Stressful situations often have us hooked to a screen, desperate to know what’s happening. In this case, ask yourself what you’re monitoring and if you need to be doing it right now.
So many people are hooked to the news to know the following headline. Is it helpful to see before you head out on the run you’ve been putting off all week, or is it better to have a clear head? Should we check what’s going on just before going to bed?
The answer to both questions is: probably not, so the 1% move here is to not look at your phone upon waking or 60 mins before sleeping. Remove the phone from your view!
That’s a small change that’ll make a big difference.
Why do we develop bad habits?
Rough patches usually come with a need to elicit dopamine to make ourselves feel better.
One way we can do this is to eat! Food can trigger a huge dopamine response before eating a mouthful, but be careful – with big ups comes big downs.
Planning out your week of food can remove the 'surprise' our dopamine-hungry brains love and keep levels much smoother. Seeing food as your fuel and not your emotion controller is vital.
People who love food gifts don't actually love the food (or they would already have it in their house). They love the fact they weren't expecting it and now have it. Make a plan that you are in charge of.
Don’t over-commit to unachievable goals
Exercise can also trigger many emotions along the same lines as food and news flashes. Usually good ones!
When emerging from a patch of nothing or even a patch of chaos, be hyper-aware of how you might be thinking. We can get ourselves into trouble repeatedly by setting goals out of our reach or the exercise bar a little high.
3 Principles to make fitness habits easy
If you are a little stuck at the moment or are emerging from a difficult time, try to focus on these three things:
- Small differences can make big changes
- Make a plan that you are in charge of
- Avoid comparisons
How to develop realistic habits
“I’m going to go to the gym every day this week” is not an exercise goal. Nor is “I’m going to complete an Ironman in 2 months’ time” if you’re just returning from an injury.
Seeing exercise as your partner in getting better is far more productive in these situations. Do you prefer exercising alone or with a friend?
If you prefer working out with a friend, then be willing to try what they are doing and go to the workout with an achievable goal – either spending time with your friend or simply getting out of the house.
Don’t focus on burning Kcals or working so hard that you’re too sore and stiff to workout the following day.
If you enjoy exercising alone, then do just that: avoid crowded sessions that may increase stress or data-focused workouts that you can compare with others or your previous self.
All these are possible slip-ups that could set you back again. Exercise is about raising your heart rate above baseline and stressing the muscular system, which has positive knock-on effects on your metabolism, hormones, and cardiorespiratory system.
It doesn't need to be about numbers, winners, losers, or selfies!
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Tempo
PM Session only: This evening we will be building in pace as the blocks progress. Each block of work is 6 mins long and has a 2 mins recovery. Start at a 5/10 effort and gradually build to a 8/10 RPE.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Today we will be running 200m repeats at 1km pace. This is a fast session, focus on keeping good running form throughout.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 4:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you in the morning. The session at 5:59am will be 1km into 400m repeats, back to 1km.
In the evening we will run easy at 4:59pm this week with IFE ahead of Iftar in Gym 2 from 6pm.
Friday
Hills Start Time: 5:29am
Tempo
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will have bridge repeats for those who want elevation, and tempo for those who want to push the pace on the flat surface. The choice is yours. (If you are running Two Oceans, we recommend the hills option).
Saturday
Location: KhorFakkan
Session: LRC Training Camp
We will be back in Hatta this week for our Sunday long run. We will be in Khorfakkan this wekeend for our LRC Training Camp. All details or run distances, start times, and locations will be share in TrainnigPeaks and WhatsApp.
Please talk to Steph for further details.
SH@Innerfight.com
Sunday
Location: KhorFakkan
Session: LRC Training Camp
We will be back in Hatta this week for our Sunday long run. We will be in Khorfakkan this wekeend for our LRC Training Camp. We will be in Khorfakkan this wekeend for our LRC Training Camp. All details or run distances, start times, and locations will be share in TrainnigPeaks and WhatsApp.
Please talk to Steph for further details.
SH@Innerfight.com
Here we go, people! The start of a new block! The next 12 weeks are going to be loaded with strength, some nasty but epic short workouts, lots of strongman and, every now and again, some longer conditioning pieces! Fridays will be something special. Scroll down, and you know what we are talking about! Time to get stronger and fitter!
Monday:
We are kicking the week off with some knee flexion strength work, heavy back squats, step-ups, and cyclist goblet squats. Then we have a simple sprint workout of row wall balls row. How much do you want to hurt on the final row?
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 5 Back Squats Tempo 30X1
B) Every 2:30mins x 4 - 8 Barbell Box Step-Ups
C) Every 90secs x 3 - 8 Reps 1 1/4 Cyclist Goblet Squats
Conditioning:
For Time:
500/400m row
50 Wall Balls
500/400m row
Tuesday:
Tuesday, we have an Earthquake bar bench press followed by a triset of dumbbell presses, isometric chin over ball holds and push-ups. You will need a partner for the workout as you get stuck into some kettlebell carries and assault bike efforts.
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 8 Earthquake Bar Bench Press Tempo 20X1
B) Every 75secs Alt x 12 - 1) 10-12 Seated DB Press 2) 10-20 Second Chin Over Bar Hold 3) 30sec Push Ups
Conditioning:
10 rounds for time In Pairs YGIG
15/12 cal bike
2 lengths carpark dual KB front rack carry.
Wednesday:
Wednesday is all about power from the hips. Box jumps, power cleans and a frog stance deadlifts to build the posterior chain. Then we have a short, hard effort with the sandbags and dumbbells.
Strength:
A) 5 Mins to establish a Max height box jump
B) EMOM x 8 - 3 hang power cleans
c) Every 2 mins x 5 - 5 frog stance Deadlift
Conditioning:
For Time:
30-20-10
Sandbag Over Shoulder
DB Push Press
Thursday:
Thursday's strength is focused on some upper-body pulling with a Pendlay Row, and then we have a longer EMOM conditioning workout.
Strength:
Pendlay Row
Every 2 mins x 4 - 10/10/8/8 Pendlay Row
Conditioning:
EMOM 24
Min 1 - Assault bike
Min 2 - 25 ab mat sit-ups
Min 3 - Ski erg
Min 4 - 15/12/9 burpee
Friday:
Friday, we are finishing the week with some pull-ups and Olympic lifting in the strength piece before we cap off an epic week of training with a screamer of a workout!
Strength:
Conditioning: Bring everything, including the kitchen sink! FUF are here and here to stay!
ENGINE
Revisiting Mikkos with some over and under-threshold intervals.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we will spend some time on ring dips! Get read for isometric holds, eccentrics, strict work, and kipping progressions. We’ll prioritise lockout strength, crucial for pressing movements like handstand push-ups, strict presses, and jerks.
HYROX
We will take on a full HYROX for the race simulation. It can be done individually or in pairs.
MOBILITY
This weekend, the mobility focus is improving the range of motion in joints and muscles. Upper body mobility focuses on the shoulders, wrists, and T spine, helping with movements like reaching and rotating. Lower body mobility targets the hips, knees, and ankles, improving flexibility for activities like squats and lunges. Come join us to keep those bodies healthy.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength this week, we are hitting some cluster sets on the front squat on Monday, followed by some single leg work coupled with the bent-over rows. We are clustering the Bench Press and ring rows to build some push and pull strength, followed by some dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts on Wednesday.
WEIGHTLIFTING
For weightlifting this week, we will focus on the squat snatch. With a fun complex snatch pull, Hang squat snatch and OHS. Great technique session!
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email rf@innerfight.com
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
We all hit rough patches. When life gets busy, something has to be sacrificed to make up the time. Instead of cutting out binge watching a TV show or waking up early, they’ll choose to sleep in and skip their workout.
This article is not about avoiding the rough patches – if you’re reading this, chances are that ship has already sailed. What I want to do is help you come out the other side armed with ways to stick to your fitness goals.
Whether you’ve been in a funk for two weeks or two years, these principles will help you out!
How small changes deliver big results
Have you ever heard of the ‘Mosquito Effect’?
It can often be tricky to see your way out of a rough patch. You look for significant actions that can make a big difference… but these can seem daunting and often unreachable.
The trick is to break things down into smaller, more achievable goals – these actions then add up to make a huge difference overall. This idea helped David Brailsford turn British cycling and team Ineos into a world-conquering powerhouse and it can do the same for you, too.
What does that have to do with a mosquito? Well, think about this: a mosquito is less than 1% the size of you, yet it can keep you up all night, torment you with itchiness and even kill you.
If you think that small things can’t make a big difference, think about the Mosquito Effect!
Redeveloping Habits: 1% Gains and 1% Losses
When developing and redeveloping habits, we want to not only look at what 1% gains we can make but also what 1% losses we can remove.
How to identify bad habits
If you ask most people what bad habits they have, they may find it hard to answer.
An excellent place to begin looking is around how you start and finish your day. Screen time habits? Eating habits? Exercise habits? Believe it or not, they’re all connected.
Stressful situations often have us hooked to a screen, desperate to know what’s happening. In this case, ask yourself what you’re monitoring and if you need to be doing it right now.
So many people are hooked to the news to know the following headline. Is it helpful to see before you head out on the run you’ve been putting off all week, or is it better to have a clear head? Should we check what’s going on just before going to bed?
The answer to both questions is: probably not, so the 1% move here is to not look at your phone upon waking or 60 mins before sleeping. Remove the phone from your view!
That’s a small change that’ll make a big difference.
Why do we develop bad habits?
Rough patches usually come with a need to elicit dopamine to make ourselves feel better.
One way we can do this is to eat! Food can trigger a huge dopamine response before eating a mouthful, but be careful – with big ups comes big downs.
Planning out your week of food can remove the 'surprise' our dopamine-hungry brains love and keep levels much smoother. Seeing food as your fuel and not your emotion controller is vital.
People who love food gifts don't actually love the food (or they would already have it in their house). They love the fact they weren't expecting it and now have it. Make a plan that you are in charge of.
Don’t over-commit to unachievable goals
Exercise can also trigger many emotions along the same lines as food and news flashes. Usually good ones!
When emerging from a patch of nothing or even a patch of chaos, be hyper-aware of how you might be thinking. We can get ourselves into trouble repeatedly by setting goals out of our reach or the exercise bar a little high.
3 Principles to make fitness habits easy
If you are a little stuck at the moment or are emerging from a difficult time, try to focus on these three things:
- Small differences can make big changes
- Make a plan that you are in charge of
- Avoid comparisons
How to develop realistic habits
“I’m going to go to the gym every day this week” is not an exercise goal. Nor is “I’m going to complete an Ironman in 2 months’ time” if you’re just returning from an injury.
Seeing exercise as your partner in getting better is far more productive in these situations. Do you prefer exercising alone or with a friend?
If you prefer working out with a friend, then be willing to try what they are doing and go to the workout with an achievable goal – either spending time with your friend or simply getting out of the house.
Don’t focus on burning Kcals or working so hard that you’re too sore and stiff to workout the following day.
If you enjoy exercising alone, then do just that: avoid crowded sessions that may increase stress or data-focused workouts that you can compare with others or your previous self.
All these are possible slip-ups that could set you back again. Exercise is about raising your heart rate above baseline and stressing the muscular system, which has positive knock-on effects on your metabolism, hormones, and cardiorespiratory system.
It doesn't need to be about numbers, winners, losers, or selfies!
We all hit rough patches. When life gets busy, something has to be sacrificed to make up the time. Instead of cutting out binge watching a TV show or waking up early, they’ll choose to sleep in and skip their workout.
This article is not about avoiding the rough patches – if you’re reading this, chances are that ship has already sailed. What I want to do is help you come out the other side armed with ways to stick to your fitness goals.
Whether you’ve been in a funk for two weeks or two years, these principles will help you out!
How small changes deliver big results
Have you ever heard of the ‘Mosquito Effect’?
It can often be tricky to see your way out of a rough patch. You look for significant actions that can make a big difference… but these can seem daunting and often unreachable.
The trick is to break things down into smaller, more achievable goals – these actions then add up to make a huge difference overall. This idea helped David Brailsford turn British cycling and team Ineos into a world-conquering powerhouse and it can do the same for you, too.
What does that have to do with a mosquito? Well, think about this: a mosquito is less than 1% the size of you, yet it can keep you up all night, torment you with itchiness and even kill you.
If you think that small things can’t make a big difference, think about the Mosquito Effect!
Redeveloping Habits: 1% Gains and 1% Losses
When developing and redeveloping habits, we want to not only look at what 1% gains we can make but also what 1% losses we can remove.
How to identify bad habits
If you ask most people what bad habits they have, they may find it hard to answer.
An excellent place to begin looking is around how you start and finish your day. Screen time habits? Eating habits? Exercise habits? Believe it or not, they’re all connected.
Stressful situations often have us hooked to a screen, desperate to know what’s happening. In this case, ask yourself what you’re monitoring and if you need to be doing it right now.
So many people are hooked to the news to know the following headline. Is it helpful to see before you head out on the run you’ve been putting off all week, or is it better to have a clear head? Should we check what’s going on just before going to bed?
The answer to both questions is: probably not, so the 1% move here is to not look at your phone upon waking or 60 mins before sleeping. Remove the phone from your view!
That’s a small change that’ll make a big difference.
Why do we develop bad habits?
Rough patches usually come with a need to elicit dopamine to make ourselves feel better.
One way we can do this is to eat! Food can trigger a huge dopamine response before eating a mouthful, but be careful – with big ups comes big downs.
Planning out your week of food can remove the 'surprise' our dopamine-hungry brains love and keep levels much smoother. Seeing food as your fuel and not your emotion controller is vital.
People who love food gifts don't actually love the food (or they would already have it in their house). They love the fact they weren't expecting it and now have it. Make a plan that you are in charge of.
Don’t over-commit to unachievable goals
Exercise can also trigger many emotions along the same lines as food and news flashes. Usually good ones!
When emerging from a patch of nothing or even a patch of chaos, be hyper-aware of how you might be thinking. We can get ourselves into trouble repeatedly by setting goals out of our reach or the exercise bar a little high.
3 Principles to make fitness habits easy
If you are a little stuck at the moment or are emerging from a difficult time, try to focus on these three things:
- Small differences can make big changes
- Make a plan that you are in charge of
- Avoid comparisons
How to develop realistic habits
“I’m going to go to the gym every day this week” is not an exercise goal. Nor is “I’m going to complete an Ironman in 2 months’ time” if you’re just returning from an injury.
Seeing exercise as your partner in getting better is far more productive in these situations. Do you prefer exercising alone or with a friend?
If you prefer working out with a friend, then be willing to try what they are doing and go to the workout with an achievable goal – either spending time with your friend or simply getting out of the house.
Don’t focus on burning Kcals or working so hard that you’re too sore and stiff to workout the following day.
If you enjoy exercising alone, then do just that: avoid crowded sessions that may increase stress or data-focused workouts that you can compare with others or your previous self.
All these are possible slip-ups that could set you back again. Exercise is about raising your heart rate above baseline and stressing the muscular system, which has positive knock-on effects on your metabolism, hormones, and cardiorespiratory system.
It doesn't need to be about numbers, winners, losers, or selfies!
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
