Monday Morning Workout: Where's My Motivation?

Monday's are the hardest day of the week for me. I typically eschew all exercise on the weekends in favor of family time. So, when Monday rolls back around, I have to remind myself again why I spend so much time doing the things I do to keep the body I have as healthy and fit as possible. 

One thing that I've found that works for me is easing back into my routine by introducing my body to a less challenging version of my routine at the start of the week.

For example, today I elected to do only 45 minutes of cardio, followed by 8-10 minutes of ab work, and a circuit-set of weights (usually 8-10 sets of 12-15 reps) involving the upper body only—mainly arms, back, and shoulders.

By doing this, I give my body a chance to readjust to the rigors of a full routine, making tomorrow's workout seem significantly less daunting.

It works for me because I usually feel the results of whatever I do almost immediately and the attitude that drives me in the first place is reawakened via those feelings. It's a win-win.

The point is to get moving again. Yes, it's Monday, but that doesn't mean it has to be all bad.

Monday Morning Workout:

45 minutes of cardio—your choice. I tend to rotate between 45 minutes on the bike or a personally tailored cardio burst routine that includes multiple sets of the following exercises:

50 jumping jacks x 3-5 sets
froggers (30 seconds) x 3-5 sets
mountain climbers (30 seconds) x 3-5 sets
high knee runs (30 second intervals) x 3-5 sets
10 Push-ups x 3-5 sets
10 inch worms x 3-5 sets
10 burpees x 3-5 sets
ski jumps (30 second intervals) x 3-5 sets

I try and mix in other exercises like those above whenever possible just to keep things fresh, and I alternate the amount of sets done of each just to keep my body guessing.

Like I said, this usually works for me and gets my mind right for a bigger and better challenge on Day 2.