Enthusiasm is a valuable part of the body builder’s make up. There are times for all of us when going to the gym may feel like a hassle that we can do without, but in sticking to a regime that has been designed for a purpose, we get a lot closer to the purpose in question and benefit as a result. A stop-start regime will mean that you are always going back over old ground, and the first part of any training regime even post-warm up will be devoted to regaining muscle tone rather than adding it. So if you can motivate yourself to get in there and go for it, half the battle is won.

Equally it is important to bear in mind that enthusiasm can have its costs if it is unbridled. Spending time in the gym is vital for getting into shape, but it is equally true to say that you can spend too much time in the gym, or try to fit too much work into the time that you spend there. The effect of this is that they will cause themselves an injury, or at least make a continued regime a lot more difficult than it should have been. Having some mobility is important, and by building up too much muscle you can compromise your own mobility.

The answer is to design a routine with some space to relax written into it. On doing this, you will give yourself something realistic to stick to, with results you can monitor and learn from.