Physical Therapy

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out on their fitness journey?

Collect Small Wins: Key Advice for Fitness Beginners

What advice would you give to someone who is starting out on their fitness journey? I would say to collect as many small wins as possible. Look at every step in the positive direction as a victory because the more small wins you can develop, the more that you're going to feel positively about the process. And that's what's most important. When you are setting out on a fitness journey, I think a lot of people get focused on their performance and how well they do day to day when the emphasis should be more on the idea of mastering their health and wellness and creating a new lifestyle. And when you're creating a new lifestyle, there are tons of ups and downs and looking at the misses or the shortcomings in your journey, try to look at those as a positive because you learn something new from those shortcomings and it creates opportunities for you to succeed in the future when you learn something new. So if you have little dips, give yourself some grace and focus on the positive things that you learn from that and whenever you do well, really celebrate it and give yourself a pat on the back because any step in the right direction, any step towards activity and health is a positive one.

Collect small wins as you start your fitness journey and focus on mastering your health and wellness. Celebrate successes and be kind to yourself when it comes to setbacks, as they are opportunities to learn and grow.

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If someone is starting out on their fitness journey, my advice would be to focus on collecting small wins. Every step in the right direction should be seen as a victory because these small wins contribute to a positive mindset and overall success. Rather than solely focusing on daily performance, it's essential to prioritize mastering health and wellness and creating a new lifestyle. Embrace the ups and downs that come with this journey, viewing any misses or shortcomings as learning opportunities. These experiences pave the way for future success. If there are little setbacks along the way, be kind to yourself and acknowledge the positive lessons learned from them. And when you do well, celebrate those achievements and give yourself credit. Remember, any step taken towards activity and health is a positive one.

What advice would you give to someone feeling stuck and frustrated with their training?

Investigating the Root Cause: Overcoming Frustration in Training

Thanks for the question. So what advice would I give to someone feeling stuck and frustrated with their training? I typically like to listen more than talk because I don't know why they're stuck and frustrated in their training. So I like to ask. And once I get a little bit more context, you know, are they feeling bored with their training? Is it just not something they enjoy? Is their progress slower than they expected it would be? Or are they low on time, energy? You know, what is contributing to those feelings of feeling stuck and frustrated? And once we get a better idea of what might be contributing to that, then I can collaborate with the athlete and figure out what might be the best way to to help resolve that issue. But but until we get more information, it's impossible to say what the best advice is going to be. So my advice is, if you are feeling stuck and frustrated to try and figure out what about your training has you feeling stuck and frustrated and then continuing to to dive deeper into that and ask yourself the questions, well, like, what might make me feel better with it? How can I meet my needs at the physiologic level and just from an enjoyment and mental health perspective? Because all of those things are going to contribute to your enjoyment and success with the training program.

My advice for someone feeling stuck and frustrated with their training is to figure out what about the training has them feeling that way, and then ask themselves questions on how to better meet their needs, both physiologically and mentally.

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If someone is feeling stuck and frustrated with their training, my advice would be to listen to them and ask for more context. Understanding why they feel that way is crucial. Are they bored, not enjoying the training, experiencing slower progress, or lacking time and energy? Once we know the contributing factors, I can collaborate with the individual to find the best solution. It's important for them to reflect on their training and ask themselves questions like what might make them feel better and how they can meet their physiological needs while also considering enjoyment and mental health. By addressing these aspects, they can improve their overall experience and success in their training program.

How can individuals maintain their motivation and momentum when pursuing long-term fitness goals?

Mastering Motivation and Momentum: Secrets to Long-Term Fitness Success

How can individuals maintain their motivation and momentum when pursuing long-term fitness goals? So long-term goals, it is totally normal to have dips in motivation, but you can minimize that by understanding the real reason why you care about your goal. So if you have a goal of losing 20 pounds, well, why is that a goal for you? Why is that important? Is it because you want to look better? Okay, well, why do you want to look better? Why is that something that you value? And continuing to ask why until you are unable to really gives you a full, robust understanding of what is the true motivation behind your goal, especially when the motivation to lose weight slows down, especially if you have dips in your progress towards that goal. You want to understand the real driving factor of why that's important to you and reflect back on that when times get tough. As far as maintaining momentum, I always recommend the never miss twice rule. So if you are working towards your goal and you're trying to eat healthier and you have a meal that is not in alignment with your goal, then you want to make sure that the next one you are back on track. Never miss twice because every moment you have a new decision to make. And so using the never miss twice rule, make sure that you don't get into a habit of getting further and further away and that you recognize your ability to change that situation in the next moment. So if you miss one workout because you're really busy, make it a super important goal of you not to miss the next one. So never missing twice helps you make sure that you don't dig yourself into a rut that gets harder to get out of. Even if there are valleys and peaks, there are smaller valleys and peaks and it's easier to maintain that forward progress.

To maintain motivation and momentum when pursuing long-term fitness goals, understand the real reason why you care about your goal and use the Never Miss Twice rule. This means if you miss one workout, make sure that you don't miss the next one so you don't dig yourself into a rut. This will help ensure smaller valleys and Peaks in your progress which makes it easier to maintain forward progress.

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To maintain motivation and momentum when pursuing long-term fitness goals, it's normal to experience dips in motivation. However, you can minimize this by understanding the true reason behind your goal. For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds, ask yourself why that matters to you. Dig deeper and continue asking why until you have a robust understanding of your true motivation. This understanding will help you stay focused and reflect on your reasons when faced with challenges or setbacks.

In terms of maintaining momentum, I recommend following the never miss twice rule. If you have a meal or workout that doesn't align with your goals, make sure the next one does. Each moment presents a new decision, so by not missing twice, you prevent yourself from falling into a habit of getting further away from your goals. For instance, if you miss one workout due to busyness, make it a priority to not miss the next one. This rule helps you avoid getting stuck in a rut and makes it easier to maintain forward progress despite small valleys and peaks along the way.

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Physician disclaimer

Dr. Mitchell Tanner, PT, DPT, CSCS answers your Physical Therapy questions. See all the advice Dr. Mitchell Tanner, PT, DPT, CSCS has and get answers to your own Physical Therapy questions.

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Hi, I’m Mitch! I’m a PT, and strength coach based out of Miami, Florida! Currently I work for Old Bull Athletics as a clinician and performance coach. Additionally I teach a CSCS prep course at the university level with Gifted Education, and I have my own online fitness coaching business.

My background started at the University of South Carolina, where I studied exercise science and got to do sport science with their D1 athletics programs. Additionally I facilitated the creation of Apex Athletic Performance’s sport biomechanics lab during this time.

I have my doctorate in physical therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina. During this time, I got experience working with EXOS and professional athletes. I also have experience working with the University of Florida’s running medicine staff.

Personally, my sport background includes competing in martial arts as a junior at the national and international levels. Currently, my sport focus is on powerlifting and general athletic development. 

On my page you can expect a biopsychosocial approach to fitness and rehab, as well as a pragmatic view of the current evidence.