Your Training Doesn't Have to Look the Same Every Day

Some days you've slept well, you've got 45 minutes to train and you feel good.

Other days you've been at work all day, the kids have been a nightmare, you're tired, a little sore and you've got 20 minutes before you need to be somewhere else.

Your training probably shouldn't look the same on both days.

As trainers and coaches, I think we can focus too much on Plan A.

We assume everything is going fine. If you did 10 reps with a given weight last week, maybe you can do 11 this week. Or add some weight. We're always trying to eke out that little bit more.

And while progression is obviously important, this doesn't always look at the person we're training as a whole.

Maybe last week they were having a Plan A day.

Today they're in Plan B.

Plan A — You've got time and you feel good

Do your normal session.

But Plan A doesn't have to mean you're constantly lifting more, doing more sets or pushing harder every time you walk into the gym.

It's about building on what's already there.

Some days that might mean adding weight or getting another rep. Other days it might simply mean doing some good quality work and continuing to build consistency.

Progress doesn't need to happen every session.

Plan B — You're tired, stressed, sore or short on time

This is where you do enough to stimulate, not annihilate.

Drop a set.

Lighten the load if you feel like you need to.

Shorten the session.

You could even swap an exercise for something that just feels good that day. Maybe there's a particular machine at the gym you enjoy using.

Or maybe you just want to do some curls.

I won't judge you.

The point is that you can still get something useful from the session without treating every workout like it needs to be your best one.

Plan C — Today's a write-off

Maybe you've got 10–15 minutes.

Maybe you're exhausted.

Maybe everything feels a bit ordinary and adding another hard training session isn't what you need.

Go for a walk. Do a few basic movements at home. Get through two or three exercises at the gym and leave.

Or maybe today you genuinely need to rest.

That's okay too.

Your training can tell you something

An occasional Plan C day isn't a problem. Life happens.

But if you find yourself choosing Plan C a lot, it might be worth looking at what's going on outside the gym as well.

How are you sleeping?

How stressed are you?

How much are you doing at work?

Has your overall activity increased?

Are you actually giving yourself enough opportunity to recover?

This is where I like to look at the Recovery Hierarchy. Training is only one part of the bigger picture. Sleep, stress, general movement, nutrition and recovery all influence what you're capable of doing when you walk into the gym.

If you're constantly feeling like you need Plan C, the answer might not be to force yourself back into Plan A.

There may be something else that needs your attention.

The goal is consistency, not perfection

Your best sessions help you progress.

Your modified sessions help you stay consistent.

And sometimes choosing to recover is part of good training too.

The important thing is learning to recognise which kind of day you're having and adjusting accordingly.

Because a good training plan shouldn't just work when everything in your life is going well.

It should have a plan for when it isn't.