How To Maximize Your Session When You’re Training Alone

Lone Rider for workouts? For the majority of my career, I have worked out alone. It isn’t for the faint of heart. Finding daily motivation, drive, and energy will make you have to get creative, but will also fuel your mindset to rely on no one else for your success. 

Developing strong habits, giving yourself daily questions, and making sure you set yourself up before training will make the difference here. Check out these simple things that make working out and training alone a little more enjoyable and effective. 

Put a clock on it 

A lot of time can be wasted in between sets, during warm-up, or transitioning from one thing to the next. Then what happens is we go, “Oh man,” I don’t have time for accessory work or conditioning; if you were keeping things a little more organized you could have done those things. 

Over the course of a year, all those missed pieces could be the difference maker in your performance, recovery, and overall preparation for whatever your goals are. Hold yourself accountable with a running clock; for example, 3-2-1: okay, I’m going to put a 15-minute cap on warm-up and mobility, then skill will take this long, so another running clock, etc., for each piece. 

I tend to wear a stopwatch on my wrist so I am not dependent on classes or others. Or, if I know I only have 90 minutes to train, I will start my watch as soon as I get into the gym to make sure I keep the chit-chat and distractions to a minimum. 

Hands-free training 

This is probably your biggest hack and time saver. The number of people I see on their phones, getting distracted from the task at hand, is insane! You don’t need to post every video of you working out; you don’t need to look at social media in between sets; you need to be present. 

There are certain situations that may exempt you from this, such as caring for a sick child or loved one or being on call. I get it all, but if you can either leave your phone in your gym bag or set it to do not disturb, I promise your training sessions alone will be more impactful! 

Write down your session the night before or the morning before, on paper or a whiteboard. I know people like app input, but you can do that after your session or training section is over, instead of using your phone as a crutch and distraction. Get your percentages set on paper or a whiteboard beforehand so you don’t need to fiddle around with everything. 

It’s important to remember that your gym time is your date with yourself, and you deserve a focused training effort. 

Have the hard conversation with members

Remember, clear is kind. Your time in the gym is your time to focus. This is a hard one for coaches and gym managers. Setting boundaries sets the tone for expectations. If you are not coaching and you are attempting to get your training session in, people should respect that. Outside of gym emergencies, a quick glance or “hey, that's great, can we chat after so I can give you my undivided attention?” is all you need to keep your workout on track.

Find a less busy time to work out so you can enjoy your session instead of feeling scattered. I tell one-on-one clients that, as a coach, it is okay to put headphones in as a signal to people that it is your time to focus (even if those headphones have no music in them).

Have a set intention and clear vision for training

Before you walk through the door, know exactly what you are there to do. Not a rough idea, a clear plan. What are you working on today? What is the priority? What does a successful session look like? Writing this down the night before or the morning of gives you something to anchor to when distractions creep in, or motivation dips mid-session.

Think about what you want to walk away from that session having accomplished. If it is a strength day, what is the target? If it is a conditioning piece, what is the stimulus you are chasing? Having that vision before you start means every decision you make in the gym, from your warm-up to your rest periods, is working towards something specific rather than just filling time.

Athletes who train with a clear intention get more out of every hour they spend in the gym because they are not figuring it out as they go. Decide before you arrive, then execute. Your future self will thank you for it.

Grab bag items for solo training

Make a playlist for your conditioning. Pick 1-2 songs that match your desired metcon duration, and try to beat them. 

Plan for a 1x-a-week mix-up with a friend. Invite a friend, member, or spouse to join your workout session, even if it means scaling it. Sometimes it is just about sweating in a room with someone else that makes it a little more mentally manageable. 

Reminder that you are only trying to beat yourself and not someone else every day! Get IT!