(Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 and 19)
Here's what I wrote a few days ago about transition plans:
But even though the main plan needs to be simple, it also has to be ready for changes, expected and unexpected. That's what the backup plan and the transition plan are for: to keep your induced exercise from falling through when your circumstances change. If they are to work, they (and you) must be ready before you need them....
Transition plans are necessary when your vision for your induced exercise has "seasons" --- traditional climate-based seasons ("I cross-country ski in the winter and bike in the summer") or life-change-based seasons ("I run and lift weights most of the time, but when I'm pregnant I prefer yoga and swimming") or a season of recovery ("I'm walking right now but when my knees get better I'm going to start running").
The transition plan prepares you for the change in seasons. It helps you make a smooth transition between them so you're not caught off guard with the sudden failure of your workout plan (e.g., all the snow melts overnight and though your skis are still ready to go, your bike is in pieces in the garage!) The primary goal of the transition plan is to maintain your discipline and your athletic identity as you cross from one season to another.
If your exercise program involves a change of activities with the seasons, the kind of transition plan you need depends on the way your "seasons" fit together.
Consider the activity for your current season, and the activity you plan for the next season.
- Are they completely voluntary, so that you could choose to change from one season's activity to another at any time, or you could choose not to change? (Example. You like to bike in the summer and run in the winter, but you live in a climate where both are possible year round.)
- Is there overlap, so that you move from the season in which only one activity is possible, to a time period in which you can do either, to the season in which only the other activity is possible? (Example. You run outdoors in the summer, and you pay for a gym membership half the year so you can swim in the winter. In late fall and early spring, the weather is nice enough to run but your pool membership is also active.)
- Is there an abrupt change expected, so that one day you will be able to engage in the first activity, and the next you must cease the first activity and begin the second? (Example: You golf at a course that will close for the season on a definite date; or you're swimming during pregnancy and you expect to start walking with the baby in a sling right after birth.)
- Or is there a gap, so that you move from the season of one activity to a time period in which neither activity is practicable before the start of the next season? (Example: You bike when there's no snow, and you cross-country ski when there's lots of snow, but the spotty slush of early and late winter is no good for either.)
The key to making the leap without missing the stride is rehearsal and readiness.
If you can, during this season you should occasionally substitute a rehearsal, a workout of your next season's activity. Let's say you plan to bike in the summer evenings and take walks in the darker, snowier evenings of winter. Even during the summer, every once in a while, plan to take a walk, just as you will when you're not able to bike. Walk the route you expect to take during the winter. Take with you the gear you expect to take in the winter (e.g., even if it's light into the night, take the flashlight and reflective clothing you'll wear for an evening). Wearing the same clothes may be unreasonable because of the weather; however, gather that clothing and gear together and check that it's ready anyway before heading out without it. If you notice any kinks in the routine (your kids keep stealing your flashlight; you only have one comfortable pair of walking shoes and you always have to search the house for them) you'll have time to address them before the seasons change.
It's not a bad idea to have your next-season workout be part of your backup plan, by the way. Maybe, for instance, you'll plan to walk any time it's raining. That should give you some practice being ready for the change of seasons, at least if you're keeping your backup gear ready to go at a moment's notice.
If there is significant overlap of two seasons, use that overlap time for a planned transition. Take the example of the half-year gym membership. As soon as the gym membership is active, but before the weather gets too cold to exercise outside, plan to change some (not all) of your workouts to the new season. You'll be able to maintain your intensity in the activity you've been used to while you ramp up your intensity in the new activity. And if there's any sort of kinks in the startup (you arrive at the gym for your first swim of the season and discover a big hole in your swimsuit) you won't be missing all your workouts for that week.
What if you have to stop one activity before the other activity starts? Have a plan for a third activity, or else to use your backup plan, during the gap season. If you've got a few weeks to kill between the fall of the first snow and the official opening of the cross-country ski trails, that's a great time to take an exercise class or pull out an exercise tape. Whatever you choose, have your gear put together ahead of time so you're ready to start as soon as the first season ends, and maybe practice that transition activity a few times in advance as well.
You can also do a sort of dress rehearsal. Gather all your gear together and drive to the place where you will exercise next season --- if you're a snowshoer, grab those winter clothes and the snowshoes and things and head to the park, even if it's 50 and sunny. Then have a stroll or something, and go home and put the things away where you can easily get at them again when the snow starts to fall. Or if you play racquetball Tuesday afternoons in the winter, arrange to meet your partner for a cup of coffee some Tuesday in advance of the change of seasons. Bring your racquet and clothes (leave it in the car if you like.)
If you're to have a smooth transition, all your gear for your next season --- real and metaphorical --- should be packed, ready, and waiting at the door for you to pick up the moment you know it's time to change.
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