Here’s one of my all-time favorite questions:

Why is going to the gym easier than working out at home?

While in college in rural Iowa, I had a grizzled psychology professor who gave riveting lectures which led me to become fascinated with the applications of psychology in fitness – especially conditioning and associations. I started to ask myself:

• How can we create a positive association to exercise where people want to keep doing it?
• What negative associations do we tend to create around exercise?

One light-bulb moment was realizing the difference between gym workouts and at-home workouts.

With at-home workouts, you have a lower barrier since you don’t have to drive anywhere… change in a sweaty locker room… wait your turn for the leg press machine… or endure grunting gym rats. But for many people it’s a struggle to maintain a workout routine from home.

One reason is associations.

Think about the emotional associations attached to your living room. Most people associate relaxing… hanging out… and Netflix and chillin’ in this space. So every time you step into that room, those associations start to take over.

Now what emotions are required for working out?

Usually the opposite. Usually higher-energy emotions such as drive or determination to power through a workout and give it your best.

So when you try to work out in a space such as living room, you are mixing associations.

It’s not impossible but it’s confusing for the brain.

It’s similar to why sleep experts say don’t work on your laptop or go on your eye-phone while in bed. That’s because you are mixing up the associations of work and sleep. And it confuses your brain as to which one you are doing.

A gym can become a powerful association for nothing else but intensely lifting weights… doing light cardio… or getting your sweat on.

And the more you do it, the more you build that emotional association to that space - where your mind naturally gravitates towards those higher-intensity emotions whenever you are there.

If you prefer to skip the gym, a home gym can do the same thing.

Here’s a personal example:

A few years ago, I decided to cancel my gym membership and workout in my office. I would do strength workouts with heavy bands and a push-up plus (a more comfortable way to do band push-ups). This worked okay for a season but I noticed it was becoming a drag and required a lot of push motivation to follow through.

When I decided to create my garage gym, this all changed.

Then I had a designated space for working out where I could escape and get away from my work environment that I had been in most of the day. It became a sanctuary of sorts where just being in that space was conducive to attacking the weights… getting after it… and focusing on the present moment.

Whether it’s a gym or a home gym, create a designated space for working out and see what it does for helping you get into a routine, become more consistent and get more traction on your fitness goals.

Kelan Ern

On Christmas day,  me and Amanda flipped on the Ravens/Texans game while sipping on homemade chicken noodle soup.

Even though the game was a blowout, it was a blast to watch – especially seeing the Raven’s quarterback, Lamar Jackson make history (most rushing yards in history).

But there was another eye-opening moment post-game when a reporter presented Jackson and star-running back, Derrick Henry with football-shaped chocolate cakes.

Rip it open and take a bite, the reporter said.

But the two athletes kept their distance and politely turned down the offer.

I gotta eat a real meal first, replied Jackson.

(Which I can’t blame him, cake after playing football sounds unpleasant…)

After seeing them turn down the cake, I thought to myself:

“I wonder if there’s another reason there...”

I didn’t look into Jackson’s training, but it turns out that “King Henry’s” training regimen sheds some light on his ‘no cake decision’:

• He invests roughly $240K per year on longevity and maintaining his body
• In-season he eats his first meal at 4-5pm (and his second meal at 8pm)
• He doesn’t eat fried food… dairy… gluten… and artificial sugars (which he says his body feels great and he’ll probably keep doing for the rest of his life)
• During the off-season he does two-a-day workouts (which includes 100-yard hill sprints… hammer curls with 80lb DBs… and Bulgarian split squats with 120lb DBs)
• Regularly uses infrared sauna, cold therapy, massage therapy, bodywork and hyperbaric oxygen for recovery.
• Three times per week he gets IV with CoQ10, vitamin E and other vitamins.

Maybe that’s why he’s on his 9th season as a high-performing running back (in a league where the average player lasts 3.3 years). And he is showing no signs of slowing down – in fact, he’s stronger… more mobile… and quicker than ever before (accelerating to 21 mph).

Even though, few of us require NFL-level athleticism and devotion to training – Henry has a champion mindset that we can all infuse into our fitness journey:

"I think the willingness to put the work in, no matter where you are in life, if you're at your lowest of the low or the highest of the high, continue to keep that same drive, continue to want to get better at your game, no matter where you are, and I think that's what makes greatness great. That's the one where the elite separate themselves from the average.” – Derrick Henry

Happy holidays,

Kelan Ern

P.S. For a much deeper dive into the mindset of the fittest people on the planet and how you can get your mind right about fitness and next level athleticism - check out a free issue of Mind-Body Breakthroughs.

A timely quote from fitness writer, Beth Skwarecki:

“Even if you think of January as when you get your fresh start on fitness and life, you can think of December as your sandbox, the place where you test out ideas and mull over what it is you really want.”

Spot on.

You can use this month to shape a vision for 2025… toy with new fitness goals… or reflect on lessons from last year - so then you are ready to hit the snow-covered ground running.

Here’s something else about starting in December though.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been asking a few coaching clients:

“You know what the best thing is about starting strong in December?”

You are starting during the busiest season.
You aren’t waiting for life to settle down.
You aren’t waiting for calmer conditions.

You are jumping in during the most challenging time of the year – and hitting your stride a month before everyone else. In many ways, if you can get into a solid routine in December, you can do it any time of year.

It’s a launching pad for next year.

Because once things calm down, you’ll already have the mental and physical foundation to take things to the next level and make even more progress (while everyone else is just getting warmed up).

So whether you use December as a sandbox or a launching pad…

Many people will use this busy season as a reason to wait.

Instead use it as a reason to get started.

Kelan Ern
Fitness Coach

P.S. This month there will not be a monthly newsletter. I’m using December as a ‘sandbox’ for improving the MBB newsletter… exploring new ways of adding value… and supporting you on your fitness journey. If you'd like to get the next issue when it's released you can join the weekly newsletter here.