Why a 12-Day Gym Streak Might Be Setting You Up for Burnout

Yes, it’s just thirteen days into the new year, and he’s on a twelve-day gym streak, admitting to his gym buddies that they probably won’t be seeing him there for much longer. This is what was told to me by the guy who brings his group to the gym. One of his mates is on this streak, and he was proudly boasting about it to myself and one other. 

He also said that he hasn’t been in a long time before this and probably won’t keep coming in a few weeks. The lad admitted that himself. The unexpected twelve-day streak remains the proudest element of the New Year’s resolution bubble that has pushed the crowd to do too much, too soon.

My response was that it’s probably this no days off approach that will burn him out, and that’s why he won’t keep going.

What I mean by this is: from not going to the gym at all, to suddenly going every single day with no rest, is that really a good idea?

The truth is, this guy already knows that he won’t be there for much longer. He said it himself. So at the end of the day, if he’s going all out and training every day for as long as he still shows up, then maybe yes he should probably make the most of it. If he knows he’s not going to continue, he may as well pack in as much as he can.

But there are two important points here.

First, going into the new year with the mindset that it won’t last or that you’re not going to keep it up probably isn’t the best attitude to begin with.

Second, it’s often the fact that people take on too much, too soon, or too quickly that becomes the very reason they quit. They simply can’t sustain it.

The reality of fitness is that recovery is essential. Most of the gains, benefits, and changes actually happen during rest and recovery. If you don’t allow time to recover, you don’t get the full benefit.

I broke these rules myself. I used to train every day with no days off for a long time. Now, as my injury-ridden joints and muscles cry out to my younger self, I can’t help but ask: what was I thinking? Back then, I wasn’t overcommitting, I was just enjoying it too much. It was after I had already been training for a long time. And now, I’m still training but I take my recovery days very seriously. I don’t overcommit.

My point is this: when we take something on, especially something that is tough for us by nature, we should think sustainably and long term, rather than pushing ourselves straight into burnout.

And when it comes to mindset, we shouldn’t go into it already knowing that it won’t last. We should go in believing that we can keep it up.