One of the CrossFit coaches at my gym starts every class with the same general mobility warm-up. No matter what lift we’re doing or what the workout is, his sequence is the same.
It’s so predictable and consistent that some of us call it the “Jeremy Special.” In my workout logs, I use that description instead of writing out each movement.
I do a similar thing in my yoga practice and when I teach classes. I have a specific sequence I do at the start of every practice.
I’ll admit that this sometimes feels boring. After all, I like variety. Also, my ADHD brain gets a much-needed dopamine boost from novelty.
But having a go-to sequence to start a workout — or any type of task — is actually beneficial. And the benefits are so important that they outweigh the boring.
Here are 3 reasons why this works, and why you should start every workout with the same routine — even if you think it’s boring.
(1) Eliminates Decision Fatigue About Where to Start
One of the biggest barriers to starting anything is figuring out what to do and where to start. Options are infinite, and the more options we have the more paralyzed we can become. You can spend so long spinning that you burn all your energy before you actually get started.
Having a reliable, go-to sequence gives you a structure that eliminates decision fatigue. It’s one less thing to research, memorize, or think about. After doing the same thing for a few days in a row, you’ll know what to do.
When you can start without having to invest much thought into it, it’s easy to get into flow. Once your endorphins kick in, you can keep going. The flow state will give you the dopamine boost that you’re not getting from novelty.
Read: 3 Tips to Start a Task When You’re Struggling to Get Started
Read: 5 Steps to Working Out When You Don’t Feel Motivated
(2) Predictability Regulates the Nervous System
Predictability may be boring, but it’s also a structure that regulates our nervous systems. When we don’t know what’s coming, our nervous systems are on high alert, scanning for threats. This can cause muscle guarding, rigidity, and literal paralysis.
When you know what to expect, you free up the part of your brain that is working behind the scenes wondering what’s coming next. Your nervous system can turn down the hyper vigilance and you can move with greater ease and flow.
Read: How to Create Consistency in Your Daily Routine
Read: How to Create Consistency Without Falling into the Trap of Automaticity
(3) It Gives You a Consistent Benchmark For Assessing Your Body
When I use the same sequence of movements to start my workout, the routine becomes about more than “warming up.” The movements become a tool through which I can assess my body’s state that day.
After doing the same movements consistently, you’ll start to get a sense of how your body feels in those movements. This is when the movements give you information.
If my downward dog feels off, I might spend a little more time on it. If my legs feel extra stiff I might add another warm-up movement.
If you start every workout with a different set of movements, you don’t have a reliable tool to assess where you are. If every day is different, you don’t know whether its because your body is off or because the movement is different.
By using the same set of movements, you have a controlled experiment, which gives you more valuable information.
Read: The Mindset That Kills Consistency — Why “Listen to Your Body” is the Worst Advice
Beyond the Gym
You can apply this principle beyond the gym by creating a “starting routine” for any task, and for your day as a whole. Even a simple routine like pausing to take three breaths before starting to eat can help you feel grounded and assess your current state before you begin.
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