IT’S a month from I made the tough call of closing the gym, little did I know four days later the government would make the blanket statement that all gyms would have to follow suit.

What that means for most of you, the super smug home gym crew withstanding, is that you haven’t had access to wherever you usually train out of.

So I’ll put this to you, is the lockdown version of yourself staring back at you now fitter than the pre-lockdown version, oblivious of the restrictions and obstacles it was going to face one month ago?

If you’re sitting, looking back enviously at the shape you were in as opposed to the shape you are in then it’s time hold your hands up and to take responsibility.

This should be a period of significant physical development, not disintegration. You have time, opportunity and coaching resources at the end of your fingertips.

A happy by-product of being house bound is that we don’t have the opportunity to spend as much money now day to day. That coffee on the way to work every day. The diesel we’re pumping into the car to get from A to B. The Friday night take away, Saturday drinks, etc. They’ve all been taken off the table. So, now more than ever is the perfect chance to invest in yourself.

There are countless amounts of online coaches out there, so before you start banging the 12 digit card number here and there do your due diligence and not only research who you’re thinking about investing in but do a self-assessment before you even get that far.

There’s no point throwing money at an Olympic lifting coach if you don’t have a bar at home. It’s silly to sign up to someone who requires a 12 month commitment when all you really want is some guidance over the next couple of months and a bit of accountability to keep you honest.

Central council made the call at the start of the week that we wouldn’t see any GAA played ’til July at the earliest.

That gives you a fair amount of time to get in the best shape possible with the resources you have at hand. It gives you incentive to maybe invest in some equipment for home training, a kettlebell, pair of DBs, and a set of Olympic rings as good a start as any.

Over the next few weeks I’m going to use feedback from a few of my own online clients give you an idea of the process entails of for those you unfamiliar with as even at this point only two weeks in the guys have all been full of positive feedback, enjoying the structure, the challenges and the weekly progressions involved in the program.

If you’re interested in online coaching, online classes or would just like some advice on how to get the most from your training over the lockdown period you can find me on social media by searching PGthePT. Get in touch!

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