If you’re a new parent this one is for you;
The past year has been one of the most rewarding and challenging periods of my life.
Running a personal training business, trying to maintain my own exercise routine, and becoming a dad to a one-year-old has forced me to rethink a lot of what I thought I knew about training, recovery, and consistency.
Before becoming a parent, my workouts were structured, predictable, and often centered around performance goals. Now things look very different.
Here are some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past year.
1. Sleep Takes a Huge Hit
This was probably the biggest adjustment.
When you have a baby, sleep becomes fragmented. Even when you get enough hours, the quality of sleep often drops. Less deep restorative sleep means:
- Less energy
- Slower recovery
- Higher fatigue levels during workouts
Training while sleep deprived requires more flexibility and better recovery habits.
2. You’re More Prone to Injuries and Niggles
Fatigue changes how your body handles stress.
When recovery isn’t optimal, the chances of small issues popping up increase. Over the past year I’ve dealt with things like nerve irritation and small tweaks that likely wouldn’t have happened when recovery was better.
It’s a reminder that training stress and life stress are cumulative.
3. Strength Can Drop — and That Can Be Frustrating
Another adjustment is accepting that strength levels might temporarily decline.
When energy is lower and workouts are shorter, heavy lifting can feel much harder than it used to. That can be frustrating for anyone who enjoys pushing performance.
This is where smart programming becomes even more important. Instead of chasing numbers, the focus shifts toward maintaining strength, staying healthy, and building resilience.
4. Exercise Guilt Is Real
This one surprised me.
Even though exercise is important for physical and mental health, there were times I felt guilty leaving the house to train when I could be spending that time with my family.
It’s a strange mental shift that many parents experience. Over time, I’ve learned that taking care of your own health ultimately makes you a better parent and partner.
5. Consistency Starts to Look Different
Before becoming a parent, consistency meant sticking to a structured weekly routine.
Now it often looks like 30 minutes here, 30 minutes there, squeezing workouts in whenever time allows.
At first this felt chaotic, but I’ve realized something important:
Consistency doesn’t mean perfect scheduling.
It simply means continuing to show up in whatever way you can.
6. Training Splits Need to Be Smarter
One thing that quickly became clear: huge muscle-group-specific workouts don’t work well with parenting.
Big leg days that leave you barely able to walk are not ideal when you’re lifting, carrying, and chasing a baby around.
Training now focuses more on:
- Full-body sessions
- Moderate volume
- Avoiding extreme soreness
- Maintaining strength and mobility
The goal is to stay capable and resilient rather than completely exhausted.
Final Thoughts
The past year has changed how I think about training.
It’s less about perfect programs, maximum strength, or hitting personal bests every week.
Instead, it’s about adaptability, sustainability, and consistency over the long term.
For anyone balancing work, family, and fitness, the goal isn’t perfection.
It’s simply finding ways to keep moving, stay healthy, and build habits that fit your life.
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