Why I’m intentionally planning to train less the week GTA VI comes out.
Let’s just be honest for a second...
If you’re reading this and genuinely think your normal gym routine is going to continue the week GTA VI launches, I don’t believe you. 😂
We’ve waited thirteen years for this game. Some of us were in middle school when GTA V came out. Others were in high school or college. Now we’re adults with careers, spouses, kids, mortgages... and somehow we’re all still just as excited for November 19.
Personally? I’ll be blocking off coaching calls for a few days, hopping on PS5 with my brothers, and spending way too much time talking about the game with friends... and honestly, probably quite a few clients too. 😅
And here’s the funny thing: I don’t think that’s a problem. I think it’s something we should actually plan for.
One of the biggest mistakes I see in fitness is treating life like it’s constantly getting in the way.
- Vacation? Stay on the plan.
- Wedding? Stay on the plan.
- Holidays? Stay on the plan.
- Apparently now... GTA VI? Stay on the plan. 😂
I’ve just never thought that was a very realistic way to approach coaching.
To me, good coaching isn’t about pretending exciting weeks don’t exist. It’s about planning for them before they ever get here. If I already know I’m going to disappear into Leonida for a few days, why would I wait until that week to start feeling guilty about it?
Instead, I’d make two changes ahead of time.
1. Schedule a Deload Week
If I were coaching you, or honestly, coaching myself, I would intentionally schedule GTA launch week as a deload.
Think about it. You’re probably going to sleep a little less. You’ll almost certainly spend more time sitting. You’ll tell your buddies, “Alright... one more mission and I’m getting off.” And then somehow it’s 2:17 a.m. 😅
A deload fits perfectly here.
I’ve done this for years around vacations with my wife, holiday trips to see family, and other weeks where I know life simply isn’t going to look normal. Instead of trying to force a productive training week into a schedule that clearly isn’t set up for one, I just account for it ahead of time.
That means no guilt. No wondering where I left off. No feeling like I “fell behind.”
The plan already expected this. 💯
2. Eat at Maintenance
This one surprises people, but I’d also strongly consider eating at maintenance instead of trying to aggressively diet.
Think about the timing:
- You’ve got GTA VI.
- Then Thanksgiving.
- Then Christmas.
- Then New Year’s.
Could you keep dieting through all of that? Sure.
But I’d ask a different question: Why?
Fitness is supposed to improve your life, not make you feel guilty for enjoying it.
Eating at maintenance lets you enjoy launch week, spend time with friends, have some pizza, laugh over Discord, celebrate the holidays with family, and come out the other side having... maintained.
Honestly, that’s a win.
Not every phase of the year has to be about pushing for fat loss. Sometimes the smartest decision is simply protecting the progress you’ve already worked so hard to earn.
The Bigger Lesson
Ironically, this article isn’t really about GTA VI. It’s about planning ahead. 😤
I’ve found that the clients who are the most successful aren’t the ones with the most discipline. They’re the ones who stop being surprised by life.
- Vacations happen.
- Busy work seasons happen.
- Holidays happen.
- Friends get married.
- Kids get sick.
And apparently... the biggest video game release in over a decade happens too. 😂
None of those things are failures. They’re just part of life.
The goal isn’t to build a fitness plan that only works when your calendar is empty. It’s to build one that’s flexible enough to handle the weeks you’ll actually remember years from now.
That’s what sustainability looks like.
Final Thoughts
I’ll probably disappear into Leonida for a few days this November.
I’m looking forward to playing with my brothers, laughing with friends, and sharing stories with clients who are just as excited as I am. Those are memories I genuinely don’t want to miss.
And when it’s over? I’ll go right back to training.
Not because I “got back on track.” Because I never really left it. The plan accounted for this all along.
That’s exactly how I approach coaching.
Life shouldn’t constantly feel like it’s competing with your fitness goals. It should be something your training naturally fits around.
So enjoy GTA VI. Enjoy Thanksgiving. Enjoy Christmas. And enjoy New Year’s.
After all, life isn’t something your fitness should compete against. It’s something your fitness should prepare you to enjoy.
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