It’s cold out. It’s dark for longer. And it’s easy to slip into a comfortable lifestyle. It’s also time for your Winter Arc to begin. You may have noticed Winter Arc popping up more and more on your social media feeds recently. This period is a social media phenomenon that focuses on personal transformation, building resilience and developing habits as we approach the end of the calendar year. We’ve got you covered on how to start your Winter Arc, what rules to follow, and how to make the most of it in your home gym.
What is the Winter Arc?
The Winter Arc is a 90-day self-improvement mission that begins on October 1st and runs to the New Year. The idea is that you don’t have to wait until the New Year to make changes in your life. It’s inspired by the idea of “story arcs” in manga and anime, where characters face challenges and transform over time.
This period from October through December is a great time to develop habits, discipline and consistency. While there are no rules to participating in a Winter Arc challenge, generally people set health, fitness and social goals.
Getting Started
To begin your Winter Arc, define specific habits and goals that you want to develop and reach throughout the season. There are no set ‘must do’s’ like in Hard 75. Instead, the goals are individually-based. The general suggestion is to set self-improvement goals that are sustainable.
You may devote this period to simply re-focusing on yourself, which is how I look at it. This is a period to reset, take a breath and evaluate where you are and where you’d like to be. This may mean starting a new workout plan, starting a bulk or cut, joining a run club, or committing to eating vegetables at every meal. As such, your goals and habits should reflect what you wish to see in future you.
Below, we’ll run through some examples of goals or habits that you may wish to include in your Winter Arc story. There’s no set number that you have to choose, nor do you have to focus on each area.
Fitness Goals and Habits
- Train each morning before work
- Walk for 15 minutes every 2 hours
- Strength train 3x/week
- Build running volume by 5% per week
- Follow a hypertrophy weight training program for the next 12 weeks
- Take creatine each morning
- Track workout weights and progression
Nutrition Goals and Habits
- Eat 5 meals per day
- Eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day
- Try 1 new fruit or vegetable per week
- Take a multi-vitamin daily
- Have vegetables at 3 meals per day
- Try 1 new recipe each week
- Focus on eating ‘in-season’ vegetables
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Sit and eat dinner with your partner 5 days per week
Mental Health Check Ins
- Schedule your week so you know what needs to be accomplished each day
- Drink morning coffee without looking at a screen
- Find a podcast to listen to on your commute
- Brain dump each morning
- Follow a nightly bedtime routine
Social and Relationship Goals and Habits
- Reach out to 1 friend per week
- Schedule a coffee catch up each month
- Let your friends know you were thinking of them
- Attend a trivia night
- Take your partner out on a date each month
- Call your parents twice a month
- Say hi to the custodian at work
Social Media Influence
Documenting your Winter Arc has become a huge trend on social media, particularly TikTok and YouTube. The dark, snowy mornings and oversized hoodies have become an aesthetic in and of itself. The video below by Nick Pedersen perfectly captures this feeling of using the dark, cold months to turn inward, away from the crowd, and build yourself. However, your Winter Arc doesn’t have to be a solo mission. Finding your community – both in person and online, could be the best way for you to go about your journey.
The nature of the Winter Arc makes it primed for bodybuilders and hybrid athletes to document their journey and provide motivating content for the rest of us. If you’re looking for motivation then I definitely recommend a quick YouTube search to see how people are attacking this time of year.
“The Winter Arc” refers to a period where individuals use the coldest, darkest days of the year as a means to refocus, pre-visualize, and arrive at their desired destination.
Your Winter Arc Sanctuary
Many of the common themes in Winter Arc storylines include deep reflection, working in the shadows and emerging in the New Year with a healthier body and mind. A home gym is the perfect distraction-free Winter Arc setting.
Naturally, we’re biased but the convenience of a home gym helps set you up to take advantage of the cold, darker days. Removing the barriers to working out by not having to leave home is a great way to ensure you don’t have the excuse of the cold or slippery conditions to stop you from working on your health and fitness goals.
This time period also aligns with the biggest sales of the year in the home gym space. You can utilize Black Friday deals to invest in your future self. It’s a great time to set up your dream home gym, or add a special piece of equipment that you’ve had your eye on – while sticking within your budget.
- Read More: Preparing Your Garage Gym for Winter
- Read More: Choosing a Squat Rack for Your Home Gym
- Read More: Home Gym Start Up Costs
It’s Time – Are You Ready?
The Winter Arc is more than just a seasonal fitness trend; it’s a mindset shift that can transform your habits before the new year. With sound self-improvement principles and a well-planned home gym setup, you can embrace this winter as a period of growth, resilience, and preparation. Black Friday deals make this an ideal time to invest in your home gym, setting you up for success and helping you establish habits that will last well into the new year.
So, as temperatures drop, let your motivation rise. Embrace the Winter Arc and make this winter a season of meaningful transformation.