5 Top Tips to Keep Your Workout Regime Fresh – Consistency and frequency are the key pillars to achieving fitness goals, but as with any activity, there can be too much of a good thing. Whether your muscles become accustomed to your current exercises, or you are increasingly fatigued with your regime, keeping a workout fresh makes it much easier to commit to the gym long-term and hit your fitness goals.
So, for those waning on their routine or if you just feel like refreshing your regime, here are 5 top tips to keep your workout routine interesting:
Same goals, new exercises
There are ways to change your regime simply by swapping one exercise for another. Some people may be concerned that a change in routine could negatively slow down their progress towards their fitness goals. However, with the extensive research on physiology available, there are tens, if not hundreds of exercises that can target the same areas with new movements. This gives you the ability to adjust what you’re doing without having to sacrifice progress, goals, or timeframes.
Swapping a bicep curl for a hammer curl, for example, will still target the same key areas but will introduce new muscles whilst keeping you on track to hit your targets. Small changes like this are a great way to quickly adapt your regime and keep it, all without getting bored.
A change in approach
There are various popular exercise methods that can still yield results and using these with your current regime will help to keep things new and interesting, as per MyProtein.
Some of the more popular choices include progressive overload, training to failure and drop sets. These allow you to maintain your current choice of exercises but add a new dimension with changes in rep, sets and weight.
Each principle has slightly different results, but with the right research, you can discover new uses for your exercises that still support your goals.
Introduce treadmill work
Cardio and specifically treadmill running is a fantastic way to introduce a new element to your workout regime. Having sessions dedicated to the treadmill can alleviate the stress your upper body muscles are under, whilst also working a whole new set you may not have specifically targeted.
For weight loss, treadmill running or walking is a great way to burn calories and aid people working towards a calorie deficit – especially if you’re using a shock-absorbing treadmill.
Cardiovascular training can also add to your overall endurance which will help when it comes to the duration of other exercises in more traditional weight training.
Reduce intensity, increase the frequency
For many, the stress of high impact and high-intensity exercise is the key factor in fatigue and boredom according to Mayoclinic. DOMS, injury and the mental toll of heavy exercise can leave gym-goers feeling like they want to give up or pick up another hobby.
However, reducing the intensity of individual exercises can increase their longevity of them in your regime. For example, dropping your treadmill training from a 10km run down to two 5km runs will spread the strain on the body and reduce the time spent in the gym. For weight training, lower weights across more sessions will have the same effect in reducing the strain put on muscles in one go and reducing the likelihood of injury.
Reduction in the chances of injury, less stress on the body in one session and a more evenly distributed workout can all delay an exercise regime from becoming stale and needing a change.
Reassess your goals
When a workout routine becomes tiresome and a chore, it might be time to update your goals.
Looking at what you’ve achieved so far and where you want to go next is a fantastic way to gain perspective on your fitness journey and appreciate the work you’ve already done. Doing so, and in setting a new goal that’s either more attainable or a step up from the last goal, can refresh and motivate you to get moving again.
Finding yourself at odds with your workout routine is completely normal and happens to nearly everyone at some point. Finding a point of difference and a unique change is vital to ensure you stay motivated and continue trying to achieve your fitness goals. Whether it’s a physical or mental roadblock, various techniques can be employed to keep you on track with a fresh, interesting regime.
Poppy Watt