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We're human and are thus creatures of habit. We get stuck in the same routine of running three days a week and weight lifting in between... or we get hooked on our yoga routines. Whatever your workout poison, you've probably settled into a routine.
You've probably noticed that, each time you begin following a new workout routine, you tend to see positive and often quick results. You've confused your body and caused it to adapt to something new. That takes work and work requires burning calories and developing the corresponding muscles to complete the new tasks your body is faced with. Over time, however, as you repeatedly complete the same (or very similar) workouts, your body gets used to the same tasks and learns how to complete them with less exertion (meaning burning less calories or doing less work). Ultimately, if you continue the routine, your progress will slow and you may find yourself stuck on a fitness plateau (or, worse, sliding backward!).
Today's the day to break the cycle! By surprising your body at least once a week with new, unfamiliar exercise routines, you can play "hard to get" with fitness plateaus and keep your body guessing.
Looking for new ways to change up your workout? According to Livestrong, here's how to do it...
You've probably noticed that, each time you begin following a new workout routine, you tend to see positive and often quick results. You've confused your body and caused it to adapt to something new. That takes work and work requires burning calories and developing the corresponding muscles to complete the new tasks your body is faced with. Over time, however, as you repeatedly complete the same (or very similar) workouts, your body gets used to the same tasks and learns how to complete them with less exertion (meaning burning less calories or doing less work). Ultimately, if you continue the routine, your progress will slow and you may find yourself stuck on a fitness plateau (or, worse, sliding backward!).
Today's the day to break the cycle! By surprising your body at least once a week with new, unfamiliar exercise routines, you can play "hard to get" with fitness plateaus and keep your body guessing.
Looking for new ways to change up your workout? According to Livestrong, here's how to do it...
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Livestrong.com keeps track of workout activities and how people reportedly use them. Apparently, Jazzercise is out. I wonder why... maybe because we're tired of terrifying images like this:
I know. Who knew that horrific outfits, heavily made up faces, and way-too-excited-looking facial expressions would ever go out of style?
But Pilates, Boxing, and Stair Climbing (at least on the Stairmaster)? I beg to differ, Livestrong. I don't care how many readers you have, Pilates, Boxing and Stair Climbing are not only terrific for your body but are also pretty darn popular.
Okay, so what's "replacing" Pilates, Boxing, and Stair Climbing? Apparently, Golf (yawn), Softball (ouch my face), and something called "carrying" which better not mean carrying your baby around the house. I'm not convinced.
Looks like I'll be "changing it up" in some different ways, for now. Most of us have a few "plug-in" workout routines that we throw in every once in a while, when we're ready to change things up (and perhaps when we're feeling brave?).
For those of you who haven't yet found your "plug-in" workouts, so to speak, here are a few resources...
- City Running Tours: Going on vacation or living in a new city? Check out these running tours in Austin, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
- Find a Fitness Event Near You: Use Fitness.com's widget to plug in your location and find a few events coming up in your area. For the most part, you'll find 5ks/runs and bike events... but don't forget that the adrenaline (as well as weaving in and out of other bodies) during a race will amp up how many calories you burn during the run!
- Whole Body HIIT Workout
- Stairmaster Sprint Workout
- Bike/Elliptical/Treadmill Interval and Coast Workout
- TV Show Workout: Turn this into a workout while watching TV for a 30 or 60
- Cardio Boxing Workout
Image Credits:
Livestrong, XtinaCooke
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