Change Up Your Workout (Playing Hard To Get with Fitness Plateaus)

Tweet this!

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...

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

FIT | Printable Boxing Workouts

Tweet this!

Last week, I posted a Cardio Boxing Workout. For those of us who are visual and want something prettier, here's a printable for ya! :) There are 3 levels -- Level 1 (Beginner), Level 2 (Intermediate), and Level 3 (Advanced). Click on the image for your level to print -- or use the Print Friendly button up top!

Pin It

Fit | Intense Cardio Boxing Circuit

Tweet this!
My girlfriend, Kelsey, introduced me to boxing about a year ago and I've been 'hooked' ever since.  The first time we boxed, I woke up the next morning with a good kind of 'sore' feeling... like when you're 12 years old and spent an entire day tubing with your cousins and your entire body feels totally wired the next day. I just felt solid.

I've been doing this workout once a week for  a month or so and have had great results both physically and mentally (by mentally, I mean that I haven't come to dread the workout and have been able to continue raising the bar quite effectively).  Why am I doing it only once a week? Because my body needs to recover from this workout... and so will yours. Boxing really does a number on your upper body and core in a unique way, so it is important to give your body that rest in between attempts. That said, there is no reason you couldn't combine this with other exercises - in fact, I've been doing just that. I generally follow up on this exercise with a yoga the next day, then finish the week out by alternating cardio, weights, and rest.

I begin the workout with a Tabata circuit for a few reasons. First, it gets me legitimately pumped up. Second, boxing seems much less intimidating after completing a Tabata circuit because I'm too busy thanking-my-lucky-stars that I survived the 4 minute Tabata. Third, Tabata gets your heart "in the mood" to raise and lower quickly, which is exactly what it will be doing as the workout progresses.

****Get the free printables of this workout here!****

Part One: 4 Minute Tabata
Summary: For 4 minutes, alternate between 20 seconds of exercise (pushing yourself to your maximum intensity) and 10 seconds of rest. You will end up doing 8 20-second exercises, going through the list twice.
Note: For a bit more information about Tabata workouts, read this article.

Burpees (Suicide Jumps)
Switch Kicks (Similar to high knees but kicking each time. You should feel a bit like you're in a kicking line, except that, rather than lifting your legs straight up, you can bend your knee a bit to increase your speed).
Jumping Jacks
Jump Rope (I don't actually use a jump rope. Instead, I just mimic the motion).

Part Two: Boxing
Summary: Each round of boxing includes a specified number of body shots, hooks, and upper cuts. You may rest for 10 seconds at a time during the round, if you need to take a break between each set of punches, but try to complete each set of punches as quickly as possible. In between rounds, complete 2 minutes of moderate cardio activity (treadmill, elliptical, jumping jacks, etc).
Note: For this part of the exercise, you will be alternating between the prescribed boxing moves and any cardio workout. I typically jump on an elliptical or treadmill, but doing jumping jacks, for example, would also work. The idea is to allow your heartrate to slow down (but only slightly) by doing a moderate cardio exercise.

Round One:
Beginner:
    Body Shots 30 punches per arm (60 total)
    Hooks 30 punches per arm (60 total)
    Upper Cuts 30 punches per arm (60 total)
    2 minutes moderate cardio
Intermediate:  
    Body Shots 50 punches per arm (100 total)
    Hooks 50 punches per arm (100 total)
    Upper Cuts 50 punches per arm (100 total)
    2 minutes moderate cardio
Advanced:
    Body Shots 60 punches per arm (120 total)
    Hooks 60 punches per arm (120 total)
    Upper Cuts 60 punches per arm (120 total)
    2 minutes moderate cardio

Round Two:
Beginner:
    Body Shots 40 punches per arm (80 total)
    Hooks 40 punches per arm (80 total)
    Upper Cuts 40 punches per arm (80 total)
    2 minutes moderate cardio Intermediate:  
    Body Shots 60 punches per arm (120 total)
    Hooks 60 punches per arm (120 total)
    Upper Cuts 60 punches per arm (120 total)
    2 minutes moderate cardio
Advanced:
    Body Shots 80 punches per arm (160 total)
    Hooks 80 punches per arm (160 total)
    Upper Cuts 80 punches per arm (160 total)
    2 minutes moderate cardio


Round Three:
Beginner:
    Body Shots 50 punches per arm (100 total)
    Hooks 50 punches per arm (100 total)
    Upper Cuts 50 punches per arm (100 total)
    2 minutes moderate cardio Intermediate:  
    Body Shots 70 punches per arm (140 total)
    Hooks 70 punches per arm (140 total)
    Upper Cuts 70 punches per arm (140 total)
    2 minutes moderate cardio
Advanced:
    Body Shots 100 punches per arm (200 total)
    Hooks 100 punches per arm (200 total)
    Upper Cuts 100 punches per arm (200 total)
    2 minutes moderate cardio


****Get the free printables of this workout here!****