Stuck in a Fitness Rut? Turn Up the Volume...Or Just Change Channels.

This is a common thing: you finally find an exercise routine you can stick with, you go guns a'blazin' for a few weeks and then...nothing. It's boring. You'd rather do a million other things than, well, THAT anymore.

 

Alternatively, you never tire of your routine, doing it day-in/day-out but are no longer getting the results you once enjoyed.

 

Either of these scenarios ever apply to you? Me too.

 

On any given day, the seasons are changing with what I feel like doing, fitness-wise, and I see this as a blessing because our muscles actually have memory. As we tend to use the same groups of muscles for a repeated activity, over time we essentially become resistant to the routine if we do it too frequently. The muscles "remember" and learn to work more efficiently. This equals fewer results for same work done. Not cool.

 

So that's why it is great idea to change things up on a regular basis...your muscles never get too used to one thing, you don't get bored, and you keep seeing results.

 

How to turn up the volume on your tried and true routine or breathe some new life into it by changing the channel? Here are some ideas:

 

Turn Up the Volume

 

Get the right gear

The right equipment and outfit can literally make or break your sporting performance.

 

Perfect example: in Spinning class, you need to have the right shoes-the ones that actually clip into the pedals. Without these, you are just not getting the same level of workout. You also need to have a heart-rate monitor to truly track and challenge yourself along with your instructor.

 

Each sport or fitness activity has its own "gear requirements." Do a little research, make these small adjustments and see how the dynamics change.

 

Get some new music

Studies have shown that music can distract you from feelings of fatigue and can function as a stimulant to psych you up or as a sedative to calm you down. But sometimes, you just need some new music...that same old Madonna track just isn't doing it anymore?

 

What I did recently: I had an old school Walkman but radio plays too many commercials; I like my iPod but found it too time-intensive to update it with new songs. So I got a portable satellite radio to boost my motivation---it worked! They have dozens of commercial-free (or almost commercial-free) stations that never get old.

 

Shake it up and rock it out

You're a walker? Get a pedometer...see if you are reaching the recommended 10,000 steps a day. 10,000 steps easy-breezy? Track your time. Each day, challenge yourself and try to cut some time off your walk by increasing your overall speed.

 

Another idea: try alternating your walks with sprints. Make it a game. If you walk in a neighborhood, do 2 mailboxes walking, next 2 sprint, and so on and so on...

 

The point is, take your usual routine and change it to challenge yourself and make it more fun. Give yourself a goal that you can reach and then modify yet again to recreate yet another internal competition.