“Sometimes, even I get bored with picking things up and putting them down.” -Eileen, weightlifting enthusiast
Every once in a while, I look at a treadmill and think, wouldn’t it be fun to try running one day? But then I go to the weight room and crank out my squats and dead lifts per usual because that’s just what I do. -Also Eileen, weightlifting enthusiast
Are you getting into a funk with your fitness routine? Is your pep sadly missing from your step every time you head into the gym? Well, I’ve got the scoop on why we fall victim to routine, and how to make fitness your favorite thing all over again.
We are creatures of habit.
I admit it. Once I find a leg day routine that makes my want to cry while I do it, I want to do that routine every time I train because it makes me feel those #bootygainz for days after and because it feels effective. But, fitness is not one-size fits all. What works for you, might not work for me. And, what challenges me, might not challenge you. In order to keep making gains and keep getting stronger, we have to keep shocking our bodies with different movements and training styles to keep the momentum going.
If 2017 is really going to be the year you become your strongest and fittest self, let’s follow through with a more well-rounded training regime so we can maintain our excitement for fitness!
Go Back to the Basics
Our body is designed to move in multiple planes as a connected unit. Push-ups, pull-ups, step-ups…being able to move your own body around is a pretty incredible thing and takes quite a bit of strength.
The best part about bodyweight training is that at any fitness level, it is challenging. You have your basic push-up, ball push-up, clap push-up, and one-arm push-up. Then, you have your fast push-up, slow push-up, and static hold push-up, etc. The list goes on and on. With limitless variations and with consistency, your progress is obvious and pushes you to keep trying new things. At the same time, you are still able to go back to the most basic ways your body was intended to move.
Group Fitness Classes
My favorite part about weight training is that with any frustration or anger I have, I can just put in my headphones and take it out on the weights. But sometimes, I crave that energy and team atmosphere that only group fitness can provide. My best friend takes spin classes like she’s preparing to ride in the Tour de France. So, recently, I tagged along to see why every time she came home, they were all she wanted to talk about.
High energy, loud music, and encouraging pep talks made the class seem like more of a dance party than a workout. I don’t know about you, but sometimes dance parties are the best forms of cardio. Apart from the fact that I hardly ever do cardio in general, the class challenged my mind and body to get through 60 minutes of a fitness activity that was entirely foreign to me. Talk about needing ultra focus. In addition to realizing how much I can improve my aerobic fitness, the positive energy that filled the room stuck with me for the rest of the day and made me giddy to go back to the gym.
Change Up Your Cardio
Ok, I just told you that I hardly ever do cardio. “Like ever,” as Taylor Swift may say. On the rare occasion that I decide to step on a treadmill, I run for few minutes…only to get off approximately 6 minutes later because I get bored and hate feeling like I am a hamster running in a little hamster wheel.
I’ve taken enough kinesiology classes at school to know that heart disease is the leading cause of death. So, I feel like doing at least some aerobic activity a time or two each week is something that would really be beneficial in living this whole “healthy lifestyle.” We’ve already established the fact that, for me: 1) running is not an option, 2) I get bored easily, and 3) I hate feeling like a hamster. So, what is a girl to do?
To accommodate these strict rules I have for myself for cardio, I love trying new things every cardio session. Sometimes, I like to incorporate High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to keep me engaged and because it can be super quick. HIIT workouts can be as short as 10 minutes, which is definitely a win for people who thrive in the weight room instead of the on the track. Occasionally, I’ll take a salsa dancing class with my friends to change it up even more. Cardio, to me, is anything that keeps my heart rate elevated for a period of time, while also keeping my brain entertained.
One of my goals at the moment, is to try a new fitness activity each week. Whether it be hiking, TRX, swimming, whatever, I am always looking for new ways to get that warm and fuzzy feeling I get when I enter a weight room. Fitness is supposed to challenge your body and push it to its limits, but it is also supposed to feed your soul. So here’s to trying new things and making fitness a life long love affair. Cheers!
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