Mixing up your training
By mixing up your activities, you give those overused muscles, joints, and ligaments a chance to rest and recover before putting them into action again. And if you do get injured, performing a different activity that doesn’t strain the same part of the body will allow you to stay in shape and heal at the same time.
When it comes to exercise, many of us are creatures of habit. We head for the same class at the gym, log the same workout on the watch, and run the same route every single time we head out for a run/walk. Yes, regular exercise is good for you, but it’s also important to vary your fitness routine. Your body and brain will reap benefits when you try new activities. “There are numerous benefits to mixing up your workout routine. Just as it is in nutrition, where stimulating different taste buds to prevent food fatigue, the key when it comes to training is to stimulate different muscle groups to prevent boredom and injury and keep the metabolism fired up.
There’s no shortage of different types of exercise to try. If you tend to gravitate toward more traditional activities — like running, biking, or swimming — look for ways to change up your workout. For instance, instead of running on the treadmill or the road, head for a wooded trail or local park. Not only will you experience an enjoyable change of scenery, but you’ll work your body in a different way that can enhance your overall fitness level. Here are seven benefits to tweaking your exercise routine.
1. Break Through a Weight-Loss Plateau
When you do the same activity all the time, your body gets used it and becomes very efficient. Eventually, that adaptation will mean that you burn fewer calories even when you’re doing the same amount of exercise.” The solution: Challenge you body in a way that it’s not used to. Your body will have to work harder as it adjusts to the new activity, which means that you’ll burn more calories when you work out. And don’t forget to eat sensibly; regular exercise and a healthy diet are both important for weight loss.
2. Prevent Overuse Injuries
There’s a reason why you get hurt when you put your body through the same motions over and over again. It’s called a repetitive strain injury. This type of injury often occurs from doing lots of repetitive motions, such as running, hitting a tennis ball, kicking (in kickboxing or martial arts classes), or performing the same swimming stroke. By mixing up your activities, you give those overused muscles, joints, and ligaments a chance to rest and recover before putting them into action again. And if you do get injured, performing a different activity that doesn’t strain the same part of the body will allow you to stay in shape and heal at the same time.
3. Build New Muscles
Ever notice how you can quickly identify a professional swimmer by his powerful arms and shoulders and a long-distance runner by her chiselled legs? That’s because professional athletes focus almost exclusively on one sport — and that sport builds very specific muscles. But for recreational exercisers, the best approach is to do a little of everything. That way you’ll build a strong heart (for endurance), muscular legs and a powerful upper body. You’ll look great and be physically ready to take on a variety of sports and activities.
4. Beat Workout Boredom
If you find yourself literally counting down the seconds left on the treadmill or are dreading that next road run then it’s time to make some changes and switch things up. Keep your workouts from getting stale by constantly trying new things. Venture into a different for a total change of pace, or just try tweaking your usual activity. For instance, instead of running the same distance at your customary pace, add some speed intervals. After you’ve warmed up, do a series of 30-second sprints followed by two minutes of slower jogging to recover. Keep repeating that, and you’ll reach the end of your run feeling invigorated. Or instead of attending your HIIT sessions try a strength or core training session to fire up those muscles that you’ve been neglecting. The result…. Better all round performance in all areas
5. Help Keep Your Brain Healthy
Exercise is essential for keeping your brain sharp and helping to prevent memory loss. And learning new skills also helps keep your neurons firing better. So learning a new exercise activity is a double-whammy when it comes to brain health.
6. Get Excited About Exercise Again
When too many days in a row go by that you’d rather hit the snooze button than hit the gym, it’s definitely time to make a change. It may take a little trial and error before you find a new workout you enjoy, but stick with it until you do. Then, change up your routine so that you include several types of activity every week. You’ll see better results and have a lot more fun doing it.
Are you ready to get fit for the summer?
