Get out of your rut and Mix It up!

I recently took a morning Power Yoga class and it felt amazing. It was challenging and I was sore for a few days afterward.

This reminded me of the importance of mixing up my exercise routine.

It is so easy to get stuck in a rut and do the same thing over and over again.

Before training for the failed attempt at a fitness competition, my training was a lot more varied. I would try different classes and do different activities to keep myself interested and making sure my training was varied.

As I shared, once I began training for that competition which was all about cosmetics and not about function or health, I tended to just strength train and do cardio. After about a year of this type of training, I ended up getting injured.

This is very common when we do the same things over and over again. Overuse injuries and repetitive stress injuries occur when we don’t vary our routines or do activities that will help enhance our performance (example: Flexibility for Strength Training)

Getting out of your rut

One of the main reasons people quit exercise programs is because they get stuck in a rut and it becomes too boring.

If you normally do strength training, then get out and hike a trail, take a boxing class, take a swim, or go cycling.

If you normally do cardio based activities, then go to a strength training class, go to Yoga, try Pilates, or go to an indoor rock climbing gym.

NBA Finals MVP Andre Igoudala does Yoga to keep his hips mobile to help protect against knee injuries

The point is that you don’t have to get a stuck in a rut. You can vary your exercises so that your mind and body are both trained for top function. Professional athletes cross train all of the time.

Golden State Warriors basketball star Andre Igoudala (pictured Left) says that he does Yoga to work on his hip mobility to protect against knee injuries.

I’ve known several football players to take up boxing in the offseason to work on their conditioning. Pilates is also popular amongst football players and basketball players to work on deep core strength.

You don’t need to go to a gym

Our lives are busy. At the end of the day many people do not like to go to a gym because they are too tired or it’s too much of a time waster and the great news is that you don’t have to go to a gym. There are other options.

Go for Lunchtime Walks
Sign up for classes
Sign up for 5K walks
Sign up for Weekend Activities
Join an adult sports league
Work out at home (Home workout programs or get a coach like myself to design a home workout program that lasts 30-40 minutes)

Focus on making MOVEMENT a part of your lifestyle rather than just focusing on getting to a gym 3 days a week and then sitting the rest of the time.

The fear of doing a different routine

Sometimes people have a fear of doing something that is out of their routine because they’ve told themselves that if they don’t their normal routine they will gain weight.

I know because I had this same fear.

I thought if I let up on my 6 day a week workout routine that I would gain weight. I remember continuing to do this routine despite feeling tired and burned out. I was gaining weight anyway even with the same nutrition program that worked previously because my body was tired and needed a break.

Now I follow the advice of people like Lee Haney (Stimulate Don’t Annihilate) and make sure to listen to my body. If I am tired or excessively sore, then the next day is a recovery day.

The truth of the matter is that exercise is a small part of the fat loss equation. Fat loss is mostly about nutrition and hormones.

It can be scary to stop doing a routine because your mind and “The Voice” tells you that if you stop, then you will gain weight.

If that applies to you, then I would encourage you to check your mindset about exercise. Has exercise become a compulsive activity for you? Is it a Fear based activity or an empowerment activity?