Sticking to a workout routine consistently seems like a challenge for a lot of people. You think, well I got used to my workouts and now I am getting the habit in. That ‘s great right? But wait, did you know that after some time you should be changing your workout routine to see effective results? The hardest part is not actually getting used to the new workout regimen, but actually understanding that you need to progress and diversify your exercises. So, I am not a personal trainer but I did my fair research on the topic. I am also sharing what I’ve learned from my personal experience of being in the gym for almost 5 years now.
Changing your workout routine will help you avoid injuries
Getting injured during exercise is more common than you think. You need to ensure you’re doing the right form and repetitions. But, apart from that, changing your workout routine will help you stay away from unnecessary injuries. This is especially true for the risk of overuse injuries. This happens when you put your body through the same motions over and over again. By switching up those exercises, you give those overused muscles, joints, and ligaments a chance to rest and recover before putting them into action again. It will also allow your body to stay in shape and heal.
Stimulate muscle growth
One of the main benefits of changing your workout routine is to build muscle. After a while, your muscles get used to the same exercises, which doesn’t benefit progress. In order to get effective muscle growth, you need to change the routine, increase repetitions or add series. Your personal trainer should be able to assess your fitness journey and determine how to change your exercises. Experts always recommend doing a little of everything. That way, you’ll stimulate your body to go to the next level and keep your muscles from a stall.
Avoid weight-plateau
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or gain muscle-weight, there’s always that desire to move forward and see results. But, when the infamous plateau kicks in… ugh! Then you wonder if what you’re doing is really effective. A weight-plateau is a period of time in which your body weight stays stable. In other words, your weight does not change even when you’re trying to be healthier, in this case, with the exercises. Changing your workout routine will help to avoid a stagnant weight.
Break workout boredom
You can’t help it. Sometimes you will feel like you need to switch up things a little bit to get your fitness game strong. There are days that you will be all in. But, some others, you just won’t feel like it. I’m just being real and 100% honest here. Motivation is not the only thing that will keep you going to the gym. It is discipline. I always say this: Consistency is always better than perfection. When life gets in between, you’ll be thankful for the quick, effective workouts rather than those long hours at the gym. A little always goes a long way. Apart from that, changing your workout routine will help to relieve that sensation of dreading exercise. It will keep you moving forward all the time and you’ll constantly need to adjust to a new regimen.
Read more: 12 HIIT workout benefits for fitness and weight loss
Changing your workout routine keeps the motivation going
The above brings me to the next point. On the days when you’re not feeling it, changing your workout routine will help to boost your energy and motivation. Nobody wants to feel like they are doing the same old boring reps and exercises all the time. Besides that, there’s a lot to learn when it comes to our body, the machines, workout gear, exercises, etc. Learning to tune into your body and pushing its limits is what gets the motivation stronger.
Train all the muscle groups
When you switch up things in your fitness routine, it becomes easier to work all the muscle groups. When you focus on the same exercises all the time, you may miss some muscles. For example, there are tons of exercises to grow your glutes, while others focus on building your arms. As well, there are endless options to workout your core. Focus on full-body exercises, but switch them up from time to time.
Increases strength and performance
This is one of the major wins when it comes to changing your workout routine. Trying new exercises after some time will push your body to improve. You will increase your limits and develop more strength. When your body has to adapt to new moves, it can lead to more strength and better performance. Switching up your routine will challenge your body and push it to more endurance.
Pro tip: For exercises, I love using my Alta Fitness resistance bands set. . It’s really effective because they come in different levels of resistance, which would be equivalent to weight. This is the best type that you can get, since you can increase the level once your body becomes used to the exercise. You should be increasing weights or resistance after a while, so your muscles tone better once they adapt. Below you can get the resistance bands I’ using at a 20% discount price.
Read more: Workouts to lose weight and keep the curves
Keep a healthy brain
There’s no lie that being fit and healthy can definitely improve your mental and brain health. There is more oxygen and blood flow to your brain, which helps to release good hormones, makes you feel energized and stimulates better thinking. Changing your exercises now and then also stimulates your brain. Since you’ll always be learning new techniques and will have to remember new exercises, diversifying your training is always a win for your brain’s health.
Changing your workout routine adds physical challenge
Nothing grows when we are stuck in a comfort zone. As a matter of fact, constantly changing your workout routine will force your body to adjust. This is different than when you adapt to the same repetitive exercises. Progression means that your muscles will be stimulated and grow. Therefore, if you’re looking for improvement in your fitness journey, changing your regimen is the way to go.
Pro tip: Have you ever heard about the waist trainers? I love using a waist trainer while I workout my core. These help to promote more sweat around the waistline. This is great because it gives a thermal effect under your skin and it helps to shape that area. As well, I noticed how it helps with a correct posture while I’m performing my exercises. The one I use definitely helps to trim that waistline while promoting fat burn! My favorite brand is Sweat Belt, from Vanna Belt. You’ll get a discount on your purchase below.
You get to experience with different equipment
Who doesn’t like to try different equipment when exercising? Beyond the dumbbells, kettlebells, battle ropes and resistance bands, there are tons of equipment options to keep your fitness game going. What I love about the gym equipment is that these are designed for each muscle group and can have different levels of adjustment. Apart from that, using different equipment stimulates progression. You can add more weight, increase resistance, add more repetitions, include variations, etc.
Pro tip: One thing I use to enhance my workout is glute bands. Fitness experts recommend using glute bands when performing lower body exercises, to enhance the “burn” on the area, improve posture and give more tension to the muscles. My favorite Alta Fitness lower body resistance bands are anti-slip and roll. They come in 3 levels, from light to heavy. Below, I left you the ones I’m using. You’ll get a 20% discount on your purchase here.
Read more: Do resistance bands for fitness exercise work?
How often should I switch up my workout routine?
This is a common concern for many people, since being on a fitness journey is to get results without the infamous plateau. You don’t want to change routines too soon as your body needs to get used to the movements for a while to see progression. On the other hand, you don’t want to lengthen the time to switch up things, since you won’t be able to monitor if there’s a plateau or not. So, in order to avoid these scenarios, experts recommend that you should stick to a fitness routine for at least 2 weeks. This is a good timeframe to measure progress overload. Adding and changing movements here and there, after that is ideal. That way, your body has enough to adapt and change. Most personal trainers recommend switching up the entire routine from 6-8 weeks.
Of course, this is generally speaking. But, the best thing is to have a personal trainer review your workout routine and assess your progress. That way you’ll get a more personalized coaching, based on your own needs.
Finally,
Changing your workout routine has major benefits on your physical and mental health. You should aim to stay consistent for a period of time and then switch up exercises, to avoid staying stuck. This also helps to keep you in constant progress and thus, in shape. How are your fitness routines currently? Comment below. Sharing is caring!
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