Stuck In a Rut?

I love trying out new workout combinations and exercise equipment.  I’m not talking about machines.  I stay away from those the majority of the time.  I mean equipment such as kettlebells, resistance bands, Valslides, stability balls, medicine balls and rings.  All these things are small and easy to store.  Most importantly, they make exercise fun. 

For people who don’t like to exercise due to boredom, you should try new things regularly.  A lot of exercise equipment now come with instructional DVD’s or charts to get you started. 

I tried kettlebells out a year ago and haven’t stopped loving them.  I’m even going away for my birthday weekend to become a Russian Kettlebell Certified trainer.  Who would have known?

Besides the anti-boredom factor of trying out new things, you will also keep your body from plateauing.  Our bodies are extremely adaptive and an exercise program you have been following for 4-6 weeks will no longer give you the same benefit as it did when you first started it.  To keep your body progressing, you need to change up your routine every month.  You don’t always have to change the exercises themselves.  You can:

• Change up your reps, sets and rests. 
• Create supersets by combining two exercises together and eliminating a rest period between them. 
• Instead of doing an exercise seated, stand up.
• Throw in a cardio move at the end of a superset before resting.
• Split your full body workout into two Push/Pull workouts.

The possibilities are endless.  Ladies who are part of my online coaching program receive a new program every 4 weeks to keep them from plateauing.  Their results have been amazing. 

Keep changing, learning and growing.  Stay out of the rut.