Keeping active is important but finding time for your regular exercise routine can be challenging. When you find a routine that works for you it’s tempting to stick with it so that every week becomes a repeat and your body gets used to it. That’s when it’s important to get creative to keep your body working.
What happens when you stick to the same routine?
We can all remember how hard it is when we first start exercising, so when you get to a point that you can complete your exercise routine without ending up a heap on the floor it’s great to see the progress you’ve made. However, it’s also very tempting just to keep going at something you’ve become good at.
There is a reason why exercise is hard at the beginning. Your body and mind are doing something new and you are pushing your levels of fitness forward. This is when you are making the most progress.
When you’ve been doing the same exercise for a while your body gets accustomed to it and your progress begins to plateau. You stop seeing improvements in your fitness and ability. You can also become more susceptible to injury as you repetitively use and push the same muscles, joints and ligaments. On top of that, boredom sets in and you find your level of motivation isn’t what it used to be.
So if you’re always doing the same gym circuit or running route, why not try varying weights, distances, exercise duration or take up a whole new activity, such as swimming, a sport or yoga?
Why it’s good to mix it up
To help avoid the issues that can be caused by repetitive exercise routines you can try a mixture of activities. Some real benefits are to be gained from a varied exercise regime:
- Avoid the risk of injury and RSI from overused muscles by using different muscle groups
- Avoid hitting a fitness plateau by stimulating different muscle groups and your mind
- Prevent boredom by exercising in different places, at different times and through different activities
- Beat a weight-loss plateau as you burn fewer calories when doing an activity your body is used to
- Help recovery and continue exercising by avoiding problem areas with different activities
- Build new muscles with a different workout
- Help maintain a healthy brain, not just by exercising, which is good for you mentally, but by learning new skills
- Meet new people when doing different activities
- Stay engaged and motivated to keep active
- Keep your metabolism up as your body learns new activities.
Variation in your exercise will help you to be more inclined to stick to exercising and will test your body in new ways that help to improve your overall fitness.
Petersfield Physio
At Petersfield Physio we are here to support our clients every step of the way, even when they find it hard to commit to their exercises.
If you would like support to lead an active life and live in the Hampshire or Surrey areas, contact the Petersfield Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic or ring 01730 267645.
We are here to advise, guide and support you back to a pain free, active lifestyle. After all, it’s a joint process.
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