People often come to the gym and participate in the same program, routine or class each visit. Sometimes our bodies get too comfortable with the same movements over and over again. It is important to add a variety of new elements to your regular exercise routine. Adding new movement patterns helps keep your body safe from injury, plateauing, and keeps you feeling challenged.
Tips on adding variety to your exercise routine:
- Take group fitness classes! All Beacon Health & Fitness classes offer a variety of moves and a new routine every week. This is a great way to challenge your body and mind while having fun!
- Try a NEW class. If you normally go to strength, try to go to a yoga class. Moving in new ways helps you use muscles you may not use in your normal routine.
- If you are stuck in the same strength routine, change it up by increasing weight, sets or repetitions. You can also progress a move by increasing range of motion and/or decreasing stability. For example: To progress a biceps curl, you can start with a moderate weight curling up and down. To progress the exercise, you can create an unstable surface by standing on a foam pad or Bosu™ ball. This not only works your biceps, but also your balance and core stability.
- Try Personal Training. If you can do strength and cardio on your own that’s great, but you still need to be working on neuromuscular and balance moves. Ask the Fitness Desk about getting a trainer to help you through exercises that focus on balance and range of motion movement patterns.
- Try to add one new move to your regular exercise routine each time you work out. The trainers at the Fitness Desk are an unlimited source of knowledge and are more than willing to help introduce new elements to your fitness routine.
