Surprising benefits of switching up your workout routine

Many of us are creatures of habit.  We have our set routines that keep us orderly and on track.  Routines are usually good for us, but when it comes to fitness, switching things up every so often is highly recommended.  If day in and day out you always do the same exact workout, you will be missing out on many important benefits of busting up a fitness routine.  Never overlook surprising advantages of mixing up a workout routine.

The good thing about switching up physical activity is there is no shortage of different types to try.  Some of us like more traditional activities of running, walking, or biking.  If that’s the case, you can still do these moves but look for ways to change it up.  For instance, if you only walk on a treadmill, try instead walking on a wooded trail or local park.  The change of scenery will do you good plus you’ll walk on unfamiliar terrain working your body in a different way enhancing your overall fitness. 

Here are 6 reasons why a change to your fitness routine will do your body good:

1.  Helps bust through a weight-loss plateau

Doing the same activity every day will only make your body get used to the routine resulting in your body becoming very efficient.  Eventually, because your body knows what to expect, it will begin to burn less calories even though you are working out.  When trying to break through a weight loss plateau, do keep exercising, but change it up.  Challenge your body to do something it’s not used to.  This makes your body work harder as it adjusts to the new movements which mean more calories will be burned. 

2.  Less likelihood of overuse injury

When the same movements are done again and again, this can set up the body for overuse injuries or what is called repetitive strain injury.  This type of injury frequently happens in activities such as running, hitting a tennis ball, or performing the same swim stroke.  By mixing it up, it allows overused muscles, joints, and ligaments a chance to rest and recover.

3.  Promotes building new muscle

Take a look at someone who is a long-distance runner – they have impressive looking chiseled legs but not much muscle elsewhere.  That’s because they focus almost exclusively on one sport which may only build or work very specific muscles.  For recreational exercisers, the best approach is to try out a little of everything working the entire muscular system of the body.  Perform activities that work the heart for endurance, build muscular legs and upper body and work the core.  This will give you a well-rounded look and making you more physically ready for taking on a variety of physical activities.

4.  Prevents workout boredom

Watching the clock while working out may be a sign of exercise boredom.  It you are finding it hard to motivate yourself to get moving, there’s a good chance you are tired of your workout routine.  To keep exercise from getting stale, it’s time to try new things.  If you only do walking for exercise, consider joining a workout class like Zumba or yoga to break up monotony a day or two a week.  Or if you always run, try tweaking the routine by taking a different route or add in speed intervals – do a series of 30-second sprints followed by two minutes of slower jogging to recover.  Keep repeating this until the end of your run and notice how much more invigorated you’ll feel.

5.  Boost brain health

Regular physical activity not only works your muscles but also your brain.  Exercise is essential for keeping your brain sharp and may help prevent cognitive declines.  When you break up your fitness routine, this keeps your brain neurons firing strong.  Choose activities that you have never done before.  A good one is ballroom dancing.  This activity requires some skill and memorization while providing a nice workout at the same time.  The key is to choose activities keeping you engaged without putting you on autopilot. 

6.  Keeps you engaged and excited about keeping fit

If you’ve reached a point that you’d rather find something else to do than work out, it’s time to make a change.  This can actually be the fun part of keeping yourself fit and healthy.  Look into trying out new routines or physical activities you’ve never done before.  Maybe join a water aerobics class, kickboxing, or tai chi.  Instead of walking alone, organize a walking group or club.  Search out new running, bicycling or walking trails you’ve never used before or hire a personal trainer to work with giving you fresh ideas.  The good thing about exercise is it doesn’t have to stay the same. This is what makes switching it up fresh and energizing keeping you pumped for the next workout.