Break The Boredom of The Same Old Workout

When you find something that works, you tend to stick to it. While this can be useful, it can also become dull and boring. Even with the usual limits of the weights and machines at the local gym, there is always something you can do to mix things up and keep your workouts interesting. Explore these easy tips to shake up your workout routine.

Always consult your doctor when starting a new workout regimen

First things first: before you begin a new workout routine, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve laced up your gym shoes, speak with your doctor. He or she knows your medical history and will help you avoid overdoing it. This is an especially critical step if you’re starting a new exercise plan during a time your body may be healing, including after surgery, a prolonged illness or a substance abuse issue. Your doctor can help you work out a timeline for progression and give you ideas on how to keep your workouts fresh as you get stronger.

Pump up your cardio

A good cardio workout for many people means spending a set amount of time on a treadmill, stair stepper or another piece of equipment. While this is effective, it can also start to feel like a chore. Instead of just doing the full 30 minutes (or whatever time interval you choose) in a single block, try breaking that time up with small bursts of strength training to use muscles you may be ignoring during your cardio training. Try running for 5 minutes and then doing a set of exercises with hand weights. After completing your reps with the weights, jump back on the machine for the next 5 minutes, and repeat. You will find this not only makes the time fly by, but it also energizes your whole workout.

Try working out in new locations

Getting stuck in the rut of dreading the gym can be the end to even the best of intentions. A workout doesn't always mean heading to the same old gym and staring at the same walls while you run on a treadmill going nowhere. Switch things up a bit by alternating workouts at the gym with a good workout at home or at the pool.

Working out at home may seem impossible if you do not have a home gym set up already, but this is not the case. Enlist the help of a friend, spouse or even a child to help with a “no-gym” workout. Not only will this change of scenery help break you out of your rut, but it is also fun to include someone close to you in your routine.

Redefine your workout

In the beginning, you may have focused on just one part of the body or one type of exercise for each day you worked out. For example, many people will do a leg day or spend one full morning just doing cardio. In order to breathe life back into your workout, try to hit your whole body each day you work out.

When you start working your full body and including both strength training and cardio each day, this does not mean doing the same exact workout every day. Get a plan that works for you, and create at least two distinct workouts. Alternate the plans throughout the week to give your muscles something different to do each time you hit the gym and to help break up the week.

Step away from the weight machines

It's easy to get lured into only doing weight exercises on the expensive machines at the gym or the home gym you invested in. Challenge your body by stepping off the machine and using free weights. While you may feel like you are doing the very same exercise with dumbbells, you really are not. Using free weights means you are using slightly different angles and working your muscles in a different way. This small change can mean an increase in the results you are seeing, because it breaks through the machine that controls how your body is able to move.

No matter how long you’ve been faithful to your workout routine, it can still be difficult to find the motivation to fit in physical activity some days. By keeping your exercise plan from feeling too routine and boring, you’ll not only be more excited to burn some calories, but you’ll see lasting results much more quickly.