I frequently get questions from clients on how to mix up their workouts. Sometimes it is good to think out of the box and do something different to help spice up a routine. Whether you are an outdoor/indoor person, runner, or have no equipment; there are always ways to help add variety. Change is good and keeps exercise and physical activity interesting.
I recently went down south with Brooke; she is one of the other practitioners in Plymouth. We knew we needed to workout but did not have much access to anything – after all, we were in the country. To make it interesting, we decided to come up with something new and fresh. Even practitioners need to keep things interesting to stay motivated.
What We Did:
Brooke and I decided to go to her old high school for our workout. We decided that the stadium stairs would be our main focus. The workout mimicked that of class with two different exercises and we did a mixture of time (30 seconds/exercise) and relay style (x number of reps/exercise) to keep it fresh. This is what we came up with… and yes, it most definitely kicked our behinds! 🙂
- Round 1: Stepping & Reverse Lunges w/ Up Downs on the stadium stairs.
- Round 2: 3 Stair Tap Jump Combo w/ Decline Spider Plank Pushup Combo
- Round 3: Step Dips w/ Sprints
- Round 4: Inverted Row (using the stadium stair handles) w/ Stair Sumo Squats and 1 leg hip extension
- Round 5: Abs (Oblique Crunch/SL Pelvic Lift/Oblique Crunch)
What You Can Do:
Here are some tools that we used to help do this. You can also use some of these tips to help you with your current routine.
Make A Plan:
- What do you have access to?
- It is always good to reflect on what you have access to. This can include equipment itself or even a place. You can then use this as a base for what you do. No equipment, no worries! You are still able to get an effective workout using yourself, a partner, and/or your surroundings if needed. If you are more of the running type, you can also add in simple exercises here and there to help mix it up.
- How much time do you have?
- This is important. In order to make a good plan you want to make sure you know how much time you will have. This can affect things such as timing of exercises and rest, how many exercises you do, and how you go about the workout itself. Combinations and super sets can be a good way to get a lot in with a short period of time. Just make sure to not forget about that warm up and cool down! And remember, 5-10 minutes is ALWAYS better than 0 minutes!
- Challenge yourself but still enjoy what you are doing.
- It can sometimes be a challenge to make yourself do something on your own that you would not normally do unless you had someone else there or an instructor pushing you. Try pairing something that you enjoy with a different exercise that is a little more challenging. That way you get the best of both worlds. It will make that not-so-fun exercise a little easier to do.
- Write it down!
- Writing down your workout not only helps you remember what you want to do but also allows you to track progress. Not sure what to do? ASK YOUR FITNESS PRACTITIONER 🙂 That is what we’re here for! We love getting workout requests and would be happy to send you something. You can save the routine for later and/or make changes to it for future reference!
Hold Yourself Accountable
- Check in with us frequently!
- Use your practitioner to your advantage. We are here to provide guidance but, just as important, we are also here to hold you accountable!
- Tell a family member/friend/significant other.
- It is a lot harder to skip something after you have already told someone. No going back now, they may also want to join you! 😉 Having those around you know about your plan can help you stay accountable to yourself and them. A support system can give you motivation to do it as well. Set the expectation that this is something you are going to do. Tell yourself “I am” instead of “I should”!
- Use social media.
- This can do the same thing for you as telling those directly around you. However, now there are more people that know about it. It is always fun to take that pre or post workout selfie too. You never know, you may just give someone else the motivation to do something that day as well! 🙂
Take Home Message:
At the end of the day it always feels better to get a workout in than to not have completed one at all. It can also help set the pace for the day and future choices. If you are looking to add variety to your workouts, your practitioner will be more than willing to help you! Adding in your thoughts and opinions can also give them a better idea of how to make it fun AND beneficial. Working together will not only help your fitness goals but also keep you motivated (and most importantly safe). Remember, the only bad workout is the one that never happened 🙂
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Thanks for reading!
Kate Shafer, Agent of Change, AFS-Plymouth