More Fresh!

Maybe we don’t need to start from scratch with a whole new workout program, but we could use a bit of a nudge to make things fresh and challenging.  Here are five things that we can try:

1.     Add some intervals to the cardio routine.  Even if we bump up the intensity for one minute out of the however many we squeeze in, we are doing ourselves a favor.  We can survive at our fastest for a minute and then drop back to our regular pace until our heart rate returns closer to normal.  Bonus points for getting more than five intervals in during the workout.

2.     Add a pound or two or five to that exercise.  How much to add depends on your fitness level, age, and genetics.  Fitter people, younger people, and boys will generally be able to add more weight at once, but there are many exceptions to this.  The caveat:  we can’t use bad form.  When our reps are no longer things of beauty, we need to drop down to the usual weight and/or rest.

3.     Change the tempo.  Our basic body weight squat is a whole different critter when we hold at the bottom for 30 seconds and come up slowly.  It is also a different critter when we go for speed and jump squat.  We each tend to prefer a particular rate and shifting to another pace is good for our brains and bodies.

4.     Go backwards.  If we normally do our cardio first, we can try doing the weights first and the cardio afterward.  Or vice versa.

5.     Go sideways.  We tend to do most of our exercises going forward and back (“in the sagittal plane,” in fancy trainer-speak).  Take those lunges to the side for a change (to work in the oddly named “frontal plane”)  Or, for bonus points, twist them a little (“transverse plane”).

Little tweaks help.