Break Out of Your Exercise Rut «

Break Out of Your Exercise Rut

While commitment is key to a successful fitness regimen, practicing the same routine over and over is not. In fact, when you perform identical exercise moves day in and day out, your body begins to adjust, causing your calories burned to dwindle and progress to stall. The solution? Switch things up! Whether you love running, biking, Pilates or walking, you can spice up your current exercise routine—WD spoke with the experts to find out how.

Exercise Rut #1: You always do the same strength-training moves.

Lifting weights is a great way to build muscle and burn calories, but if you’re always doing the same exercises with the same weight amount and number of reps, it’s time to challenge yourself. Photo: Creatas/Thinkstock

Variation: Pace
“One way to increase the benefits [of strength training] is to start doing the movements extra, extra slowly—triple the time you would normally take to lift and lower the weight,” says American Council on Exercise (ACE) national spokesman Bobby Morrow. Instead of doing bicep curls for one count down and one count up, go down in three counts, then come up just as slowly. “You will probably run out of steam long before the end of your regular number of repetitions, but that’s good—you’re hitting new territory.”

Variation: Drop Set
A “drop set” is when you start your reps at a much higher weight, causing your muscles to fatigue, then do another set of reps at a lower weight. “You absolutely ‘max out’ your muscles somewhere between 8 and 10 repetitions on your first [heavier] set, then reduce the weight by 10 to 20 percent and immediately get in as many additional repetitions as possible—you are looking to get an extra 3 to 5 reps out of the second set—totally burning out that muscle you thought was already done,” says Morrow. So, for example, do 8 to 10 biceps curls with 10-lb dumbbells before decreasing the weight to 8 lb for another 3 to 5 reps.

Variation: Singles
Mix up your old routine by performing “single” versions of common arm and leg exercises. “Instead of a seated row, try a one-arm cable row, or instead of a weighted squat, try a one-leg squat [lift one foot off the ground as you do a squat balanced on the other]. Using only one side of your body at a time engages the stabilizing muscles and forces your core to work harder,” says Steve Ettinger, CSCS, certified fitness expert and author. Just remember to always work one side, then the other—you want to be sure you’re exercising both sides of the body equally.

New Exercise: TRX Suspension Training
Available at some gyms and for purchase, TRX Suspension Training is an exercise program “that focuses on building muscle by suspending part of the body off the ground, allowing you to sink deeper into squats and lunges without compromising form,” says Sarah Dussault, certified personal trainer and founder of SarahFit.com. Another benefit? “It’s ideal for people who love to strength-train but frequently travel, since it’s light and can be used in a doorframe or hung from a jungle gym,” Dussault adds.

New Exercise: CrossFit
An innovative exercise class to try if you love strength-training is CrossFit. “It’s a high-intensity workout that incorporates free weights, pull-ups, weighted bars, kettlebells, sprints and a medicine ball,” says Ettinger. CrossFit exercise sets tend to be short, but very functional and effective. “Strength training is resistance training, and so is CrossFit, plus a lot more. CrossFit workouts change every day, keeping your muscles guessing and making for more efficient routines,” he adds.

New Exercise: Kettlebells
“Kettlebells (weighted iron balls with handles) tend to be more effective in reaching most goals, including weight loss, sculpting and defining the body. [They] allow you to exert more energy by having to maintain certain positions that you couldn’t using traditional weight-lifting equipment,” says Cassandra Bodlak, assistant fitness manager and private trainer at the Sport Club/LA in San Francisco. To learn the moves, attend a class at your local gym or purchase a DVD and a set of kettlebells to use at home.

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