Variety is the spice of life and your training

Finding that your training has become a chore? That may well be because he lacks variety in his program. There is nothing worse than trying to force yourself to do something you don’t want to do. When that happens, it gets boring and torturous and it’s easy to make excuses not to. – Do you remember our school days?

MADE: Doing the same exercise monotonously greatly increases your chances of quitting altogether.

It’s all too easy for us to get into a rut, especially when we’re starting a fitness program; so to avoid this you need to mix up your program to stay motivated. Variety is a great way to keep things fresh, challenging, and puts the Wow get back to training.

Another great advantage of variety is that it will not only prevent boredom; it also keeps your body challenging and is a better way to achieve results. Our bodies naturally adapt to changes in our exercise and keep you alert. so to speak! By changing up our exercises regularly, we uncover muscles we might have missed, which is why you’ll find that you sometimes feel sore in places after trying a new movement. Now this is a good thing; since we have to push it beyond the ‘standard’ unable to get better. Just make sure you don’t overdo it, as that can cause some damage. Perform your exercises within your body’s capabilities.

MADE: When the body becomes complacent, you don’t have to work as hard and therefore your fitness and physique also stabilize or progress very, very slowly.

How can I mix up my exercise?

The key to variety is ‘enjoyment’. You need to find activities/routines that you enjoy and then mix them up often. Working out in a gym is not your only exercise option. You should keep an open mind and be willing to try new things, but before you do, be sure to consult your doctor beforehand, especially if you have any medical conditions.

MADE: In addition to the physical benefits, the variety also provides psychological benefits.

beach workouts

This is a great place to exercise outside. Cross training can easily be done here such as running, swimming, surfing, walking on soft sand and playing sports are a few examples of the many available. Your options are only limited by your imagination!

Beach workouts have many benefits, including the following…

• The surface of the sand has some elasticity, so when walking or running there is less stress on the joints.
• Greater resistance when walking or running due to the looseness of the sandy surface.
• Opportunity to meet new people.
• Your body can absorb some vitamin D from the sun.
• Your body and mind get some fresh air.
• It’s absolutely FUN!

Disadvantages to consider…

• You may have to run or walk on an angled surface; try to find as flat a surface as possible for safety.

Security issues

• Be sure to wear safety measures such as sunscreen, UV protection sunglasses, goggles, a hat, stinger suits, and swim only when a lifeguard is present or with a buddy.
• Ask the lifeguard what to be aware of and what conditions to expect in the area where you want to swim or surf.
• Make sure you never exercise on the beach in the middle of the day, as that is when the sun is hottest.
• Don’t stay in the water too long or you risk developing hypothermia, where your body temperature drops below normal.
• Don’t spend too much time in the sun on the beach or you risk developing hypothermia, where your body temperature becomes too high.
• Rest in the shade if you start to feel dizzy or faint.

Basically just use your head (common sense).

MADE: Ocean water is colder than pool water, so you will fatigue faster when swimming in the sea.

What do you need to do…

• Extension- Pre and Post training. Before any workout you should stretch, but be sure to spend a little extra time stretching, as running on soft sand can put extra stress on your Achilles tendon.
• Hydrate your body: drink about 2 decent sized glasses of water about an hour before you hit the beach and drink water constantly throughout your workout.

Hiking

If you love to walk, then taking a hike will be perfect for you! Start with short distances and gradually increase the distance. You don’t want to overdo it. When you feel more comfortable, try longer weekend hikes that can include more challenging trails.

Advantages

• Landscape – most interesting environment.
• You will find that you spend more time doing this activity than walking your usual route.
• Walking on natural terrain burns more calories than brisk walking.
• Fun!
• A great day out with your family or friends.

Security

• Notify the ranger or proper authorities when you will be there.
• drink a lot of water
• If you are going to be there for a day or more, have healthy snacks and food.
• Wear the correct footwear and required clothing.
• Bring a map and a compass.
• Bring your mobile phone or radio.

Cycling

The best thing about riding a bike is that you can do it anywhere and anytime! When it’s sunny, go for a ride in the local park or with a cycling club. If it’s raining, no problem! You can use an exercise bike at home or join a spinning class at your gym.

Advantages

• It is an all weather activity.
• It is easier on the joints since the exercise is a non-weight bearing exercise.
• You can vary the intensity and work different leg muscles by sitting or standing, changing the intensity level with the flick of a switch on the handlebars, or going up or down a hill.
• Great exercise for your legs and buttocks.

Security

• Make sure your bike is the right size and fit for you, as it can help you avoid some preventable injuries – cycling club members, bike shop staff, or your spin instructor can help you with this.
• Always wear safety equipment like a helmet.
• Have water with you at all times.
• When you are driving, make sure that the knee bends slightly when the pedal is in the down position.
• Stretch before any exercise.

elastic training bands

Advantages

• Affordable – You can buy stretch bands for much less than you would buy at a home gym.
• Great for Travel – You can use them anywhere, anytime and they fit easily in your bag as they are lightweight and flexible.
• Lots of variety – The exercises you can do with these things are limitless. If you don’t like using weights you can replace them with elastic bands.
• Sure
• It can be more efficient than weights with some exercises.
• Ideal for resistance training, strength training, body toning, weight loss and speed training.

Disadvantages

• You have to tell your friends and family to get theirs!

Security

• Always stretch before and after exercising.
• Don’t overdo it: You shouldn’t do more than 8 to 12 repetitions on each exercise.

Other ideas to spice up your training include…

• fit ball workouts
• Run jog
• Swim
• Aerobics/Water Aerobics
• Cycling
• circuit training
• Classes: dance, kickboxing, martial arts, aerobics, spinning, etc.
• Sports clubs: soccer, touch football, squash, tennis, etc.