Is your workout routine feeling a little drab?
Everyone knows the feeling of being bored at the gym. And when you’re bored, it’s tempting to just stop and do something more exciting.
After enough time, any workout routine can get boring after a while. It’s important to spice things up and try something new from time to time to keep your motivation strong.
Spring is here—what better time to try something new?
Ways to Change Up Your Workout Routine This Year
1. Add some yoga
Flexibility is an essential aspect of body health, yet something that many overlook when they hit the gym. If you find that you have a hard time touching your toes when you stretch, try adding some yoga to your workout routine.
Not only will yoga help you become more flexible, but it will help you lower your stress levels, studies say. Plus, adding a new goal—improving your flexibility—to your workout routine will definitely shake it up.
Related: Health Benefits of Yoga
2. Try some new bodyweight exercises
If you feel like you’re hitting a wall, maybe you need to try adding new bodyweight exercises. Using the weight of your own body as resistance is a great way to build your target muscle groups and your core at the same time.
3. Give burst training a shot
Jogging on the treadmill at the same speed for ages can be pretty boring, so try adding some burst training into the mix.
Burst training, also known as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), is a great way to shake up your workout routine and has been proven to increase endurance. Try running as fast and intensely as you can for 30 to 60 seconds, then walk for one to two minutes. Repeat until you’re wiped out!
This can work with anything, really—bicycling, swimming, you name it.
Related: How to Get in Shape in 5 Simple Steps
4. Plan with a playlist
I know someone who times his run based on different playlists he’s created. When one song starts, he changes direction, or when another starts, he runs faster. When the second-to-last song starts, he knows he needs to start cooling down.
Music can get us pumped up and ready to go—and many songs are conveniently timed. For example, doing one exercise may take you 3 minutes and 20 seconds, the exact length of your favorite song. Try creating a playlist and using it to guide your workout routine.
Related: Get Motivated to Exercise in 7 Steps
5. Try a class
Want to really add some pizzazz to your workout routine? Take a class. There are a ton of really exciting exercise classes that will teach you new skills and will push you to new lengths. Try a spin class, or maybe a Zumba class, to mix things up a little this year.
Related: 8 Things Healthy People Do
6. Buy a DVD
And no, I don’t mean Annie Hall. If you can’t afford to pay for a class every week, buy yourself a good exercise DVD. If used effectively, exercise DVD’s can be a cheap, at-home version of a personal trainer, and you can learn a lot of great tips and exercise moves from them.
There are a lot of great ones out there; if you’re not sure which one to invest in, check out our list of eight great home exercise DVD’s.
The Takeaway
No matter how trusty your workout routine is, it can get boring to do the same thing every day. Luckily, there are a ton of ways to shake things up. This year, try adding some yoga, burst training, or bodyweight exercises, or utilize burst training, playlist planning, or exercise DVDs.
Make your workout routine interesting, and you’ll be more likely to follow through with it for a sexy, fit you.
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Sammy Nickalls is the Content Manager at Inspiyr.com. She is an avid health nut and a lover of all things avocado. Follow her on Twitter or Pinterest.
Photo by Edson Hong