Mix up your workout –
If your like me and have become complacent in your workouts, below are a few tips on how to get back into the ‘groove’ and become excited to workout again!
Cut your workout time down!
Working harder for a shorter amount of time is so much better for fat loss results. High Intensity Interval Training is probably the fastest ways to melt fat from your body and also accelerate your fitness levels. Rather than your traditional 30 or 45 mins of cardio on the treadmill at the same intensity/speed, try this:
60 secs sprints (as hard as you can) with 90 secs recovery time (this can be at a walk pace or even a slow jog). Try this for a total of 20-22 minutes. Notice the calorie burn and how you feel afterwards – similar energy burn for much less time.
Swap up your barbell with a medicine ball.
Lots of us use dumbbell training in our workouts but why not mix it up? Try using a medicine ball or barbell for your entire workout. It’s amazing how heavy a 5kg medicine ball can feel as a posed to a barbell, this also helps to engage other muscle groups therefore harder workout – better results!
Get out
If you are a regular indoor gym participant have a week outdoors and expand your exercise mindset. Go for a run or try running up and down stairs, climb walls – indoor abseiling is allowed, step up to benches/tables/chairs. You’ll be amazed how quickly your workout goes when your outdoors and absorbing your surroundings also.
Add unstable training to your workout
Have you tried squats on a Fit Ball? What about a single leg squat? I was working out at a gym on the northern beaches many years ago and one of the personal trainers there suggested I try these. Killer! By adding balance training to your routine will force your muscles especially your core muscles to work harder and it also helps your reflexes to become faster. You don’t need fancy equipment, simply using your arm weights whilst standing on one leg completely changes your focus.
Try a non-electronic workout
Block all cardio equipment that uses power. No treadmill, stepper, cross trainer, bike. Great creative – try high knees, ice skaters, skipping, plyometrics, mountain climbers, running especially outdoors and swimming. You are guaranteed to see better results and will feel the difference in your hear rate.
Use time under tension (TUT)
I’ve previously been guilty of performing the same speed in a lot of my workouts or actually just sticking to the same workout routine. The average time it takes to perform 10 reps is usually about 15-20 seconds, what you want to try is draw this out to 30-40 sec. Where each rep would usually take you 1-2 sec to perform, aim for it to take up 3-4 secs per rep. The more time under tension, the harder the workout and therefore greater results. Expect TUT to help increase muscle growth and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Add agility training to your workouts
Rarely do people try agility training (ladder runs, jumping). Yes, it’s quite sports specific but it’s great to shake things up in current workout and everyone can benefit from agility work. Something really simple is an shuttle run, working on accelerating, decelerating and directional change.
Ban all floor-based ab workouts
There’s no need to freak out, here are some suggestions: Knee to elbow hangs, wood chops or even the plank – especially on an angle – put your feet on the lounge, elbows on the ground allowing your weight to be angled (feet higher than shoulders) have feet shoulder width apart, keep your tummy tight and control your breathing. Hold for 10 seconds then release – rest for 10 seconds then repeat. As you get a stronger core try to lengthen the time to 15 seconds then 20 seconds. Do this for 8-10 reps.
Become competitive with a friend.
Go running! Pick someone who is a better runner than you so that you challenge yourself, push yourself harder and feel that burn. So many of us get caught out running the same track, same pace and for the same distance and time. Running with a better or faster runner than you will force you out of that comfort zone and make you push yourself harder.
Try using your own body weight
No machines allowed. Be creative with your workouts – easily done at home. Try – step ups, lunges, side lunges, burpees, push-ups and planks etc. Use the TUT method with this body weight only method to challenge yourself and better results.