Last year when I changed jobs, I decided to give up my gym membership and it’s hefty monthly price tag. With my savings, I bought some new sneakers and winter running gear and settled into a new exercise routine: 3-4 days a week of running mixed with yoga and pilates. This routine has been working really well for me, or so I thought until last week.
I was lucky enough to be invited to spend Labor Day weekend in Nantucket. On the second day, I convinced my friends to rent bikes so that we could do some exploring while getting exercise. We started with a five-mile course that took us on a beautiful path towards the beach. We rode along, alternately chatting with and racing one another as the breeze played through our hair. It was so exhilarating. I kept thinking, "I forgot how much fun it is to ride a bike!"
Later that day, basking in the glory of our earlier ride, we decided to try an 18-mile round tripper that would take us out to a quaint town on the tip of Nantucket. This time, it was not so fun. My legs were burning in places that I didn’t even know I had muscles and I was panting by the end of some of the hills. I was very proud of myself when I finally pulled my poor, aching body into our driveway after two hours of biking. I could not sit down for three days without feeling pain. "What gives?" I thought, "I’m supposedly in good shape."
My Nantucket experience made me seriously question my exercise routine, which I am realizing has become just that: mundane, ordinary, and predictable. I love running, am a bit addicted to it really, but even on my best day, I wouldn't call it fun. Because of that, I don’t often push myself to run longer distances, mix in sprints, or even try new routes. And even though I think I'm pretty fit, my core strength and running endurance didn’t translate very well to biking. I have to admit to myself, I am stuck in an exercise rut. Not only am I a bit bored with my workouts, but I am also concerned that I’m over-taxing some of my muscle groups and under-utilizing others: a perfect recipe for injury.
With all of us being so busy now, it can seem like it’s easiest to just find a routine and stick with it. It takes a lot more time and effort to seek out and try new fitness activities. If you don’t like it, you feel like you’ve wasted the precious time you could have used to go for your tried and true run or do your 30 minutes on the elliptical. But trying new activities is important. It helps to keep both your brain and your body interested in what you’re doing.
I’ve decided that I desperately need to infuse some life back into my workouts and have looked into renting bikes in the city, playing tennis at the nearby courts, and even joining a running club so that I can make my jogs more social and fun activities.
Are you the type of person who sticks to one routine or do you like to mix it up with new activities? How do you break your exercise ruts?
Comments (9)
try to motivate yourself by signing up for a race with a longer distance
and as you run more you want to increase your other muscle strength to increase your speed
that's what happened to me, in one year I went from no running at all to loving my sport
I even add in weightlifting now to strengthen my muscles to prevent injury
Definitely mix it up. The body tends to adapt to exercises if they are repeated too often and progress will slow down until no progress is made at all. The only way to get out of that rut it to mix it up. Try some weight lifting (or body weight exercises). Maybe go swimming. Personally, I really like biking :D
Also, your 18-mile bike ride might have been a little extreme if you don't regularly bike. Not sure if Nantucket has lots of hills, but it definitely increases the intensity of a bike ride by quite a bit. I live in hilly San Francisco and 5 miles climbing hills is definitely painful hahaha And this is from someone who bikes about 3-4 times a week!
Good to mix things up with a bit of variation to keep you fit, and stop boredom! If you want to push yourself a bit, get a fitness buddy. You'll find you become a lot more competitive, and have someone to motivate you on days when you don't feel like it.
Oh..I like to do other things when exercising.BECAUSE it makes me hurt afterward,lol. But that is a giid thung,It means that you are fully using your body .When you get to the point that you have plateaued (sp?) and you don't feel it anymore,then you should probably switch to something new,just to kick start yourself again.
I use Netflix for my variety. You can watch workout videos instantly without spending an outragous amount. I mix up the videos as much as possible and still do my running for cardio. My body stays challenged and I still do what I like.
I don't vary my workout in the sense that I'm always running, but I do try to increase my endurance by running a little more each day...1.5 miles on Sunday, 1.6 yesterday and hopefully 1.7 tonight. I'm trying to get up to running 3 miles a day, eventually. Having a good playlist of music to listen to while working out definitely helps build in a little variety, though.
i love mixing things up but i think im in a rut now too....dangit! it's so hard with busy schedules
Have you got a hot yoga studio near you? I was like you, bored with my regular workout, and tried hot yoga about 3 months ago, and I have fallen in love with this! It is a full-body workout and even the fittest amongst us usually struggle through the first few classes. It is more challenging than you'd think, both mentally and physically. I never liked regular yoga, but really like this. Give it a try, it definately will shake up your fitness routine!
try going to www.trainwithjean.com it's the real deal when it comes to "online personal training". Training is a science that takes years to master. If you were having problems with your plumbing you would call in an expert i.e. your plumber. Since you are in a rut with your routine, and obviously don't want to spend that monthly membership fee, enrollment fee and administrative fee on top of personal training fees (heck the list goes on and on as far as who has their hand out for your hard earned money!) then all you need is a webcam and an internet connection. Each session last 30 minutes and you are with other people that are at your level of fitness (beginners, intermediate and advanced). Try it what do you have to loose. Go to the website to learn more.