Don’t get stuck in a rut

Variety is the spice of life and in no aspect of life does this phrase ring truer than in your workout routine. Doing the same class week in week out is a recipe for disaster – you’ll be bored, you won’t progress and you may even end up giving it up. Don’t get stuck in a rut – the secret to success is to mix it up. We chat to UK Nike trainer and Optimum Nutrition sponsored athlete Carly Newson to get her top tips for keeping things fresh.

Prevent the plateau
Doing the same old thing every week or for months on end is not only dull, it’s futile. If you don’t continually push your body harder with increasingly tougher workouts or different types of workouts, you won’t progress. ‘No matter how hard you’re working out, your body will naturally adapt after about six weeks,’ says Carly. ‘It’s therefore important to mix up your training in order to continue growing the body and preventing a plateau.’ Try to change things up regularly. ‘It is important to change your programme every few months,’ says Carly. ‘Alternating your workout routines is a way to increase your performance and overall fitness without stressing your body out to the max.’

Change your class
Losing interest in Zumba? Forcing yourself to yet another spin class? If you’ve been doing these classes religiously for months, it’s time to think about trying something new to challenge your body in different ways. ‘You could also try another form of cardio like a boxing class or add some swimming into your workout routine,’ says Carly. And this doesn’t mean you have to leave your original class for good, try something new for six weeks, then go back to Zumba, then try dance aerobics, hula hooping or circuits for a few weeks. Want to do something from home? Check out our fab workouts for women.

Mix up your weights
Stuck in a rut with your weights routine? ‘Changing up your rep range with your weight training and rest time in between working sets will also help mix up your training,’ says Carly. And if you’re stuck for ideas for new exercises, check out our workouts section for some inspiration.

Make it complementary
Cross-training, or training in several different activities can be very beneficial. But which activities go together best? ‘Swimming can be a beneficial cross training activity as it’s a non weight-bearing exercise,’ says Carly. ‘Great for allowing your legs to take a break and to develop upper body strength.

Yoga and pilates are also great cross training activities as they lengthen and strengthen the body. They also allow you to focus on your inner self, energise your muscles and stretch.’ And grabbing the weights can have loads of benefits for your health and boost your results in your other activities. ‘Strength training also sits well with cross training as it balances out the upper and lower body strength,’ says Carly. Weight training is a great way to enhance your cross training routine and performance.’