How to Break Away From Your Boring Old Gym Routine
personal trainer LA " >
If you haven't worked out regularly in a while, you usually see a lot of fast improvements as you get going during the first few months. Eventually, it is common to plateau for a while. You will see little to no progress, almost as if your current routine just isn't effective any more. This is your body letting you know that it is tired of doing the same old stuff and it is time to change it up a bit. Many people face the similar problem of only knowing a few workout routines in which case a personal trainer Los Angeles can be very beneficial. They can help you design a new workout tailored for your specific goals and body type and help you get past that frustrating "plateau" so you can get back to making improvements with every session.
Altering your workout has many benefits. Often if you have been following the same routine for a few months, day in and day out, it becomes monotonous and almost robotic. Your muscles don't respond the same way eventually because they adapt quickly, hence the fast immediate gains early on. Changing your routine can help you break out of a plateau because different exercises, even targeted to the same muscle groups, may work different muscles in a different way.
I like to change my workout every other month or so to keep it from getting stale, sometimes even earlier. Otherwise I get bored and that causes me to be less diligent with my routine. Changing the routine can help to target smaller muscles which you may not have been using much with your other workouts. It will help you maintain progress over time.
For athletes, this is also a great time to explore some good cross training opportunities. It can be a fun way to change up your work out. The benefits of weight training can be hard to replicate with other exercises, but of course there are other more strenuous activities. For example, bouldering requires immense strength, endurance and determination. Most climbers are in great shape.
Of course, rock climbing is not for everyone. I love it, but it may not be for you. Remember these are just examples and there is always more than one way to skin a cat, or, in this case, get into great shape. You could hire a trainer or try a karate class. Mixed martial arts has also taken off and those fighters train very hard. Gyms are popping up all over the country to supply the insane demand created by UFC over the last decade. My personal LA personal trainer offers classes in this and the few times I joined in were absolutely grueling. A few sessions with a great MMA trainer could give you a whole new perspective on what you are really capable of.
Remember though, you don't have to try every single thing that is out there just for the sake of changing up your routine. Once you find a few things you like you can rotate between them at your own discretion. Ultimately it all comes down to what works best for you. The main thing is to just change it often enough to keep your muscles from getting bored. Rotate every three to four months and you will be fine.