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October 05, 2005
Time for an update!
So you’ve finally gotten into your routine and exercise 5 days/week without fail? Congratulations on your consistency, but now it’s time for a change! It’s best to revise your workout every 4-6 weeks. Your body adapts to certain exercises and doesn’t respond as well. You also may get mentally bored doing the same routine over and over again. If you’re going to make an effort and put in the time, you better benefit from it right? There’s a few different ways your can change things up to give your body a better workout. One way is to change the intensity. If you’ve been walking for the past few weeks – change the terrain (either find some hills to walk up or increase the incline on your treadmill) or change your speed. You could try speedwalking or even try a little jogging. Another idea is to change the muscles you’re working. If you’re at a health club with a pool, try swimming some laps or use a machine with arm handles like the elliptical trainer or the rowing machine. If you are weight training, try different exercises that work your muscles at a different angle than you’ve been doing. For example, instead of a triceps pushdown using the cable machine, use a free weight and do triceps kickbacks one arm at a time. Or if you usually use the standing calf machine, try the seated calf. Another way to add variety to your weight training routine is to do supersets. Supersets involve 2 opposing muscle groups. For instance pair up muscle groups like biceps and triceps, chest and back and quadriceps and hamstrings. Do a set of chest presses and then do a set of lat pulldowns right after. Take a short rest and then do another set of chest presses and a set of lat pulldowns again and so on. Do 3 total sets of each and then move on to the next pair of muscles. Saves time and becomes more of an aerobic workout because you’re not resting as much. Also, if you usually focus on strength by lifting more weight fewer times, switch to a muscle endurance workout and drop the weight a little and do more repetitions. Try yoga, circuit training, maybe a spinning class – I could go on forever. Any way you choose, you’re body and mind will benefit.
Posted by Lisa at October 5, 2005 12:06 PM
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Comments
Your site is a very nice source of info.
Posted by: Brian Blanton at December 18, 2005 08:00 PM