Stuck in a training rut? Crush boredom, plateaus and the urge to quit with easy tweaks to your fitness routine…
Rainy day workouts
Rut: You default to your favourite video or YouTube workout on rainy days. Tweak: Stream an online boutique class. Sculpt lean lines with Studio Tone It Up, the recently launched app from power duo Katrina Scott and Karena Dawn. For about R185 a month, you get access to dozens of on-demand workouts, with new ones rolling out every week.
READ MORE: 5 Game-Changing Tips I Learnt When I Started Studying Personal Training
Same old gym, same old routine
Rut: You go to the same gym three times a week (gotta make the most of that membership!) and end up doing the same thing over and over. Tweak: Switching it up can offer an energising change in perspective every once in a while. Take advantage of under-the-radar promos. Many boutique studios offer free or discounted classes for your first class or a returning visit and some give out perks for referrals. (So tag along with a friend who’s a devotee of another tribe – it’s a win-win.) Deals aren’t always advertised, so be sure to ask.
READ MORE: 10 Exercises To Make You A Faster Runner And How To Score A New PB
A stale strength circuit
Rut: You’ve committed your strength circuit to memory – and follow it to a T. Tweak: Splurge on a single training session with a personal trainer or see if you even have one in the bank – some gyms include a free session when you initially sign up. Not only can she teach you new, compound moves (like a Bulgarian split squat versus your standard air squat) to score extra muscle definition, but the trainer can show you new tricks on old machines (like engaging a muscle from a different angle to double-down on your gains) for the next time you circuit on your own.
READ MORE: How To Do Bicycle Crunches Without Killing Your Neck
Running in circles
Rut: You run the same route every time you lace up your shoes. Tweak: Use an app, like Strava, to doodle a fun shape on your digital map, then see where the course takes you. En route, interject three or four bursts of speed. Sprinting for 30 seconds before slowing down to your steady pace taps into your body’s ability to stay in fat-burning mode while it cools down and repairs itself.
