Why It’s Time to Ditch Your Workout

by Michelle Sutton-Kerchner

Nothing sends you to the couch, and your stash of elastic waistbands, quicker than a stale workout. So, go ahead and recycle your routine. Turn it into something new and fab …

The arrival of summer, like other seasonal shifts, brings opportunity for change. Summer typically signals more flexible and fluid schedules. Often, time is less structured; the vibe is more casual. Capitalize on these welcome realities by using them to enhance your fitness routine.

Timing Is Everything

The change of seasons provides a natural segue to a new workout program. Every twelve weeks, the body (and brain) are ready for new fitness challenges. Try to sync your routine with the seasons. Take advantage of each season’s uniqueness to transform your workout. Be sure to make modifications throughout though—at weeks six, eight, and ten—to assure effectiveness.

Focus on Summer

Your tried-and-true Center workout offers the comfort of a loyal friend through summer’s unpredictable days. Make it compliance-worthy by keeping it fun and fresh. Do what you love but with continuous tweaks to prevent muscle adaptation.

Examples of how to vary your workout and accommodate your summer lifestyle:

Love to cycle? Change up your routine with a Cycling class offered at a different time or with a different instructor. This approach to summer Group Fitness, in general, keeps it fresh while accommodating any shifts to your schedule that occur. Or, replace the class with a different Group Fitness offering. Try one that focuses on a different muscle group. Then, take your cycling outdoors. Summer is for bike rides under a setting sun or along the beach.

Spend a lot of time in the pool? Concentrate on land routines at the Center, like strengthening and stretching. A trainer can guide you on how to vary your strength training program. Schedule your routine assessments to maintain progress. Their timely occurrence every six weeks coincides nicely to avoid muscle memory (which reduces the effectiveness of workouts).

And, because you are enjoying a lot of pool time, consider adding swim lessons to your Center workouts. Perfect your stroke so you can kick out some laps while you are splashing around. Complement your formal workouts with some aquatics, and your fun with some exercise.

Are you a Group Fitness groupie? Summer schedules may interfere with your addiction to these social fitness experiences. Pick your faves and commit to them, regardless of what cookouts and daytrips come your way. Group Fitness frequently launches new classes, with options to keep your mind and body anxiously anticipating the next groove.

During the summer, Group Fitness schedules are adjusted to offer popular favorites at convenient times. Often, this includes shorter classes earlier in the day so you can fit in fitness. This allows you and your workout buddies the ability to catch your favorite class as well as take your camaraderie to the hiking trails, 5K events, and beach yoga.

Quick Changes

Trying new workouts and varying techniques is especially helpful during summertime, when there are waves to catch (distractions) and milkshakes to enjoy (food temptations). Make your fitness experience something worthy of abandoning lazy hours floating on a raft. Create a priority-worthy workout for when temptations strike and the calendar overflows with summer fun.

Without much effort, you can transform your workout to accommodate your changing physique and seasonal obligations.

• Complement your formal workout with summer physical activities like tennis, swimming, biking, Frisbee, and backyard games. This introduces more movement to your day, increasing overall fitness level.
• Make the most of your time on the Fitness Floor with a version of periodization training: Plan shorter, more intense workouts for those times you need to be elsewhere—like enjoying vacation. During rainy days or unbearable heat, you deserve a workout in the comfortably air-conditioned Center. That might be a good time for longer sessions with lighter weights and more reps.
• Modify a favorite class to increase heart rate or engage different muscles.
• Try new fitness equipment. Get a demo or instructions from a trainer.
• Discover new workouts like Pilates and yoga, which enhance all other fitness efforts and improve quality-of-life.

When it comes to your summer workout, learn from the tide: Keep it flowing. Some days, strong and fierce. Other days, mild and easy. Consistent but different every day.

Image Credits

Personal trainer change-up: pixabay.com/en/fitness-training-cardio-gym-1877210/

Beach yoga: pixabay.com/en/beach-sea-lake-609235/

Ocean waves: pixabay.com/en/wave-sea-water-beach-foam-nature-2260563

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