Fall Into Fitness - Four Simple Ways to Change up Your Routine this Fall

We all get stuck in routines - especially when it comes to workouts. And many times, the seasons can drive and determine how we are training. Maybe you’ve been doing more cardio this summer - biking and running, and hiking. Or maybe you’ve reached a strength plateau.

Your body and your muscles need confusion in order to develop. The longer you do a single move or workout, the more your muscles become used to it, and over time, the adaptation means your gains will slow down or even stop. Your mind also needs disruption at times. If you have been doing a certain routine for a period of time, you can start to simply go through the motions and that mind/movement connection gets missed.

A disruption or two in your routine - even small ones - will help wake up the mind and the body.

So try changing it up as we get into Fall and head toward Winter. Here are a few easy things to try:

Change up Your Modality - Add Something New!
If you're a cardio junkie, it may be time to add in a bit more strength training. If all you do is lift weights, try including one or two days of heart-healthy activity to round out your routine.
Or, you can try functional training and Hiit workouts to achieve both! Set up three or four small “stations” for yourself - maybe one is Kettlebell swings, the second deadlifts using a heavy med ball, the third, speed rope, the fourth a clean and press. Run through the stations three to four times and you’ll get a total body strength and cardio workout. Plus, functional training is fun!

Change Your Intensity:
If you feel that your workout has become less of a challenge, try gradually amping up the intensity. For example, if you are taking 60 seconds between each set, drop your recovery to 45 or 30 seconds. Another way to increase intensity: If you have an hour, set up 20-minute fitness challenges and work without rest. Remember to always keep your form.
Switch Up Your Reps and Sets:
Most people tend to gravitate to three sets of ten. So instead, try doing ten sets of three, and increase your weight. Or try five sets of five. See how your muscles feel and react and you can adjust accordingly.

Add in Holds:
Try adding in a pause before you initiate the concentric part of the movement. For example, if you’re doing a push-up, lower yourself down and pause before you push back up. This takes momentum out of play, which makes your muscles work even harder.

Blog submitted by Aktiv Solutions. At Aktiv®, we amplify functional training spaces with premium equipment and digital guidance powering today’s most sought after workouts. Our mission is to establish safe, functional, and engaging spaces, while our clients deliver inspirational exercise experiences. Gym Rax® is the world’s leading fitness rigging solution for modular storage and suspension. Integrating the principles of functional fitness with the technical expertise of functional design is our calling.