CHANGE IS GOOD

Ever hear the phrases “change is good”, “get out of your comfort zone”, “challenge yourself to do something different”, if you have you are not alone.  As repetitive and sometimes cliché as these sound, there is an aspect of truth behind them.  To target different muscles, avoid becoming bored, and to reach personal goals it is important to have variety in your workout routine.  If you are someone that loves running and other cardio intense activities you should also spend some time focusing on strength training and flexibility. Find a gym where you can use some free weights or a group class that incorporates body weight and muscle building exercises.  If you are a yoga master you don’t want to forget about strengthening your most important muscle, the heart. Find a mountain to hike, a trail to run or a bike to ride.

As much as you may enjoy the type of exercise you do, routines get boring and that could have a negative affect on how often and how hard you work out. Getting out of bed in the morning to go to that same spin class you do every day is way harder than if you have a new hot yoga class waiting for you to rock!  There might be a new passion out there waiting for you but you will never know until you “get out of your comfort zone” and “challenge yourself to do something different.” And hey, different fitness classes mean new workout clothes, and who doesn’t love a fresh pair of spandex.  Now let us get into some work out specifics to see the benefits of each.

Yoga- it is important to incorporate yoga into your work out routine for strength and flexibility.  Having a consistent yoga practice will lengthen and tone giving you long and lean muscles.  Overtime you will gain more flexibility, which will help prevent muscle injuries.

Running/spinning/cardio classes- your heart is one of if not the most important muscle in your body (pumping blood, oxygen, ya know those things you need to live). In order to strengthen your heart, you need to do cardiovascular intense work outs, ones that spike your heart rate and your breathing.  These types of workouts also speed up your metabolism, and keep it running throughout your day.

Strength training- whether you are a gym rat and hit those barbells or prefer a group class that ties in strength training, it is important to work on building muscle.  Building muscle uses energy that your body would otherwise turn into fat.

So there you have it… embrace the cliché and take a step out of your routine, switch things up, find a new passion and work your body in new and exciting ways.  Your overall health and fitness will thank you for taking that leap.  

There is a great way to try new things at a low cost, Class Pass!  You can try out different fitness studios around your area a few times a month for a much lower cost :)