Variety in Training

For many people just sticking to one form of exercise is tough enough, why would they want to throw anything else into the mix? With modern day lives getting busier every day it can be hard enough to fit some form of exercise in to your routine. But variety is the spice of life, and although as humans we are programmed to perform best with routine, sticking to the same activity all the time may be detrimental to your mental health as well as your physical goals.

The mental side:

Although you may still find your regular exercise is making you sweat, trying something completely different will inevitably work different muscles and different movement patterns; causing you to concentrate that little bit extra and making you sweat just that little bit more.

Remember that rewarding feeling when you first performed ‘Dynamic lunge’ for the first time, hit your goal of 5k, or walked that extra mile? Want that feeling back? Achieving new and different things improves our self esteem and confidence, making us more rounded as individuals and providing new experiences to learn from.

The physical side:

You may think that doing more could have the potential to drain lots of your valuable energy, however switching up your exercise routine or adding in a new activity can really benefit you physically. Doing more activity provides your muscles with new challenges, you’ll be burning more calories and will hopefully see results faster. As humans we were made to move, your body will respond. Finding exercise you enjoy is half the battle, but if you can choose exercises that compliment each other, you may even be able to reach your goals quicker.

For example; runners may choose Pilates to compliment their training; Pilates is a low impact, controlled and core focused strengthening activity whereas running is very high impact, high intensity and fast.

Things to Remember:

• Variety is the spice of life! The body responds well when facing new challenges and activities.
• If you’re thinking ‘I don’t have time to fit anything else in’ you can make small changes such as going for a 30 minute walk once or twice per week
• Variety is also good for our mental health and will build up your confidence towards exercise and fitness in general.
• Choose activities that don’t compete with, but compliment each other
• Overall, make sure it is something you enjoy!

Blog by Aimee Martin, Instructor and Personal Trainer