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Super-charge Your Results With These Great Workout Options
Today I’d like to introduce Lisa Johnson from www.lisajohnsonfitness.com. Lisa runs an award-winning Pilates studio and with her unique perspective has quickly established herself as a writer of integrity on all things fitness.
The seasons are changing and it’s time to freshen up your workout. It’s so easy to get into a rut and wonder why you’re no longer seeing any changes in your body, gains in strength, or a decrease in your dress size. Here are some ideas for mixing up your workout and getting more out of your precious time.
Switch Venues
If you’re used to exercising inside, take it outside, at least one day a week. If you’re always going to the same yoga studio, try a different one. If you’re a road runner, try trail running for variety and a new challenge. You get the idea; take your normal activity and switch locations for extra fun, challenge, and most likely a higher calorie burn too.
Tune Up with a Trainer
Hire an expert to tell you how to mix it up. If you’ve been doing the same old weight training routine then a single session with a trainer will go a long way. You’ll learn new exercises and new weights to use, different levels of sets and reps. You’ll also get a plan that will keep you challenged for the next few weeks to keep you inspired to keep torching those calories. A personal trainer can be about the same amount of money as a nice meal in a restaurant and you’ll get waaaay more out of it!
Try Something New
You hear your friends talking about a fun fitness class they go to. Or you hear about a brand new fitness trend on TV or the internet. Give it a go. Find a local class and see if you like it. If you do, you’ll have a fun new exercise to add to your fitness routine, and if you don’t, you can chalk it up as a learning experience. From acrobatics to Zumba, from Spinning to mountain hiking, there are loads of options out there and lots of fun waiting to happen.
Slow Down Your Sets
If you lift weights regularly you’ve probably been on auto-pilot for sometime. Super slow sets will challenge your workouts without changing anything else. Do a four count lift, pause, and a four count lower. This will force more muscle fibers to fire than normal and you should see a difference in toning in less than two weeks. Try it. It works great.
Add Kegels to Your Crunches
My last suggestion is a secret weapon. No matter what you’re doing for an ab routine, add a kegel to it and you’ll see amazing results in your lower abs. From decline bench crunches to Pilates, kegels will create a noticeable change within two weeks. Even for guys!
Changing seasons is always a good time to take stock of your fitness levels and shift into a new direction. I’d love to hear how you mix things up. Please share your ideas in the comments!
If you enjoyed Lisa’s article then don’t forget to check out her blog over here – Lisa writes regularly on exercise, nutrition, and motivation and I know you’ll enjoy her posts.
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