Starting a workout routine and sticking with it is hard. Stopping one after it’s become your habit and your results are becoming evident can be even harder. Even so, it can sometimes be very important to take a breather now and again. As much as you would like to get your results quickly, workout burnout could just strike if you push your body too much!
What is Workout Burnout?
Workout burnout can happen in one of two ways – physical burnout or just plain boredom. Both can sideline fitness efforts and make sticking with a program over the long haul difficult. You need to be inventive and keep yourself primed and always adapting to a new challenge to counteract these roadblocks.
But the first type of workout burnout involves the body itself. The body needs time to recover after a vigorous workout – even a safe, well-planned workout that doesn’t overly stress muscles. It simply takes a little time for the body to readjust after a great routine. Jumping right back into training the day after a great workout can lead to problems and overtraining. That’s why it’s often recommended people work out every other day or they switch up the type of exercises and their concentration areas from day to day.
Identifying this type of burnout is fairly simply. In addition to the potential for aches, pains, and general fatigue your pulse can be your guide. To see if you’re over-training and need to take a break, just take your pulse first thing in the morning on the day following a great workout. If it runs 10 beats per minute or more over your normal pulse rate, it’s time to take a break for a day or so. Failing to do so can overtax the body and may eventually lead to injuries that sideline your fitness efforts.
Monotony – How to Avoid It
The other type of workout burnout involves boredom with your routine. While this 2nd type of burnout won’t necessarily cause your body injury and overuse like the first type, it can still seriously derail efforts to ingrain fitness into your regular routine. To make working out fun and something you can maintain, consider and apply these strategies:
• Incorporate exercises that are enjoyable to you. For cardio workouts, for example, try swimming, biking or even playing a sport that’s personally enjoyable. You can integrate a variety of cardio training that will provide amazing conditioning and results. Ever try a jump rope?
• Mix it up. Consider varying workout routines from day to day or week to week. You want to primarily work big muscle groups that build a lot of strength, stamina, and build your metabolism. Keep it interesting though and continue to challenge yourself-learn something new each day.
• Consult a personal trainer at a local gym or fitness center for advice on how to make workout time fun time. These pros know how to keep people on track. They can also help with advice to avoid the first type of burnout. The right trainer for you will naturally inspire and motivate you.
• Consider taking some group exercise classes at your fitness center or gym to make working out social. Rowing classes, TRX classes, and spinning classes are just a few of the many options you should have. A workout partner can make all the difference as well as a supportive small group training. Small Group Personal Training
About the Author
Marin health and fitness expert, John Spongberg is the founder of Personal Training in Marin as well as an accomplished author, speaker and life coach. He is dedicated to helping people reach their optimum level of fitness, health and body satisfaction through a unique, comprehensive whole-person approach, customized to each client. Mr. Spongberg creates a successful experience for individuals who are ready to take the next step to, once and for all, achieve the extraordinary health, vitality and body they’ve long been dreaming of. Your satisfaction is personally guaranteed 100% or your money back! If you’re ready, you can reach Mr. Spongberg at (415) 322-7033 or visit his website at http://PersonalTrainingInMarin.com where you can download your free copy of his special health and fitness report, The Truth About Losing Weight
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