Most people know that it’s important to be consistent with your training. Not only is it important to show up consistently (yes you need to actually get to the gym, get to a track or complete that home workout for it to count!), but it’s also important to stick with a program long enough to give it a fair chance and see if it’s really working.
If you want to see if lifting those 5 pound pink weights and using the hip abductor/adductor machines is getting you closer to your goals, go ahead and give them a fair chance. Probably more beneficial though, would be testing out a training program where you do some real strength training with big girl weights.
Although I have been sticking to the programs I write for myself for about 4-6 weeks each, I love throwing some random variety days into the mix! Currently, I’m strength training 3 times a week (usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and doing some type of conditioning with kettlebells on Tuesdays. Weekends are a fun time for me to change it up, especially in the summer when I can get outside and sweat with track workouts or taking long walks.
Over the past few weekends I took adding variety to my workouts to a new level.
One day Mike and I rode our mountain bikes a few miles and then stopped at a pretty steep hill to do hill sprints. We did 5 sprints, probably about 60 yards each and then rode home. That was enough for that day, believe me!
Another day we went out and rode our bikes in the woods for about 40 minutes. With lots of hills, rocks and branches it was a great workout. I had forgotten how much I love and hate mountain biking at the same time. The whole time I feel like I’m on the verge of a heart attack because I think I’m going to fall off and get hurt, but I love the challenge!
I loved it so much that this past weekend I went out with Mike and my dad for more. I tried hard to keep up with the boys, but I was pretty sweaty and tired afterwards! (Those pics actually are from different weekends I just somehow ended up wearing the same shirt.)
After switching it up and adding a little variety into my training routine, I was even more excited for a great strength workout this morning.
How do you add variety to your workout routine?
Amanda, I haven’t been able to visit your blog as regularly as I used to, but I’ve just had a great time catching up on your posts! I spent a few weeks getting my body ready to train again (once Ozai was about 6 weeks old) and now I’m doing 3-4 short and brutal backyard workouts with KBs, sledgehammer and tire, and anything else that sounds fun! I so agree with you that it’s important to have variety in yur workouts and once Ozai is a little older, I can’t wait to gt back in the pool, and hike in the Rockies! In the summer, we do tons of hiking in the mountains and in the winter, it’s all about snowshoeing and xcountry skiing. Living so close to the mountains really boosts the potential for weekend fun!!!
Ha! At first I thought you were implying to drink beer while working out to add variety with that ad there 😉 tehehe
I switch up my routine constantly. It’s the only way I won’t get too bored!
Your comment made me laugh out loud! Drinking beer during workouts may not be the best idea. Drinking after workouts may happen on occasion when we’re up at the lake though. 🙂