No Other Weights? No Problem!
With the popularity of at-home workouts still going strong, I’m often inviting folks to ensure they continue to add progression and variety to their workouts.
Why? 2 reasons:
1) When we look at behaviour change success, when we move past the 6 month window of habit engagement (“the maintenance phase”), the biggest threat to continued success? Boredom! So, it is important to keep up the variety, interest and challenge.
2) The question “how do I keep progressing without more weight?” is at the root of the other reason.
Many folks are limited in the size of weights they have at home, not able or not wanting to add more. And it makes good sense. Those weights are dang expensive and they are bulky to store.
So, how do we progress and keep your workout interesting?
Here are my top 5 suggestions:
> if you don’t have a heavier weight, use what you have and add more reps
> if you don’t have a heavier weight, change the exercise. Do something different for the same or similiar muscle group or movement pattern
> change the resistance. Instead of hand weights, try a Pilates ball or a long or mini resistance band.
> try a completely new activity. Sometimes to shake up our body and our brain, we do need to throw it all out and start again. Try a yoga class in lieu of your weight training for a few weeks. Or go for a hike or climb some stairs to swap out that old treadmill walk.
> get social. Join a movement activity that is group-based. Whether that be a sports team, a group fitness class or a crew that gets together for a walk, sometimes being in community is all it takes to get us motivated to move again!
What about you? What’s your favourite way to shake up your activities? I’d love to hear about it! deanna@deannalangfordcoaching.com
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Cheering you on to keep challenging your body and your brain!
Deanna