The 7 Benefits of Varied Exercise

There is no doubt that humans are creatures of habit and when it comes to exercise, there is no exception. When we go to the gym, we like to stay in the areas where we feel most comfortable. We use the machines we are confident with and the stretches we learnt from our workout classes. However, if you are stuck in your fitness journey or you have stopped seeing results, your repetitive training is most likely the culprit.

Studies reveal that your mind and body constantly need to try something different to continuously learn and improve.

1) Beats Boredom

Doing the same kind of exercise every time you work out can lead to extreme boredom. If you find yourself dreading your next workout session, or even worse – finding an excuse, it is time to switch up your regime. Make it your monthly target to search for and try new sports and workouts throughout the month to keep you from feeling bored.

For example, if you love running, you could mix it up with some sprint interval training or hill repeats. Alternatively, if you love weight lifting, you could try ‘drop sets’ where you force more reps out by gradually dropping your weights, forcing more blood into the target muscle group causing the muscle to tear and then promote growth.

Remember to keep challenging your mind and body, so you are always feeling invigorated each time you complete your workout.

2) Break through a weight loss plateau

When you do the same activity all the time, your body gets used to it and becomes very efficient which eventually means that you will burn fewer calories even when you are doing the same amount of exercise. The solution is to challenge your body in a way that it is simply not used to. Your body will then need to work harder as it adjusts to the new activity, which means that you will burn more calories when you work out. Don’t forget to eat a healthy, balanced diet as the food you consume is just as important, if not more important than working out.

3) Helps keep your brain healthy

Exercise is also essential for keeping your brain sharp and helping to prevent any memory loss. Learning a new skill will help your neurons fire better, so learning a new exercise is essentially a double-whammy when it comes to your brain health.

A team sports requires lots of skill, memory and excellent communication skills. You need to stay engaged, so do not pick a form of exercise that you can do on autopilot. You do not need to overly exert your body; however, you do need to make sure you exercise regularly. Research shows that active individuals have a lower risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and stroke: illnesses that can affect your memory.

4) Prevents injury

If you have been doing the same exercises in the gym and suddenly get injured, it is called repetitive strain injury. This injury often occurs from doing lots of repetitive motions such as running, hitting a tennis ball, rowing. By mixing up your workout regularly, you will give your overused muscles, joints and ligaments the opportunity to rest and recover before you put them into action again. If you do endure an unfortunate injury, performing a different activity on a different muscle group will help you stay in shape and heal simultaneously.

5) Combine Socialising with Working Out

In this day and age, we all find it difficult to find time for absolutely everything we want to do, including finding the time to socialise. Therefore, by agreeing to mix up your work out, you can try a new activity with an old friend or even make new ones in the class!

If you would prefer to bring a familiar face to a new exercise class, you can catch up, have a laugh, encourage each other all whilst moving your body and getting healthier. You can also keep each other accountable for sticking to the arranged agreement.

However, if you are keen to build new relationships, you may want to arrive to the class or group solo. You will already enter the class with a shared interest, exercising and improving your health which can always make it easier to initiate conversation.

6) Commitment and Goal Achievement

If you have already pre-booked a new exercise class or spent money on a Personal Trainer, reports reveal that you are more likely to keep that comment, attend and achieve your goals as you do not want to let anyone down or be out of pocket. Slowly, as that new exercise class becomes part of your routine, you will find it less challenging and you will be more likely to stick to your commitment.

7) Get Excited about Exercise Again

If you have hit the snooze button one too many times and skipped the gym this week, it is definitely time to shake up your workout. Overall, it may take a little trial and error before you find a new workout you enjoy but keep going until you find your passion. Then, you can simply alter your workout routine so that you include several types of activity every week. You will see better results and you will have a lot more fun doing it.

8) Varied Work Outs at Ardencote

At Ardencote we have a range of facilities that will keep your work out week both varied and exciting. Becoming an Ardencote Leisure Club Member will provide you with full access to our two gymnasiums, dance studios, squash and tennis courts and our indoor and outdoor swimming pools. So, whether you are in the mood for an intense weights’ session, some light cardio or a peaceful swim – we have you covered.

Our range of classes can also provide you with:

Pilates, Yoga, Body Toning, Body Conditioning, Box Fit, Boxercise, Kettle Size, Circuit Training, Zumba, Legs Bums and Tums and Aerobocise.

Click here to find out more.

9) Outdoor Work Outs

In the summer months, we also take our workout sessions al fresco. A recent American Study found out that outdoor exercises lost an average of 6% body fat in eight weeks. Reason being is that outdoor workouts challenge your muscles with inclines, declines and obstacles. You will also improve your mood and boost self-esteem by performing outdoor exercises.

With our 30-minute outdoor workout circuit, you will burn about 250 calories whilst firming up all over. Each week you will find a new regime, keeping things fresh and fun.