A regular workout routine is a fantastic way to get into shape. However, when I say “regular routine” that doesn’t mean doing the same thing day in and day out is your best bet. It’s important to change up your routine to “shock” your muscles and to keep the workout interesting for yourself. A stale workout routine could get you in a slump and you may get bored of working out altogether.

Weight training is a great way to add mass and strength; however you may have no interest in that. If that sounds like you then you may need to look again at weight lifting. You don’t need to load up on heavy weights and over strain yourself to get the best out of this type of workout. A nice change from your everyday cardio routine could be to go for a quick jog to get your heart rate up, then do some light weights while maintaining a decent heart rate which will encourage continuous weight loss.

Even if you just want to bulk up and lift weights, throwing a bit of cardio into your routine can help with your heart strength and lung capacity. If you’re already an avid aerobic exerciser, don’t think you can’t mix it up by changing your routine a little. If you mainly go just for jogs, try taking a few cardio dance classes and burn calories to a beat. Or if you stick to cycling you could try doing a few laps and see if you can’t just hit a few more muscle groups.

Circuit training or boot camp types of exercise could also be a fun way to liven up your workout. These types of exercise already incorporate variety into their routine. A boot camp style workout may consist of a lot of different calisthenics such as jumping jacks, push-ups, pull-ups, or sit-ups. Circuit training could be a series of weight and cardio stations that alternate between aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

Stretching is something that should be incorporated into any exercise routine whether you’re looking for variety or not. You may decide to use a stretching routine as the main body of your workout with any of the many forms of yoga, or you can use it just for your warm up and cool down periods, but this is one thing that should definitely not be overlooked.

When adjusting your workouts don’t forget you need to progress your difficulty level and increase your intensity. Variation will keep your workout fresh and fun and your body will respond positively to the change in your routine.

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Physical fitness does not have to be something you dread. Getting into better shape can be whatever you make of it and it can be something you find enjoyable. Whatever you decide to make of your fitness plan, there are three basic categories to physical fitness that need to be maintained if you want to get into shape and feel great. Muscular strength, aerobic endurance, and flexibility are all vital components to any successful exercise plan and what you decide to do with each of those categories will be entirely up to you.

Strength Training
Everything movement you make uses muscles. Working on strength training will not only help to get you into shape, it will help you do things more easily in your day to day life. Anything from carrying groceries, to mowing your lawn, to folding your laundry can become a whole lot easier once your muscle are a bit better shape. There are many different exercises you can do with or without weight training equipment, and you can decide what intensity to work at, but keep in mind that you need to challenge yourself and use adequate resistance to progress to a higher fitness level.

Cardio Training
Cardio training is a key element to keeping your heart and lungs in shape and will be a very important aspect of your workout routine if you are trying to manage your weight. This aspect of physical fitness is so versatile you may find ways to exercise you would never think of as work. If you hate running on a treadmill don’t think you can’t still maintain your aerobic fitness. Try cycling or swimming, or perhaps even just going for a fast paced walk on your lunch break. You will be surprised at how much you can start to enjoy these activities when you see what you can accomplish.

Flexibility
Flexibility is so easy to overlook. Weight training and cardio seem like “exercise” whereas stretching and giving yourself a proper warm up may feel like an optional fitness bonus. Its importance should not be underestimated! Stretching your muscles will go a long way in preventing injury and will help your joints and muscles in your every day activities. You’ll save yourself a lot of pain if you take an extra five minutes before and after your strength and cardio training to stretch out and maintain a good range of motion.

Each of these three categories is something you can have fun with. You’ll likely discover new past-times you hadn’t thought of trying before such as skiing, mountain biking, or yoga. Once you start seeing the results of your efforts and noticing new abilities you never thought you could have, physical fitness will likely become an exciting activity for you that you can’t believe you were ever living without.

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