Consistency in exercise is important to progress, but changes can come in handy when it comes to improving and achieving a goal. If you’re wondering when to vary your training routine, pay attention to these signs that the time has come.
The coaches agree that repeating over and over again, the same workouts can be monotonous and ineffective. As a general rule, they advise not to maintain the same routine for more than two-three months, but each person is different and it is not always clear when to introduce modifications in the training you do.
Those favorable changes can be very diverse. Incorporate High-Intensity Intervals (HITT) into swimming, cycling, or running workouts; vary exercises, change activities, combine cardio and strength, modify training times, work with new machines in the gym, work with more weight or number of repetitions the options are multiple but the important thing is to detect, at the right time, the signs that you should vary your routine. Keep reading!
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Signs That Warn Of A Necessary Change In The Way You Train
Any weekly training plan has to be personalized. There are no good or bad routines in themselves because the best is the one that adapts to your needs and helps you achieve your goals. Times are always relative, but there are four unmistakable signs that warn you that modifying your routine is a priority:
Lack Of Motivation
If you enjoy sports but lately training seems like a very unappetizing plan, it is clear that something is wrong. A routine repeated week after week can turn into a real bore. You know the exercises by heart and you do not see in it an incentive to repeat it one more time. If this happens to you, without a doubt, you must change your way of training to find the motivation that you lack.
If you run on asphalt, spend a day discovering a new field trip, or try combining running with other sports or activities (swimming, yoga, Pilates…). If you train strength, try new exercises or weights that challenge you. Motivation is key to making an effort in training. If you can’t find it, it’s time to change your training routine.
Little Time And Little Effort
Do not settle, because doing your routine does not cost you anything, you must enter variables for it to be really effective. It usually occurs with people who just started training to start from a first routine that, after a few weeks, is “short”. Of course, you have to start small, but if you notice that training does not involve any effort, you must go to the next level and establish the necessary changes so that your work really brings you benefits and improvements in your physical form.
Stagnation
The body gets used to a certain level of effort and uses less and less “fuel” (calories and fat) to achieve it. When this happens, we speak of stagnation because the workouts you do at this point do not bring you anything new. Whatever your goal: lose weight, increase the volume of your muscles, gain power and endurance in the race, burn more fat … If you detect that in recent weeks there has been no progress, this is the clearest sign that you should change your training routine.
Aches And Pains
Common sense that should not be forgotten to change your training routine. It is normal, when you start a certain type of training, to have stiffness or feel your muscles sore after the effort (they are recovering), but if after the first weeks you have serious discomfort or pain, perhaps the chosen routine does not suit your needs. Physical conditions so, logically, you must heed the warnings that your body gives you and modify your training routine to keep only the benefits for your health that sports activity implies.
In conclusion, it is always good to listen to what your body is telling you. So if you notice any of these warning signs of your progress coming to a halt, take the time to make some changes to your workout routine your body will thank you and your results will speak for themselves.
