Becoming bored is one of the major issues that keeps girls from working out on a regular basis. If you tend to do the same routine each time you workout, consider adding just one or two new sections to your exercise. Not only will it liven up a ho-hum workout, it will also work new muscle groups that you may have been neglecting before. Also if you don’t push yourself past what you can already do in an exercise, then you will never truly benefit from your efforts. So read on and be prepared to do a little something extra next time you hit the gym.
Walker: Add stairs
If you live on the 8th floor of your dorm, this will be easy for you. If you’re at the gym, there may be stairs in the front leading into the building. If there are not, then just take a walk of your campus. You’ll definitely find some.
Benefits: Walking up and down stairs is a lot more challenging than just walking on flat ground, so it is an instantly more intense workout. It also targets your glutes, calves, and hamstrings very effectively.
Walker/Jogger: Add weights
Pick up some easy 5 pound weights and carry them next time you walk around the block. Or fill up 2 water bottles and carry them if you don’t have any weights lying around. If you’re really ready for a change, try the weight machines at the gym in addition to your walking program. Use weights with light resistance and do 3 sets of 10 or 2 of 15.
Benefits: Once you have developed stronger muscles, you will start burning more calories throughout the day because extra muscle burns more energy than body fat at rest.
Runner: Add sprints
Add sprints to your run. You don’t need to run further than usual (unless you want to) just add 2 or 3 sprints to your existing jogging route. Try making yourself sprint to the next stop sign or the next corner of the track, then continue running after your sprint but at an easy pace, so you can let your body adjust.
Benefits: Besides being a great way to deal with stress, sprinting is great for burning calories. Not only will you burn during your workout, but after your resting heart rate will improve and cause you to burn more calories for the remainder of the day.
Swimmer: Add butterfly kick
Next time you’re at the pool, don’t just swim consecutive laps of front crawl. Try some sets of kicking, specifically the butterfly kick.
Benefits: The butterfly may not be a lot of people’s favorite stroke, but it is an amazing ab workout. After just one length of butterfly, you will feel that all of you core muscles have been worked.
All-around-athlete: Add yoga
College is a great time to try out yoga. Your university’s fitness center probably has classes which are a lot less expensive than those that you’d find anywhere else. Don’t want to pay or join a class? Search for free online videos to demonstrate some basic moves.
Benefits: Yoga is said to be great for improving strength, flexibility, and balance, which can translate into any other sport.
What Do You Think?
What’s your workout routine? How often do you think of new exercise ideas?
Yoga is a great form of exercise and should be incorporated by everyone, not just the all-around-athlete. It is great for college students to help reduce stress, especially around the dreaded mid-term and final weeks!