Creating A Wide Range of Fitness | Diet and Exercise | Real Life Fitness | PhitZone

Give yourself options in fitness

Guest post by Jim Rollince

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You’re inadvertently creating heightened stress levels and lessening the overall pleasure found in exercise by never changing up a workout routine. I discovered this the hard way when I found myself tossing and turning until six am a few nights ago – My customary routines (along with work and play) were leading to increased stress levels, and making these daily much more difficult to perform. So, it was time to do something about it.

But some things are more easily changed than others. In the short term, by utilizing some simple ingenuity, I spent the extra time I had in my daily fitness regiment to find new ways to stir up excitement. So, in a sense, it was my routines that lead to new opportunities. Ironic! I know, but sometimes people only make changes when they’re forced to, or are pushed to their breaking point.

Those who exercise do one, pursue the following; endurance, cardio or strength. There are a handful of individuals, mind you, who aren’t professional athletes, which practice both, regularly. And although they are in supreme physical condition, they’re mind and bodies will grow tired of routine. It’s only in our human nature that we become bored and seek out new, interesting things! But let’s start small.

For some, this could mean simple changes in their free-weight exercises, starting the week with arms, and ending in chest. For others, it’s about cycling or running that extra six miles a day. It’s my sturdy recommendation to indulge in a solid mix of free weight exercise AND cardio, as not to create boredom, or lack of will.

And a workout regiment should vary from week to week, no matter WHAT – Spontaneity is the answer! Trainers and fitness experts claim to love what they do, and if you were to ask any one of them about their schedule, I’m sure you’d be quite surprised. But tweaks in the gym aren’t the only solution; there are so many other naturally engaging ways to become healthy.

This could involve any of the following activities:

• Mountain Climbing
• Jogging
• Kayaking
• Sports (i.e. – Tennis, Soccer, Basketball, etc..)
• Swimming
• Karate

These activities don’t always have to be as strenuous as you think. For example, playing 18 holes of golf is an great way to tone leg muscles and burn calories, granted you walk. Another great example is a simple walk through the park or around the block – whichever is most suiting to your environment. And don’t be afraid to take a break and do something you love that won’t break your wallet or clog your arteries. Personally, I love to fish, and I think this is an excellent way to relieve stress and ease the mind and body.

The effects of increased stress are irritability and the general feeling of soreness and tiredness. This could be detrimental to any workout routine or a person’s mental state. Congruently, things like posture and ability to perform daily activities other than exercise become tarnished.

Teaching the body and muscles new things is extremely important as well. This is inherently accurate with things like dance. Particularly, Zumba is an excellent example of something unique. The ability to indisputably enhance cardio and endurance while practicing muscle memory routines effectively exercises the whole body, but even more importantly, it’s just plain fun!

The most practical way to stay in shape is by playing intramural sports. The pure competitive nature of these athletic activities raises adrenaline, and further drives the body above and beyond. Although difficult for those without inbuilt talent, people sometimes crave the need to become better. These fast paced competitive activities come with a certain rush, which is a perfect segway into my next point.

Mixed Martial arts is growing in popularity, and certainly does come with a grueling training schedule for anybody that’s involved. Congruently, people have been taking up things like karate and Jiu Jitsu for decades. Surprisingly enough, most people enrolled in such activities begin at a very early age, but don’t stay in tune.

Most of the teachings and practices of things like mountain climbing, soccer, and mixed martial arts are very difficult to mimic at an ordinary Gym. Yet, they are all great ways to actively stay in shape, and are also quite enjoyable!  I’m not telling you readers to stray too far from popular routine involving treadmills, ellipticals, and home gyms, as these are essential tools in cardiovascular fitness. With that, remember to get your heart rate up every now and then, whether you’re going for an outdoor run or swimming in your pool. And lastly, remember to have fun!

Jim Rollince is a representative from the web relations department of Gym Source. He currently oversees all creative writing efforts and is an expert in Home Training Equipment.