Just like the dust on your wooden blinds* or the stale bread in back of your fridge, sometimes you need to pick up, dust off and maybe even purge your workouts. If you've been doing the same workouts all winter (or not working out much at all) it may be time to spring clean your workout to get a fresh start for Spring.
*Any resemblance to real life regarding dust on blinds is purely coincidental and may not reflect actual blinds in my house. hah.
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5 WAYS TO SPRING CLEAN YOUR WORKOUT
CHANGE IT UP
Just like you might change out your bed sheets or curtains for a spring variety, now is the perfect time to make changes to your exercise routine. Doing the same things over and over again can stall progress and even could cause repetitive or overuse injuries. Use the new season as an excuse to try some new things. If you're a runner, try a Barre class. If you lift weights, you might benefit from the mobility of Yoga. Find something that interests you and compliments your current exercise routine. Sprinkle in some workouts to move your body in new ways and keep things interesting.
PROGRESS FORWARD
Spring is a great time to upgrade our workouts. Our body adapts to the stresses that we place upon it. This means if you have been doing the same workout all winter long, your body has probably has gotten very efficient at it. It sounds like a good thing, to be efficient, but your body is not working as hard as it once was so you may not be burning as many calories or getting stronger like you once were with the same workout. While I won't recommend jumping from one exercise program to another every month, because consistency is key, it is always a good idea to keep progressing forward.
How do you progress? You can increase time, intensity or load. Which means you could add an extra day, do more reps, increase the difficulty of the exercise (single leg exercises instead of two legs), increase the weight, increase the time working out overall or decrease the rest time between sets or intervals. The idea is to challenge yourself in a new way so that you keep moving forward in your journey. Need help with this? I'd love to help.
PURGE
When you spring clean you may go through your drawers, book shelves and closets to purge the things that are taking up space and no longer serving you. Review your progress from your winter. routine. How did it go? Are you better than you were at the start of the winter? Or just chugging along? Are you getting closer to your goals? Are you tracking progress? Examine what is working for you and what is not working. If you are running and keep getting injured, it may be time to scale back the miles and add in some strength or cross training. If you feel tired all the time, you may need to increase your rest days or sleep habits. If you haven't been consistent enough, then it may be time to review your daily habits. Spring is a great time to toss away the things that aren't working for you and start fresh.
GET SOME FRESH AIR
Open those windows of opportunity and let in the fresh air. If you've been trapped on a treadmill or in the gym all winter, then spring offers the perfect perfect chance for a change of scenery. Take advantage of the mild weather to get outdoors to get some fresh air. Whether it's a jog in the park, on the trails or an outdoor bootcamp, getting outdoors can breathe some fresh air into your workouts. Give my park bench workout a try.
FRESHEN UP
You may buy new curtains for spring, but I will buy some fun new workout clothes! Nothing says spring cleaning like tossing some of that old workout gear that has lost its luster and freshen up with new patterns and colors. Here are some fun spring colors and funky patterns to add some pizazz to your workout gear.
Let's go! Let's take advantage of a fresh new season to get moving towards our goals.
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