As summer fades into fall, you’ll certainly swap out your wardrobe. You’ll probably incorporate heartier vegetables and warmer meals into your weekly menus. But you also want to give your fitness routine a bit of a fall makeover, too.
The following four tips will help you revamp your workout so that it’s fresh and more functional for fall. Whichever methods don’t make the cut this season might even be useful when winter rolls around.
1. Try Something New: No matter the season, there’s no easier way to make your workout feel new than to, well, make it new. Start by researching some of the trendy, well-received workout classes that take place in your area. Then, try one.
To make this really effective, try something new that you would never normally do, and try to stick to it for longer than a week or two. A new form of exercise will work new muscles and keep you more engaged–you might just grow to love something that scared you before. If you really want to get creative, you can try working in some quick exercises at work. Just getting moving more during the day will motivate you to meet your fitness goals.
2. Go Heavier With Weights: So many lifters get into a rut, grabbing for the same weights each time they hit the gym. If you want to make your fall outs feel more intense, grab for heavier dumbbells and get back to work. You won’t be able to do as many reps, but that’s fine: you’ll be gaining muscle by giving yourself something harder to do. And, once you’re able to do 12 clean reps on your higher weight, add more to continue making progress.
3. Find a New Workout Buddy: This will be especially helpful if you work out alone since there are so many benefits to exercising with a friend. For one, it makes you more accountable: if you know your friend is waiting for you at the gym, you’ll go–even on a rainy or cold fall day.
But those looking to work out in a new way will benefit from a friend-to-friend workout, too. Your friend might have a completely different way of breaking a sweat or strengthening a particular muscle. Not only will you benefit from a different style of exercising, your friend will soak up your knowledge, too.
4. Work Toward Something: If you already like your exercise routine but feel as though you’re a bit stagnant post-summer, give yourself a goal to chase. Runners can sign up for a race, lifters can focus on a particular muscle group, spin aficionados can aim to increase resistance by two by the end of a month, etc. No matter what you choose, it will fuel you through your next season of workouts… or until it’s time to give yourself a new goal because you’re just too good.
As soon as you feel that first cool breeze in fall, you know it’s time for a change. And, now that wind will also bring with it a new workout routine that will have you stronger and more satisfied by the time you see your first winter snowflake.
How do you plan on switching up your workout game as autumn approaches?
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Photo: Aral Tasher via Unsplash
