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| Fitness Buzz: July 09, 2008 | |||||
Battling Workout Boredom and Plateaus...Cross Training comes to the Rescue.  I'm working on summer plans and have decided to head to Las Vegas in a few weeks for the party of the year. Before you start imagining me in a smoke-filled casino doing shots at the roulette table, let me clarify: for me, the "party of the year" is the IDEA World Fitness Convention, which is an international showcase for the biggest trends in the health and fitness industries. I've been affiliated with IDEA for many years (it's the world's largest organization for fitness professionals), so it's always exciting to attend their events and check out the latest developments in equipment, group exercise, nutrition, and training. It's a world of truly unlimited possibilities; there is simply no end to the variety of ways we can move and utilize our bodies...which got me thinking about the concept of cross-training.  Cross training means incorporating different types of exercise into your routine. For example, you can mix up your cardio regimen by varying the types of aerobic exercises you do, and alternating levels of intensity. Additionally, you might alternate the type of strength training you do - using dumbbells, cables, your own body weight, or |
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| adding bursts of cardio between sets. This helps
prevent the injury that can accompany overusing one muscle group, and delivers better results. If you keep your body guessing by providing different forms of physical stimulation, you'll adapt to new challenges and avoid plateaus. A plateau is just what it sounds like - it's a point when you stop making progress. Your body plateaus because it has become more efficient, more capable of handling the routine. Suddenly it doesn't have to work out as hard to get the workout done. Since it's not being challenged, it stays at the same level. So what can you do to get back to the kind of progress that feels so rewarding and keeps you motivated? You guessed it: start by incorporating some cross training into your routine.
Perhaps the greatest bonus of cross training is that it's the cure-all for one of the most common excuses for not exercising: boredom. If your routine has gotten monotonous, it's time to change it up. Take a salsa class, or get outside for a hike. Try swimming instead of biking. If you're using the same exercise DVD over and over again, try my Super Slimdown Circuit because pushing past plateaus never goes out of style! Not only will it get you out of your rut and renew the "fun" factor - which is the key to longevity when it comes to a fitness program - but your muscles will respond accordingly as you switch up your normal patterns. Not sure where to start? Exercise comes in many forms, but the goal is to simply get your body moving, and then, to keep making adjustments to the type of movement you're doing. With so many choices at our disposal, you're sure to find something that fits your needs and tickles your fancy. And don't forget the notion of "functional" exercise. Consider this: walking moderately burns eighty-eight calories in fifteen minutes. Not bad. But gardening, believe it or not, burns about sixty calories in fifteen minutes. Add some raking to that, and you're probably burning as many calories as you would by walking, and you're getting something done in the meantime. This summer, whether it's fun, functional, or formal exercise, try to get at least 30 minutes a day. And remember, working out is cumulative - so you can always pick and choose different activities throughout the day. Click here to see how your favorite exercises rate by calories burned. 
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