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10 Ways to Shaking Up Your Exercise Routine with Life Style Sports

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You’ve set some targets You’ve hit the gym. You’ve even clocked up a few runs. Now it’s March and out of nowhere you’ve hit a wall and your fitness routine starts becoming a chore. Need some advice on how to keep things fresh? We’ve got 10 tips to help you kick ass in 2017.

Time to bring your #AGame

Feel the Love
Find something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. And the same goes for the gym. If you’re not having fun with your routine it’s easy to lose interest, so pick something you really enjoy. Some people are more suited to eating up the miles on the treadmill, while others love the intensity of CrossFit or de-stressing with a yoga class. AGame expert John O’Meara says, “If you’re in a programme that you’re struggling with, the best thing that you can do is admit to yourself that you’re not enjoying it. If I find myself in that situation, I go and take a couple of weeks to do things that I like to do and remind myself that I actually enjoy training. Once you’ve done that, it can kind of kick you back into gear and remind you why you’re there in the first place.”

Keep Your Body Guessing
Believe it or not, your muscles get bored too. If you’re targeting the same areas week in week out, your muscles will learn to perform your routine with the least energy possible. So, keep it guessing by switching your focus regularly. If you’re spending a lot of time focusing on upper body strength, change things up with a week focusing on cardio. If cardio is your thing, hit the weights for a few days.

#Goals
To really bring your AGame, you gotta have goals. Sound intimidating? Don’t sweat it. Break up long-term goals into smaller milestones and you’ll be breaking your own personal records day in day out. An easy start is to set a daily calorie target. Once you’re hitting that, you can up your game and move onto specific fitness goals. If you’re gearing up for a road race, break up the full distance into smaller chunks and complete them by alternating walking and running. Then gradually up the level of running and the distance covered.
John says, “There’s no point in starting a programme unless you have an idea of what it is you’re trying to achieve. If you go in there without a clear goal, the likelihood is that the results are going to be significantly less. But try to make them realistic, so when you do surpass them, you get a little ego boost and keep the hunger there.”

Drag a Friend Along
Got a friend who’s also looking for some motivation? Why not team up and beat your targets together? Tagging along with a mate can make even the toughest gym session fun. And if you’re the competitive type, it’s the perfect chance to give them a slagging when they can’t keep up.

Be Your Own DJ
No matter how motivated you are, there are always days when you’re just not feeling it. And head-wrecking gym music is the last thing you need. Instead, throw together a playlist of your favourite tunes, stick on some headphones, and get in the zone with your personal AGame soundtrack. Research has shown that songs in the 120 to 140 bpm range can boost performance and help you get more out of your workout. It’s a scientifically proven shot of motivation.

Change the Scenery
If you’re suffering from a serious case of gym-induced boredom, a quick hit of fresh air is the perfect cure. There’s a reason #TrainAnywhere is this year’s hottest fitness trend. With a bit of imagination, you can turn anything into an improvised workout spot. Running outside is completely different to running on a treadmill, so why not swap the gym for a few laps around a local scenic spot. Then break up sprinting sessions with a few sets of pull-ups or push-ups. Need some tips? Check out our guide to winter running.

Enlist an Expert
If you’ve reached a sticking point and your old routine just isn’t doing it anymore, why not talk to an expert? You don’t necessarily need a full-time coach, but a quick chat with a fitness professional can give you the inspiration to freshen things up and target some areas where you might be going wrong.

Get Some New Threads
One of the best ways to give yourself that extra bit of motivation is to invest in some new gym gear. Not only will you look and feel better, you’ll be better equipped for the new demands you’re placing on your body. Need some inspiration? Visit one of our stores and our Fit Force experts will kit you with the perfect gear for your needs – and make sure your gym style is on-point.

Flip the Timetable
If dragging yourself into the gym after work isn’t doing it for you anymore, it might be time to change your schedule. Switching to early morning can give you a new perspective and send you into the day on a serious gym high. If mornings are becoming a struggle, why not switch to evenings or even fit in a session in at lunch.

Slack Off
No wait, hear us out! If you’ve been hitting the gym hardcore and you’re starting to lose motivation, sometimes the best thing you can do is take a break. Have a rest day, chill out, and take some time to just be lazy. You’ll come back refreshed and ready to bring your AGame all over again.

Bring your AGame in 2017 with the widest range of Running & Fitness gear from Life Style Sports why not avail of 10% discount across the running and fitness range by using the code RUN10. #MyAGame