This time of year, our exercise routines are tougher to eke out. The heat seems endless, the flora is getting dry and crispy, the Cubs are totally losing and school is on the horizon, if it hasn't already started.
Now is a great time fire up your enthusiasm and find some of the motivation that may be missing. One way to do that is to change things up and do something totally different. Some ideas:
- Three Weight Workout - Pick up 3 sets of dumbbells - one light, one medium, one heavy. Start with the light weights and do all the moves you can think of with that weight. For example, lighter weights are great for the shoulders, biceps and triceps. Now pick up the medium weights and do the same thing, focusing for example on the chest and back. For the heavy weights, you might shift your focus to the lower body, giving you a total body workout on the fly.
- All or Nothing Workout - For this workout, choose 5-10 compound exercises (i.e., squat thrusts (burpees), pushups, squats, lunges, dips and turkish get ups) and do each one for as long as you can. As soon as you lose good form, stop and move on to the next exercise.
- No Equipment Workouts - Sometimes just dragging out the weights can make you feel exhausted. One idea is to free yourself from all that baggage and try one of these body weight workouts: No Weight Workout, No Equipment Workout for Travelers, Boot Camp Circuit
What about you? Do you have any ideas for new ways we can shake up our routines? Leave a comment and tell us how to get out of the summer exercise slump.
How about checking out fitness DVDs from the library? It’s free, and you can have tons to rotate, so there’s no risk of getting bored.