How can I avoid workout burnout?

RealAge answered:

Five easy ways to add variety to your exercise routine:

Add intervals (short bursts of increased intensity within a workout).
Explore new equipment.
Try combination classes such as step aerobics, water workouts that combine swimming and strength training, or yogalates, which combines yoga and Pilates.
Change your exercise routine.
Work out with a partner.

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Five easy ways to add variety to your exercise routine: Add intervals (short bursts of increased intensity within a workout). Explore new equipment. Try combination classes such as step aerobics, water workouts that combine swimming and strength... More

Jonathan Penney of National Academy of Sports Medicine answered:

The first question we must analyze is what are you currently doing for your routine? Are you exercising just strength, just cardio or a mixture of both? Hopefully you are doing both!

From here, a great way to add variety will be to spice up your exercise format. Are you working strictly with just dumbbells? If so, focus on using just body weight or resistance bands. Are you just running? Considering rowing or using the stairmaster.

Your routine can be jazzed up anyway you would like. Reply to this post and let me know what you are doing so I can assist you a little further.

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More Related Answers from National Academy of Sports Medicine

The first question we must analyze is what are you currently doing for your routine? Are you exercising just strength, just cardio or a mixture of both? Hopefully you are doing both! From here, a great way to add variety will be to spice up your... More

Penn Medicine answered:

The best way to avoid workout burnout is to change up your routine, set new goals and try new fitness and strength activities. Trying new ways to burn calories and step out of your comfort zone can be a great way to keep your interest and boost your workout goals. Try training for a race, taking a new class at the gym, or joining a local intramural sports team.

Also, adding new music can motivate you to workout more and have more fun.

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The best way to avoid workout burnout is to change up your routine, set new goals and try new fitness and strength activities. Trying new ways to burn calories and step out of your comfort zone can be a great way to keep your interest and boost your... More

Penny Ragusano answered:

For physical workout burnout we need to listen to our body. Once we get going with our workouts and experience how great we feel, it's easy to forget about the importance of pacing ourselves. We want to push ourselves, which is great! It is equally important to allow our body rest time for recovery.

Workout burnout that is more related to emotion and how we feel is different. We make a commitment for example to begin exercising 3 times a week. Time comes to make good on our promise and our head tells us we don't want to. Keep your self-promise! Once you get the workout in, you will feel so happy you did!

There is also the case of boredom that can feel like workout burnout. To avoid this always be sure you are enjoying your workouts. The moment you are no longer enjoying a type of workout, change it up. It should be fun and really something you look forward to. Course-correct as frequently as needed to always keep it enjoyable.

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For physical workout burnout we need to listen to our body. Once we get going with our workouts and experience how great we feel, it's easy to forget about the importance of pacing ourselves. We want to push ourselves, which is great! It is equally... More

Eric Olsen answered:

Cross-training provides more training opportunities and more variety, helping to combat boredom or burnout. One symptom of overtraining, and perhaps one of the earliest, is a loss of interest in exercise. That loss of interest not only means that you may be bored, but that you may be pushing your body's limits. If you're bored with walking, however, you might find new incentives in swimming or cycling while giving your feet a rest. Likewise, when the weather is too raw to walk, you can always swim, if there's an indoor pool handy, or take an aerobics class or do some weight training. If the weather's too cold to swim, perhaps you can walk. And so on.