There will always be days when you really don’t feel like taking on your usual workout, but when those start to occur more often than not, the odds are that you’ve found yourself in a rut. If you’re in a rut, then you’re likely not getting as much out of your workout as you could. You’re holding yourself back.
If you find that every part of your workout is not working, it’s just not doing it for you anymore and there are times when you’d rather face the dentist than complete one more segment of your routine, then it could be time for you to switch things up.
But how do you know if you’re really due to change your workout, and when you’re just feeling lazy? After all, you don’t want to have to continually switch up your entire workout schedule just because you were feeling a little bit blue for a stretch, or because you were having long days at work and it was temporarily sapping your energy.
It takes approximately four to six weeks for your body to adapt to a new workout, but that length of time will vary from one person to the next. You might be able to reach that comfortable point considerably faster than someone else, but there is also likely someone out there who adjusts even faster than you do. If you have passed that point and you don’t think that you’re gaining anything from your workout, and you simply dread doing it, then you might be due for a change. How do you know for sure?
Ask yourself the following questions to see if your workout is not working:
• Are you seeing any improvements, anymore? If you really haven’t been improving at all from one week to the next – that is, if your runs don’t get longer or faster or you don’t feel that you are getting any stronger at the gym – then you’re probably due to change what you’re doing. It’s important to follow a program so that you will be able to judge the progress you are making. Mix things up, but try to keep it in a kind of routine that you will be able to track.
• Do you still “feel it” after the workout? Is there a slight soreness after your workout, or are you still out of breath? If not, then your body may have adapted to it completely because your body isn’t forcing itself forward anymore, which means your workout is not working toward progression anymore. This may mean you need more intensity to your workout, or a greater challenge. That said, if you’re always sore, you may be pushing yourself too hard. Ease off a little bit and allow yourself the time to build up.
• Do you feel bored? If you do, then you may want to switch things up regardless of the progress that you’ve been making. If it’s not fun and interesting, and if it’s a nuisance, you won’t keep it up over time. Do something that stimulates you emotionally as you work out physically.
