Swipe into the club, perform the same lifting routine on the same strength-training machines, then head home.
Swipe into the club, take your spot in your go-to group class, then head home.
Swipe into the club, hop on the treadmill at your usual incline and speed, for the standard amount of time, then head home.
Do any of these workout approaches resonate with you? If your routine has become so predictable that you could do it in your sleep, it may be time to make a change.
Experts stress a necessary balance between consistency and variability if you want stay engaged and continue to make meaningful progress. That’s why it’s important to find a workout routine that you both enjoy and are consistent with. And once you’ve got that down, it’s important to switch up some aspects of it to keep your workouts interesting and prevent hitting a plateau with your results.
Those adjustments are not all or nothing, though. “Don’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel if what you’re doing is working for you,” says Sarah Pope, Dynamic Personal Trainer and small and large group coach at Life Time in Clarendon, Va. “I think a lot of people look to change because they think change is good. Change can be great if it makes sense for you, your goals, and your routine — but not if you’re making it only for the sake of it. There still needs to be a formula for reaching your end goal.”
To help you know when it’s time to add some variety to your routine, we asked Pope for her guidance on what to watch for and her ideas on what change might look like in practice.
How do I know when it’s time to switch up my workout routine?
While the answer to this question is individualized and depends on the person and their goals, Pope notes, there is some general advisement.
“If you’re newer to training, I’d recommend switching up your routine every six to eight weeks, depending on what your goals are,” Pope says. “The reason is because the body needs that time to get comfortable and adjust to a routine, and you need it to establish a baseline of movement. If you don’t adjust anything once you’ve reached that six-to-eight-week mark, then your body will adapt and you’ll stop seeing change.”
For more experienced athletes, Pope recommends some level of change every four to six weeks. “That’s when I typically rotate my clients for training,” she shares. “By this time, they’re already adapting and I can see that their bodies are ready for something different in whatever phase of training we’re focusing on. I want to make sure I’m keeping that stimulus.”
What could “change” look like in a workout routine?
You don’t have to change what’s working, emphasizes Pope, but being strategic with what you’re changing can bring new benefits to your routine. She suggests a few variables to consider:
- Try a variation of a movement. Take a workout move you do frequently and switch up the technique. “For example, if you often do bodyweight squats, try changing to a goblet squat, and then from there, maybe a front-loaded squat with a dumbbell or a kettlebell,” says Pope. “This offers variety while keeping the body in the same plane of motion.”
- Lengthen your time. “Especially if we’re talking about cardiovascular exercise, it’s easy to see if you can go for a little longer, or perhaps you try extending the length of time of your intervals,” she says.
- Tweak tempo and rest time. “Maybe you rest for a shorter amount of time between reps, for instance,” says Pope.
- Increase weight. “If you seem to be moving pretty freely or easily and you’re not necessarily struggling on the last two or three repetitions, it may be time to increase the weight,” notes Pope. (Learn more: “5 Signs You Need to Add More Weight to Your Workout.”)
- Take a new class. If you already have a format you enjoy, consider also trying one that’s similar. “If you take Pilates, for example, try taking a CTR class.” You could also take a class that provides cross-training for your other fitness efforts.
- Play with variables in class. “Let’s say you like taking SHRED every week,” Pope says. “Then I’d suggest playing around with the tempo, if possible, because this format is programmed with moves in typically 30-, 45-, or 90-second increments. If you’re doing bicep curls or squats, try slowing down the repetitions or holding pauses, which changes the resistance. If you prefer GTX, for example, try increasing your weights, or when on the treadmill, instead of running, maybe try incline walking.”
- Switch up your days. “If you’re someone who’s dedicated to working out four or five days a week, changing the order of what you do on which day can be helpful,” says Pope. “For example, perhaps instead of two total body days in a row, you instead split it up to do upper body one day and lower body the next. You’re still getting the same intensity and focus of what’s being delivered in the workout, but this helps with versatility and keeping you interested. I’ve seen a lot of people get bored of doing the same thing over and over.”
For all these suggestions, know that less is more, says Pope. “Don’t change everything at once,” she explains, “but rather change one or two things at a time. If it works and you like it, great! Continue to rock with it for four-to-six or six-to-eight weeks and then consider switching things up again. Or, if you change one or two things and it’s still too easy, then add another layer to it.”
