In the 1993 cult-classic film Groundhog Day, star Bill Murray, who plays weather reporter Phil Connors, wakes up each morning only to relive the exact same day again and again. Now, if that you were to actually happen and you had to repeat the same workout day after day, your results would stall, and your regimen would not be very well-rounded.
But just for the fun of it, consider: What workout would you do if you were stuck in the same day on repeat?
There is value in having a go-to, repeatable workout in your repertoire, including knowing what you’re getting yourself into with it, how to execute it, and that you’ll enjoy it. For occasions when time is tight or you’re not feeling particularly inspired, this allows you to still get in a good sweat.
Additionally, there is beauty in the repetition — if you’re willing to notice it, says Experience Life senior fitness editor and coach Maggie Fazeli Fard, RKC, MFT-1, Alpha. “You will never have the same workout experience twice. From day to day, week to week, month to month, your body and mind experience shifts that influence your experience,” she explains. “Bill Murray’s character in Groundhog Day comes to understand this: Even when nothing in his day changes, he changes. Having a ‘groundhog day’ workout in your back pocket isn’t just a convenient way to get your workout in — it can be a tool for introspection and growth.”
We asked Fazeli Fard to share four different workouts that someone could turn to repeatedly and still reap benefits.
1. The Easy-Strength Workout
“This workout is originally set up to be an eight-week program, so the exercises are actually designed to be repeated five days a week,” says Fazeli Fard. “It can easily be modified to be performed with dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells depending on what you have access to or are comfortable using. You can also increase weight as you progress which enables you to continue to challenge your body even when repeating the same movements.”
Get the workout: “The Easy-Strength Workout”
2. A Push and Pull Workout for Full-Body Strength
“One of the pitfalls of repeating the same workout is overusing some muscle groups and movement patterns while neglecting others, resulting in imbalances,” explains Fazeli Fard. This full-body workout is well balanced because it combines “push” exercises (squats, presses, and other movements that move weight away from the body) with “pull” exercises (deadlifts, rows, and other movements that draw weight toward the body).
“Push-pull training is a time-tested approach, and this workout helps ensure you’re building balanced strength and preventing muscle imbalances,” she says. “This would be an easy workout to repeat — up to three times a week — and get great benefits without neglecting any muscle groups. Just be sure to progressively increase your weights over the course of the weeks and take active recovery days between workouts.”
Get the workout: “A Push and Pull Workout for Full-Body Strength”
3. 8 Yoga Poses to Help You Unwind
“These poses are great for the end of a workday, after a tough workout, or before bed,” suggests Fazeli Fard. “Whether you perform the moves individually or as a sequence, they’re meant to be relaxing and not taxing on the body. I think most of us could agree that working more regular relaxation into our days would be of value.”
Get the workout: “8 Yoga Poses to Help You Unwind”
4. The Stretching and Mobility Workout
“Mobility is a valuable daily habit for anyone. No matter your age or activity level, working through and improving an active range of motion through the joints is a valuable skill that will pay dividends in the long run,” says Fazeli Fard. “Even if you don’t do anything else, make time for mobility every day. This workout is a short, five-minute routine to stretch the muscles and mobilize the joints.”
Get the workout: “The Stretching and Mobility Workout”
