Bored with your home workouts? Or hit a plateau?
You’re going to come up with numerous reasons to avoid doing them!
Somedays it can be a ‘good cop/bad cop’ scenario to get on the mat. And the boredom factor will over-ride all of it!
There’s always ways you can tweak your current workouts to make them more challenging. And keep your brain interested!
So time to switch up your workouts? Here’s 7 home workout tips to try….
1. Close your eyes when doing certain exercises. Now don’t start doing this when standing on one leg! Build up to that. Just start with a simple squat movement. It makes your brain get in tune with your body. And really feel what your muscles and joints are doing.
BUT don’t forget to breathe! Your body might veer towards holding your breathe when you close your eyes.
You can do this through part of an individual exercise or all the way through. Just play around with it. It adds another dimension to your workout.
2. Hold your Workout poses. When you’ve finished doing your repetitions. Hold the pose for 10 seconds or 3 breathes. It challenges your body AND mind that little bit more.
3. Hold your Yoga poses for longer. If you’re used to holding your poses for 3 long deep breathes….do 5 instead. It makes a big difference and you’ll feel it in your muscles the next day.
4. Go faster in your workout. ONLY if you’ve got good form. If not. Don’t! When you’ve got good form you can go faster. It’s great for your heart rate and the cardio aspect.
5. Go slower in your workout. It’s challenging to slow it right down. Not only for your muscles. But also for your ‘monkey’ mind! The mind that wants to just get it over and done with! It teaches you to ‘breathe’ and be in the moment. And gets that muscle-mind connection happening.
6. Do more balance work. Is balance an issue? Does it make you avoid doing balance style exercises? Just use a finger tip touch on a wall or chair. It’s not cheating. And you’re still getting huge benefit.
The added support will make it easier for the stabilising muscles around your joints to gradually get stronger.
When my hip is playing up….I use a fingertip touch on the wall. I’m still working my muscles but without the after joint pain and niggles.
7. Swap your stretching for a Dynamic Style Stretch Sequence. Despite the fact it’s sooooo good for your body, women will often skip the stretching part of the workout. Too boring. Not enough time. Blah, blah, blah!
But skipping it is NOT an option in this age bracket. IF you want to keep your body flexible and ache-free!
Do the yoga sun salutation. Or a shortened version of it. Or one of the Dynamic Style Stretch Sequences in my programs.
A Dynamic Stretch Sequence will warm up your body and get your heart-rate going. Whilst lengthening your muscles ready for your workout.
Plus it’s an invigorating way to start your routine.