When it comes to exercise, it’s important to try out new workouts and routines. Trying new things keeps your exercise regimen interesting and may help you find ways to get better results. By experimenting with your workout routine, you may find new things that you really like. It’s always good to avoid getting into ruts in your life and working out is no exception. There are always new techniques to try out even if you’ve been going to the same gym for a long time. Here are three new things you need to try out at your local gym.
Elliptical Machines
Many people avoid elliptical machine workouts, especially if they’re more focused on weighted exercises. Using an elliptical machine, though, is one of the best ways to tone the muscles in your lower body while burning a significant number of calories. Elliptical machines work your legs and glutes in a way that they aren’t used to, allowing them to be very effective for muscle development. If you’ve never tried an elliptical machine before, though, get ready for an intense workout. They also offer a really balanced workout, as you are using a lot of different parts of your body. The movement involved is very different from other exercises, so you’ll likely find yourself feeling the burn much sooner than you expect. This will probably help you meet your fitness goals faster as well, as you are doing things that you aren’t used to. Its nice to mix things up from time to time, and the elliptical offers exactly that.
Using Lighter Weights and Higher Reps
For decades, weightlifters’ default system of training has involved lifting very heavy weights at low reps. There is significant evidence, though, that including lighter workouts at higher rep ranges can help improve the results you see from your training. These workouts activate different muscle fibers from the ones activated during heavy, low-rep workouts. By training both types of muscle fibers instead of just one, you may see improved muscle growth. Lifting lighter weights for more reps is also a good way to build muscle endurance, which is am an important part of developing functional strength. This also will help you accomplish different goals. Instead of trying to build bigger muscles, lighter weights with higher reps allows you to tone your muscles. This helps because you are not only developing glamor muscles, but you are also strengthening your body. By working out in this way, you can start to really develop strength in places where you may have felt you are weaker even after lifting weights for a long time.
Indoor Cycling
Indoor bikes are perhaps the most overlooked machines at most gyms. Few people fully appreciate how effective an indoor cycling machine can be for getting an intense cardio workout. Because they can be set to different resistance levels, cycling machines allow everyone from beginners to gym veterans to get great workouts. Indoor cycling is also great for building up your leg muscles, especially if your machine is set to a higher level of resistance. Using a cycling machine regularly will gradually improve your cardiovascular endurance, which is great if you’re training for a race or just want to be able to exercise longer without tiring. Cycling is really great in general and finding an indoor cycling class can be fantastic. This can be really helpful especially if you live in an area that has really hot summers or cold winters. This means that you won’t have to stop biking in off months and you can keep working on training yourself year round.
Trying out new machines and workouts is a great way to keep your exercise routine from getting boring. The next time you pay a visit to your local gym, consider trying these three new things to introduce a bit of variety into your workouts.