This time of year can make it difficult to keep up with your fitness routine: the mornings are dark and cold and your bed is warm and cosy. You might begrudgingly open one tired eye thinking “do I really have to crawl out of this comfy bed and head into the chilly weather for a workout?” or maybe you’ve just finished a long day at work and all you want to do is flop on the sofa in your favourite pair of pyjamas and catch up on some TV…
We all need a little motivation now and then and sometimes treating yourself to a cool new gadget or trying a new fitness class to keep things interesting are the best ways to fall back in love with your training routine!
Here are 6 new things to try to get you back in the game!
1. Ready, set, shop!
Nothing gets us motivated to head down to the gym to smash out a workout than a great new gym wardrobe! If you need a little motivation - it’s time to treat yourself to some new leggings, shorts, joggers and tees in this season’s prints and colours! Because who doesn’t feel fab in a fresh new outfit?! Having a cosy new hoodie to lounge in on cold evenings in is also a great bonus of hitting the new season!
For you fashionistas, this season’s colour pallet is all about the fresh hues of light grey, soft blue, pastel green, warm taupe and faded olive.
2.
Gift yourself a gadget!
Who doesn’t love a fancy new techy gadget to push you through your workouts and tell you how well you did! Us fitness fanatics always love having gadgets with a range of features to play with and a reliable way of tracking workouts.
Why not treat yourself to a fancy new Fitbit, some wireless earphones that won’t get tangled up while you run, or some smart scales that will help watch your weight, give you your BMI reading and track your water weight, bone mass and muscles mass – then send it all to an app on your phone so you can keep track of your journey to becoming healthier and fitter!
Not ready to splash the cash? It’s well worth adding this little techie treat to your Christmas list…
3.
Try a new fitness class!
Doing the same routine over and over again not only becomes boring for the mind, but it also gets boring for the body. Repetitive exercise can hinder your progress as your body gets used to the same routine without being pushed to achieve more.
Keep things interesting by switching things up from time to time! There are plenty of new fitness classes popping up all the time for you to try. Here are just some of the trending fitness classes of 2018 that are set to be just as big into 2019:
- The ‘WOD’ – the work out of the day class is a huge hit around the country. The idea here is that you agree to attend the course, but you have no idea what type of training you’ll be doing! Monday could see you doing Zumba, Tuesday could be boxercise and Wednesday might be spinning. It’s a great opportunity to try new things and see what you enjoy.
Why not grab your friends and try some new fitness classes together to make it even more enjoyable? Some gyms even offer HIIT classes that include ‘AMRAPs’ (as many rounds as possible) and EMOM’s (every minute on the minute) drills, it’s great for the competitive streak in you and each week there will be a leader board posted to create a little harmless competition among the class!
- Barre + cardio fusion classes – ever dreamed of being a prima ballerina when you were younger? Well you can relive those childhood fantasies while giving your body an intense workout with this new fusion class! You’ll be able to recreate all the stamina and grace of ballet while building and sculpting your muscles, burning through fat and get your heart pumping with some intense cardio!
- Boxercise – this class has been a firm favourite with celebs and sports stars for years. It’s great for toning your arms, burning fat, increasing your endurance and improving your focus and coordination skills. Plus, you’ll have some toned and sculpted arms to show off at the Christmas party!
Want to find out about some other new classes? Here are the
5 most popular fitness classes that we’re loving right now!
4.
Switch up the elements
If you’re used to going to HIIT classes at the gym, why not try aqua HIIT for something a little different that makes your body work a bit harder against the resistance of the water. High intensity moves completed in water are much less stressful on your bones and joints, and the added effort of training in water will see you burning far more calories than your usual HIIT class!
5.
Become more mindful
Yoga has always been an extremely popular class but there are exciting variations popping up in yoga centres and gyms across the county. Yoga will help you to focus on your breathing and calming your thoughts through meditation. Some classes combine yoga and strength training, using lighter weights to add to the resistance.
If you’re a well-seasoned yogi, mix it up with some spins on the traditional practice. If you’re looking to burn serious calories, opt for hot yoga: you’ll workout in a heated room to push your body hard. Take your first class easy to get used to the 30 degree heat!
Power yoga that will see you mixing up your warrior poses and squats, lunges and push-ups – great for the more advanced athletes or people looking for more of a challenge.
Put a fun spin on your weekly class with Goga (yoga with pygmy goats) – these little cuties will chill out while you practice and might even hop on your back while you perform the poses!
It’s always fun to give new things a try and mix up your workout, so why not give these a try to motivate you if your enthusiasm is waning. You’ll be jumping out of bed, ready for your new favourite gym class in no time!
If you’re interested in finding out what all that effort in the gym amounts to
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