{"id":61630,"date":"2017-09-07T07:15:08","date_gmt":"2017-09-07T11:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=61630"},"modified":"2017-09-13T10:12:19","modified_gmt":"2017-09-13T14:12:19","slug":"workout-schedule-best-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/workout-schedule-best-results\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You Switching Up Your Workouts Too Much?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Are<\/a>
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s no secret the workout world boasts countless approaches to fit. Simply Google \u201cfitness studio\u201d and you get close to 27 million hits. From group fitness classes<\/a> to personal training to streaming services<\/a> to big box gyms, you’ll find more places to flex than ever before. And then there\u2019s your choice of sweat: HIIT<\/a>, barre<\/a>, aqua cycling<\/a>, cat yoga<\/a>\u2026really, the list goes on.<\/p>\n

But with endless ways to get physical, is your best bet to constantly mix it up? The short answer: probably not. A grab bag of new workouts<\/a> every week could hinder results and slow your progress.<\/p>\n

So we went straight to the experts to pinpoint the pros and cons of doing the most. Listen in on what they have to say about planning your weekly workout schedule \u2014 and ultimately crushing your exercise goals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>What No One Tells You Before Entering the Weight Room<\/a><\/p>\n

The Pros of Multiple Choice<\/h3>\n

\u201cThe body works in different energy systems, so it\u2019s important to vary strength and cardio, mobility and flexibility training.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As companies like ClassPass and FitReserve have shown, there\u2019s definitely an appeal to mixing up exercise methods. For starters, it makes fitness more fun thanks to the different styles of teaching and training. A group environment<\/a> also lets you feed off others\u2019 energy. And these days, working out with trainers is more accessible and affordable. Whether you\u2019re signing up for\u00a0boutique fitness<\/a>\u00a0at a discounted rate or following workouts online, you have your pick of more wallet-friendly options.<\/p>\n

Another benefit is that it can eliminate the too-busy-to-work-out argument. \u201cNew studios give people multiple training options, so those \u2018I can\u2019t get to the gym,\u2019 or \u2018I can\u2019t schedule a class at a time that works for me\u2019 excuses<\/a> [no longer work],\u201d says Dan Trink, CSCS, strength coach and co-founder of Fortitude Strength Club<\/a> in New York City. By having fitness at your fingertips 24\/7, finding time to squeeze it in becomes much more doable.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve probably also heard that to avoid a plateau<\/a> in your results, you\u2019ve got to mix things up. And while we\u2019ll touch on the limitations on that later, the plethora of workout options does keep your muscles (and your mind) from getting bored. \u201cThe body works in different energy systems, so it\u2019s important to vary strength and cardio, mobility<\/a> and flexibility training,\u201d says Liz Barnet<\/a>, CPT, a New Jersey-based fitness instructor and food coach. \u201cMany workouts focus on one thing more than another, so it\u2019s good to change it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 HIIT Mistakes You\u2019re Probably Making<\/a><\/p>\n

The Cons of Mixing It Up<\/h3>\n

Getting fitter, faster, stronger all comes down to one key element: progressive overload<\/a>. That means continuously challenging your body to do more than it could previously. (Read more details on this training principle right here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Going to a variety of different studios or classes, \u201cdoes not allow you to gain any momentum or real training effect that comes with building on an actual, progressive training program,\u201d says Trink. \u201cIf you\u2019re in it strictly to have fun or as a form of socializing \u2014 that’s great, have a ball. If you\u2019re looking to maximize your fitness<\/a>, however, you can fall into the trap of \u2018mixing it up\u2019 at the expense of actually making progress, getting better and reaching your goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

“There is just no way to systematically progress when variety is too high.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This holds true if you\u2019re trying to improve one particular aspect of fitness, too. Say, you want to learn to do crow pose<\/a> or finally pull off a pull-up<\/a>. If your workout schedule consists of just one yoga class or one strength routine a week, that won\u2019t necessarily get you there. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to become better at any particular thing, you have to practice it regularly and consistently,\u201d says Barnet.<\/p>\n

One more downside: \u201cIf you don\u2019t have a good foundation to build off of, you\u2019re increasing your chance of injury,\u201d says Noam Tamir, CSCS, founder of TS Fitness<\/a> in New York City. Many class goers might not be in tune with their muscle imbalances<\/a>, so continuing to exercise and reinforce those misaligned movement patterns can lead to problems. Meanwhile, a personal trainer, physical therapist<\/a> or functional movement specialist can help you pinpoint problems before they need <\/em>to be addressed. They can also keep an eye out so you move in the right direction (literally).<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 Functional Movement Patterns Trainers Want You to Master<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Are
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An Ideal Workout Program<\/h3>\n

\u201cIf you are in capable hands, a specific workout will, first, be able to meet you at your current fitness level<\/a> and be able to adapt the program to your needs,\u201d Trink explains. \u201cFrom there, it will smartly progress \u2014 not be the same workout over and over for the length of your membership \u2014 so you can improve from the training.\u201d Sounds simple and ideal, right? Trink adds, \u201cIt should also help you mitigate injuries and, ideally, improve movement<\/a> and strength qualities. This becomes impossible if you are jumping from system to system \u2014 there is just no way to systematically progress when variety is too high.\u201d<\/p>\n

While even one session with a skilled fitness pro can help you figure out what you need to strengthen and stretch, Barnet also offers suggestions for those who can\u2019t see a trainer one-on-one. Make the most of boutique fitness by signing up for studios with smaller class sizes, so you get more attention. Also, ask questions post-workout about how to properly execute exercises, especially if something was confusing during class. Practicing what you learn in the studio outside of its walls will also help you move better, as will listening to verbal cues<\/a> and paying attention to body alignment. (Translation: Don\u2019t just go through the motions without considering form<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>25 Workout Memes We Can Totally Relate To<\/a><\/p>\n

Creating a Results-Driven Workout Schedule<\/h2>\n

Bottom line: While taking different classes every day and every week can certainly increase the enjoyment factor of exercise, it\u2019s not always the most efficient way to get results, says Tamir.<\/p>\n

All experts suggest streamlining your workout schedule by sticking to three days of strength training<\/a> and two days of cardio<\/a>, with a class like yoga or Pilates<\/a> mixed in here and there. Tamir recommends finding a studio that you like, with smart trainers who can help you progress. If you have a slew of studios you want to keep going back to, Barnet advocates for three classes a week with that strength focus (even if they’re different ones) and then using the two other days to mix in spin<\/a> or a treadmill class.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing how many issues and perceived physical ailments and limitations go away when people just get stronger overall,\u201d says Trink. \u201cIt\u2019s certainly not the remedy for every problem \u2014 but it helps more times than not. A good, solid, full-body strength training program can go a long way if you give it a chance to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read More
\n<\/strong>How Strong Is Your Core? 3 Tests to Find Out<\/a>
\n6 Strength Exercises to Go from Basic to Advanced<\/a>
\n7 Ways Exercise Helps Relieve Back Pain<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Constantly changing your workout schedule could actually keep you from seeing real results. Let these three experts guide you to a better plan to get fit. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":61636,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6,14],"tags":[288,289,56,281,341,343,154,99,100],"class_list":["post-61630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-cardio","tag-exercise","tag-group-fitness","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weight-training","tag-weightlifting","tag-workout"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61630"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61630\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}