Once we have a workout that we like and exercises that are our favourites, it\u2019s difficult to motivate ourselves to stray from it. It\u2019s easy to fall into a weekly pattern of the same rotation of workouts \u2014 various tweaks on the same routine<\/a>. Or sometimes, just the exact same routine over and over again.<\/p>\n We\u2019re all time-poor. And tired from the everyday demands of life. Being inventive and researching workout routines is not something we\u2019re always able to do. Or willing to do, for that matter.<\/p>\n So, is it okay to do the same workout every day?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It may seem a bit off-topic, but understanding what happens to your body when you exercise is the key to understanding the impact of doing the same workout every day.<\/p<>\n Regular exercise leads to multiple adaptations within the body. It depends on what type of exercise you\u2019re doing as to which adaptations happen. Adaptations are changes in the body in response to exercise and occur over the long term, not instantly.<\/p>\n Exercise is a form of stress for the body. And the body is very good at adapting to stress. It makes changes to cope with that stress better the next time it happens.<\/p>\n When you run or cycle often, your heart, blood chemistry, and lungs all undergo changes to help you cope with the exercise. When you resistance train, your nervous system, muscles, and glycogen stores all undergo changes to help you cope too.<\/p>\n These changes only happen in response to the demand. No demand, no change.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is the first part of the initial question. Doing the same workout every day is one thing. But working out every day, in general, is another.<\/p>\n The answer to this question depends on the type and intensity of exercise that you\u2019re doing. As a rule, especially for resistance training, rest and recovery days are just as important as the workout itself. It\u2019s during these periods that your muscles repair and recover from the exercise-induced damage you\u2019ve done to them. That\u2019s how they get bigger and stronger. Skipping out on this part can lead to injury and stunt your progress.<\/p>\n However, your body can recover a lot quicker from cardiovascular activity, especially the low impact type. That\u2019s why lots of people take active rest days, which might include a long walk or a swim on the days they don\u2019t weight train.<\/p>\n The answer to whether you should work out or not depends on how your body feels. It\u2019s pretty intuitive. It tells us what it needs and doesn\u2019t need. If you\u2019re feeling sore and tired, take a break.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A complex question requires a complex answer. We\u2019re going to have to do a little bit of digging here. Let\u2019s break it down a little bit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If by the same workout, you mean the same type of exercise like running or weightlifting, then there\u2019s no harm in this. You\u2019ll just be developing one type of overall physical fitness.<\/p>\n For example, a runner might run and run only. That person will be developing<\/a> their cardiovascular fitness but probably won\u2019t be developing their muscular strength, endurance, or flexibility. It\u2019s recommended to work on these other elements of fitness<\/b><\/a>, even if your focus is running. That\u2019s because to cope with the impact running can have on our joints, it\u2019s essential to strengthen our muscles<\/b><\/a>. If you want to go further, you\u2019ll need to improve their endurance too. And to keep them in good health, you\u2019ll want to work on your flexibility and mobility<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n Another person might only be into their HIIT workouts. Never lifting too heavy, but definitely testing their cardiovascular fitness and tending to their muscles too with low weight but high rep exercise. HIIT is a brilliant way to keep fit. But you might be missing out on some of the benefits that strength training, in particular, can bring.<\/p>\n A third person might be wedded to the bench press. Only lifting heavy weights and never getting their heart rate up. Again, although there\u2019s no real detriment to this, this person won\u2019t be feeling the benefit of increased cardiovascular fitness.<\/p>\n So, if one type of exercise suits you best, feel free to focus on it. But there\u2019s always a benefit to developing well-rounded physical fitness by varying the types of sport and exercise you get involved with.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you have a routine or two that you enjoy, it\u2019s hard to be persuaded to mix it up. You know exactly what you\u2019re doing and exactly how long it\u2019s going to take. We\u2019re all creatures of habit.<\/p>\n When you do it regularly, you\u2019ll start to notice that this routine becomes easier than it was the first time. Your body has made those all-important adaptations and changes that it needed to cope with the stress you\u2019re putting it under. After a while, it doesn\u2019t need to make any more changes. You aren\u2019t testing yourself anymore. At this point, progress and development will plateau. You won\u2019t be getting any stronger, faster, or fitter.<\/p>\n To keep moving along your fitness journey, something needs to change. You need to increase the time you do something for. Or decrease the time you do it in. You need to add more weight. Or more reps. Or sets. The intensity of the exercise needs to increase to continue progressing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The thing about major compound exercises is that they\u2019re really effective. Compound exercises<\/b><\/a> involve more than one joint movement and therefore engage more than one muscle group. They recruit multiple groups to perform and stabilise the exercise. Essentially, you\u2019re getting more bang for your buck.<\/p>\n If your workout routine<\/a> is centred around major lifts that you use for full body or upper\/lower development, then keeping them at the heart of your training is good. You won\u2019t get to the point where a squat is no longer an effective exercise. Just keep altering the intensity so that your progress continues too.<\/p>\n However, on a mental level, adding variety to your workout routine is a good idea. It keeps it fresh and helps you to stay motivated. Don\u2019t forget, the novelty of a HIIT or circuit training class is that it\u2019s a bit different each time. Imagine if it wasn\u2019t. There would be zero motivation to get out of bed and go.<\/p>\n Equally as importantly, trying out new exercise variations<\/b><\/a> also allows you to work in different movement patterns and shift the focus onto different muscle fibres to develop well-rounded strength in each muscle group.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Okay, so it\u2019s a good idea to mix it up a bit. But that\u2019s easier said than done. Let\u2019s put it into practice:<\/p>\n Dedicate one day a week to something else<\/b><\/p>\n If you\u2019re a lover of one particular type of exercise, test yourself by changing it on one day of the week. If you have never run before, go for a jog. If you usually steer clear of the weights section, pick up some dumbbells. You can still focus and progress in your preferred fitness area, but complement this with a weekly session of something else.<\/p>\n Try out variations<\/b><\/p>\n There are some super simple go-to exercise which might make up the majority of your routine. And so they should. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, push-ups, rows and overhead presses are fantastic compound exercises that can see you develop well-rounded fitness. But when you get bored of them, take them and add a variation. Try the deficit deadlift. A squat and press. A push up to renegade row. There\u2019s an endless list of tweaks and modifications you can make to make them more full-body, more effective, or more difficult. Explore our list of 90 variations of your favourite exercises<\/b><\/a> to get inspired.<\/p>\n Segment your body parts<\/b><\/p>\n For some people, this is second nature. Chest and back day. Arms and shoulders day. Legs and core day. A different day means a different body focus. For others, this is a bit alien. If you\u2019re not ready to get granular with it, that\u2019s okay. You also might not have that many days you\u2019re willing to spend in the gym. Try just segmenting your upper and your lower body strength<\/a> training days. Then add a HIIT session or a cardio session in, too, if you can. By doing this, you\u2019ll be able to focus a bit better without running out of time. You might explore equipment and exercises you didn\u2019t know about before.<\/p>\n Go to different gyms<\/b><\/p>\n
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\n <\/p>\nWhat happens to your body when you exercise?<\/h4>\n
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\n <\/p>\nShould you exercise every day?<\/h4>\n
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\n <\/p>\nShould you do the same workout each time?<\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\nShould you do the same type of exercise each time?<\/h4>\n
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\n <\/p>\nShould you do the exact same workout routine(s) every time?<\/h4>\n
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\n <\/p>\nWhat about the exercises themselves, can you keep them the same?<\/h4>\n
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\n <\/p>\nTips to keeping your workout routine varied<\/h4>\n
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