Here’s the answer:
If you have a fitness plan in place but always do the same thing, you’ll get some benefits of being active, but you won’t get all of them. With small adjustments, your hard work could have an exponential impact!
For example, someone who runs 3K at the same pace every single day is going to be much better off than someone who isn’t active at all. Regular activity is great for maintaining your health.
But the body adapts to the demands on it, and once it’s adapted to be able to run 3K at a certain pace, you won’t get any additional benefits. You still burn calories, get your heart working and use your muscles, but you won’t get a lot fitter. You won’t continue to get faster or stronger. In training, we call this “hitting a plateau.” Improvements stop, and sometimes you might even slide backward a little.
To make further improvements, you need to force your body to adapt to new stressors.
For example, you could run 3Kin less time, you could run 4K, or you could do 3 1-K intervals at a very fast pace with rest between efforts. These variations are similar to your original workout, but they involve enough variation to get your body changing again.
It’s the same thing with weight training. If you do dumbbell biceps curls for 3 sets of 8 reps at 20lb every day, your body won’t change much. It will get used to that particular stressor, and won’t continue making progress. But if you asked it for 3 sets of 10 reps, or to move 25lb instead of 20lb, it would adapt to accomplish the effort. You will get stronger!
So if changes to your routine are needed to keep making progress, how do you know what to change and when?
First, the right program from the beginning is essential. At Prowess, we talk to each athlete about their particular goals. Then, we will either work 1-1 with you to accomplish those goals or direct you in a group setting towards the right workout for you, on that particular day. (You’ll also have the support of some awesome classmates!)
Then we monitor progress. Because our coaches are experts, they can tell when you’re ready for a new challenge, to make sure you’re always moving forward.
Beyond physical adaptation, there’s also something else to consider: boredom. By changing the program regularly, we keep you interested and engaged.
Running the same 3K every day on the same path can grow stale, and no wonder if you start asking yourself if it’s worth it! But what if we had you do that 3K on a more rugged trail that challenges your balance and strength with obstacles and climbs? Or what if we had you stop running every 500m and perform 10 burpees?
A good coach is always working to make sure a client is moving toward goals as quickly as possible while staying motivated.
Let’s Talk About Your Training Plan!
If you’re already active but feeling bored with your routine, we can energize you by setting some goals and adjusting your training plan. If you like your current routine, but you’ve hit a plateau, we can help you start moving forward again while maintaining some of the elements you enjoy.
And if you’re thinking about becoming active, we can get you started on the right foot, so you can continue making progress for years to come.
With a coach behind you, your progress is unstoppable! To find out how a coach can help you, book a free consultation with us here.
