blog

[/caption] Do you feel fitter than you did last week? Last month? Last year? Or does your workout leave you feeling like you’re just putting in time? If your workout doesn’t challenge you, you probably aren’t getting any real results. The body adapts when it’s challenged. When it falls into a rut, it stays the same. Lift the same weight for the same number of reps at the same time every week and you’ll see limited results. Lift a challenging amount of weight a different way for a different number of reps and you can expect some soreness accompanied by increased fitness. Your body was built to accept the challenges you give it. When you push yourself, your body adapts. If you keep challenging yourself, your body will continue to adapt. These adaptations take the form of increased speed, strength, agility, power, stamina and endurance, and they’ll help you fight off age, disease and injury. They’ll also help you dial in your human machine. You will never have a stuck jar. You will be able to chase down a bus when you’re late. You’ll take the stairs and beat your co-workers in the elevator. You’ll be able to move that heavy thing in the garage without throwing out your back. You will feel better, inside and out. The next time you step in a gym, resist the urge to follow the same pattern you’ve been following. Try a different exercise. Learn something new. Increase the weight or the reps. Do 12 instead of 8 or 3 instead of 5. Change something. Break a sweat. Breathe heavy. Grit your teeth and lift it. Try, fail, try again and succeed. Just do something different, and do it as hard as you can. You’ll be glad you did.