Bored of your workout? mix it up with these exercises

If you’ve been following the same exercise routine for a few months now, it's definitely time to mix things up. Sure, practice does make perfect, but continuing to challenge your body is key to continued improvement.

Yes, it does seem a shame to change your workout now that it’s finally ‘do-able’, however varying your training is key to increasing your fitness level. “But why?” you ask. Well, our bodies are hugely efficient and adapt very easily, which means that much-repeated exercises become easier to do and require less effort after a while. As a result, completing your favourite workout may burn less fat and utilise less muscle over time.

To keep things fresh and to avoid plateauing with your fitness progress, switch up some of the exercises in your usual training session with some of the alternatives below.

If you’re after more advanced alternatives, visit the Fitness First Ultimate Exercise Guide to discover more exercise videos to help you increase your fitness level and intensity. Our Ultimate Exercise Guide will enable you to build a workout tailored to your ability, time frame and targeted areas too.

• Instead of a… SIT-UP, do a… DUMBBELL RUSSIAN TWIST:
Still heavily focussed on the abs (like a sit-up), the dumbbell Russian twist involves continuous tightening and strengthening of the core.

(41 Dumbbell Rus Twist - ENG from Fitness First UK on Vimeo.)

• Instead of doing a… PLANK, do a… DUMBBELL PLANK ROW:
Like the plank, the dumbbell plank row still engages the core, lower back and chest, but also works the triceps, too.

(120 Dumbbell DB Plank Row - ENG from Fitness First UK on Vimeo.)

• Instead of doing a… PULL-UP, do a… TRICEP EXTENSION:
Take a break from the bar and work your back, shoulders and triceps by using a suspension rope instead.

(84 Suspension Tricep Ext - ENG from Fitness First UK on Vimeo.)

• Instead of doing a… SQUAT, do a… RAINBOW SLAM:
Leave the dumbbells and kettlebells for this one, and engage your quads, abs, arms and shoulders by doing the rainbow slam with a sand bell.

(13 SandBells Rainbow Slams - ENG from Fitness First UK on Vimeo.)

• Instead of doing a… PRESS-UP, do a… PUSH, FLIP, PULL:

Mixing a press-up with a plank, the ‘push, flip, pull’ (which involves the use of a sand bell) conditions the chest, as well as the core and upper back.

(49 SandSteel Bells Push Flip Pull from Fitness First UK on Vimeo.)

• Instead of a… regular BICEP CURL, do a… SUSPENSION BICEP CURL:

Use a suspension rope to engage your biceps and abdominals, instead of your usual weights.

(373 Suspension Bicep curls V2 (TRX) from Fitness First UK on Vimeo.)

• Instead of doing a… SIDE PLANK, do a… KETTLEBELL WINDMILL:

The kettlebell windmill intensely works the shoulders, core, obliques and legs without a plank position in sight.

(100 Kettlebell Windmill - ENG from Fitness First UK on Vimeo.)