How Not Switching Up Your Workouts Can Really Affect Your Health

You probably know by now that sticking to an exercise routine can have multiple health benefits. Besides improving your cardiovascular fitness, consistent exercise can build muscle, lower stress levels, and even give an extra boost to your sex life (via Mayo Clinic). But like many other things in life, too much of one type of exercise can actually do more harm than good. Switching up your workouts can help you avoid the possible pitfalls of an otherwise healthy activity.

Depending on how intense your workouts are, it may or may not be a good idea to exercise every day. If you're doing 30 minutes of moderate physical activity like walking, daily workouts can be very beneficial to your health (via Healthline). More intense exercise like running or plyometrics may require you to take a break from working out at least once a week. And the frequency of exercise is just one part of having a healthy fitness schedule. By mixing up the types of exercises you're doing, you'll keep your muscles from being overworked. If you overtrain your muscles, you run the risk of getting injured (via Shape). Nothing puts the brakes on physical gains like having to stop workouts because of an injury.

Speaking of muscles, you'll want to vary your workouts to try and hit as many large and small muscles as you can. Doing a mix of strength and cardio can help increase your flexibility and range of motion (via Shape). This can be especially important if you have a desk job that requires you to sit all day hunched over a computer. Different workouts can also keep your body from plateauing (via UVA Health). If you constantly work on different muscle groups rather than maxing out one specific area of your body, you're more likely to keep seeing improvements.

Perhaps the most important reason to switch up your workouts is to keep yourself motivated. Remember how consistency is key to improving your health? Consistency doesn't necessarily mean being repetitive, and boredom is a surefire way to sabotage your consistent workouts. Mental burnout due to performing the same exact exercises day after day and week after week will inevitably lead to you quitting your workout routine altogether. So instead of sticking to what's in your comfort zone, consider adding in a new type of cardio exercise and a new muscle group to focus on every few days. That way you'll challenge both your mind and body, and keep coming back for more.