07 Feb Four tips to break through your running plateau

Running Tips from AtHomeFitnes.com

If you run or walk on the treadmill with the same workout plan over and over, in time chances are your training will become stagnant.
It could be tougher to remain motivated, gains may be fewer and farther between and injury could even set in by training the same way all the time.
It’s been said that “variety is the spice of life” and that holds true for fitness as well. By mixing up your workouts, you’ll achieve better results and ultimately enjoy it more over time.
When it comes to running and/or walking, whether you prefer a treadmill or outside work, here are four tips to break through your running plateau.
Change your course – If you run the same course day after day and week after week, go to a different location. A change of scenery could freshen things up and get you more energized.
If you use a treadmill, you can change things up in a similar fashion. Many treadmills have pre-programmed workouts you can change, or change your surroundings with different music playing or what you watch on TV if one is near your machine.
Take a break – If you have a strict running or walking program you follow, take a couple breaks each year. The breaks can be for a week or even more.
It will allow you to recover some physically and mentally and also give you more free time to relax with family and/or friends. Sometimes we forget that our time away to work out can also take away from family.
You won’t lose much from a break and should return to training with added vigor.
Slow it down once in a while – If you tend to train very hard and fast, every now and then go for a slow-pace run or walk. You’ll still get some benefit from it and could come back stronger the next tie you try to train hard.
Change the time you exercise – Sometimes a change of time for your workout can help spruce things up. If you always run in the mornings before work, every now and then try to switch to an early evening run.
These are just a few ideas. Brainstorm on your own to think of other ways that changing things up might help add spark to your runs or walks.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com