Spring time brings new life and new opportunities. Have you ever noticed how something so great can turn so boring or tedious? It’s just the nature of things. No matter how awesome something is, in time it will become repetitive and lack the stimulation that it used to have.
This could pertain to anything in life, and especially fitness.
Routine is a great thing. It allows you to monitor progress and stay on track, but mixing up a routine is essential for long-term success. Spring is a great time to make changes. If you normally wear your watch on your right wrist, switch it to your left. If you normally park in a certain spot, then park in a different one. If you always sleep on the same side of the bed, then sleep on the other side.
Doing these little things can have a big effect on your life in subtle ways. You may feel a different mojo or energy about yourself because your experience of things has changed.
Our brains need this change to stay alert. So many things are happening around us all the time, but we are aware of only a small number of them. It’s simply because our windows are closed to new experiences.
If you want change, you have to change first. Try mixing up your workout routine. Learn to run, surf, golf, roller-blade or whatever you may desire. Bring that buzz back into your life by creating a new path.
With routine, our lives will eventually become set in constant motion — like having your car on cruise control on a flat highway road. If a big dog ran across the road or there was a tire in the middle of the lane, you would spark up a bit and react to the situation. That reaction creates several chemical changes in your brain and may have opened up new possibilities that you never knew existed.
If you learn something new when it comes to fitness, then you will also be opening up more possibilities to grow and benefit from the experience.
— Dr. Bob Wilcher is a chiropractor and personal trainer in Santa Barbara. He owns Killer B Fitness, a personal and group training studio also located in Santa Barbara. Contact Wilcher at www.killerbfitness.com or 805.448.2222.