When it comes to exercise, most people fall into one of two categories. Some love to mix it up with a HIIT session one day, running the next and a few Pilates classes in between while others are creatures of habit and stick to the same workout each week.
But is it bad to do the same workout every day?
Sam Merza, personal trainer and national fitness manager for Genesis Health + Fitness says, to start with, doing something is better than doing nothing.
“If you’re doing the same thing on repeat it’s probably because you’ve found something you really enjoy that works for you, and that’s great – that’s one of the biggest hurdles!”
But there are some drawbacks to doing the same workout every single day, both for your physical goals and your mental health.
Here are a few reasons you may want to up your workout variety.
1. We all need two main types of exercise
If you walk every day or are a weekend warrior on your local soccer team, you’ll be getting a good amount of cardio exercise. But health experts recommend we do both cardio and resistance exercise every week.
Each week, the Australian government recommends we do either:
- 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity – such as a brisk walk, mowing the lawn or swimming
- 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity – such as jogging, fast cycling or netball
- an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activities.
Plus, two days a week we should add in muscle-strengthening exercises such as lifting weights, squats or lunges, or household tasks that involve carrying or digging.
We don’t need to get too caught up about long workout sessions though: both short bursts of exercise and incidental exercise (like cleaning) are beneficial. Plus if you’re doing a variety of exercise types, you’ll likely be exercising more time in total. A large study published in the journal Translational Behavioural Medicine confirmed this.
2. You’ll stay motivated
If you do the same gym workout every week, you may get bored. A small study from The University of Florida backs this up. The study participants were split into three groups: one where the type of exercise varied between workouts, another where they did the same exercise each time, and another who worked out with no set program.
“There were significantly fewer individuals in the variable group that dropped out. We also learned from their answers that they enjoyed it significantly more,” said study leader Christopher Janelle, an assistant professor of exercise and sport sciences.
“Variety and structure contributed to the adherence of the first group,” Janelle said. “The group that had the variable exercise program and the group that had to pick one exercise but stick to a schedule adhered better than the third group due to the structured nature of the exercise prescription. Variety seemed to increase enjoyment in the first group, which helped them stick with the exercise program.”
Merza agrees that mixing it up can boost motivation. “Like anything in life, if you repeat the same exercise regimen day in and day out, it may eventually become monotonous. You might start hitting the snooze button in the morning or channel less energy into the activity, which defeats the purpose and will impact your progress.”
Merza recommends incorporating something fresh into your routine every week to maintain your interest.
“Do your favourite exercise with a friend, do it in a different location or mix it up in some way.”
3. Avoid muscle fatigue and injury
Engaging in a repetitive routine may result in muscle soreness, strain and even a serious injury, says Merza.
“Continuously targeting the same muscle groups, without allowing for sufficient recovery time hinders their repair and growth, especially if your technique isn’t quite right.
“If you are repeating the same exercise, you need to have a day or two break in-between sessions. Ideally, you counter your favourite activity with something different on those days. If your favourite activity is running, for example, follow this with some stretching or a yoga class before you run again.”
4. You’ll maintain and improve fitness
What happens when you do something over and over again? You become really good at it. While this can be great, it will mean the activity may feel less challenging and will potentially be less beneficial too.
“Our bodies are fantastic at adapting and if we repeat without change then the activity eventually becomes too easy. You may stop seeing positive changes like fat loss, muscle gain and cardio health improvement,” says Merza.
To keep improving, challenge your body in new ways.
“You need to build progress levels into your favourite workout activity, whether that’s upping the weights and reps gradually, adding distance to a run or walk or incorporating things like higher intensity components or interval training,” he says.
5. You’ll get different body benefits
Different types of exercise have different benefits for your body.
If you’re a regular runner, you’ll have great cardiovascular fitness. But if you add in a yoga session as well, you’ll gain flexibility and strength. If you love lifting weights, you’ll have gorgeous toned arms. But if you add in a swimming session, you’ll get an all-body workout.
Learning new things can build and strengthen cognitive skills, too. It’s a win-win!
6. Boost your self image
In The Joy of Movement, health psychologist Kelly McGonigal explains that any physical activity shapes your sense of self. And different types of exercise encourage different perceptions of yourself, too.
“If you move with grace, your brain perceives the elongation of your limbs and the fluidity of your steps, and realises, “I am graceful.” When you move with power, your brain encodes the explosive contraction of muscles, senses the speed of the action, and understands, “I am powerful.” If there is a voice in your head saying, “You’re too old, too awkward, too big, too broken, too weak,” sensations from movement can provide a compelling counterargument.”
The verdict?
If you’ve found an exercise that you love, don’t stop doing what you’re doing. Just keep in mind the different types of exercise can give different benefits and consider mixing it up occasionally.
“And if you’re brave enough to try something else, you may even find another activity you love just as much!” says Merza.
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