Crowded Gym

by Paula

This morning was the first day of the New Year's crowd at the gym. I started to get cranky when all the New Year's Resolutioners were crashing on my space while I was trying to get in my workout. Then I remembered that I can make this work.

The trick to working out when the crowds encroach on my gym space is to mix it up and be flexible. If I go in with a strict plan to working out, I will never get anything accomplished. Instead, I keep different workouts in mind and just aim to get in some strength training and cardio some way or another.

Some of the ways I do this is:
 -mix up my muscle groups. If I normally do arms on Mondays, I may have to switch to legs if all the arm equipment is being used. Or if I normally do chest and back on the same day, I may have to to chest and biceps instead.

-bring a jump rope to the weight room. If all the equipment is being used, I may jumprope, do burpees, do push-ups, or do abs in-between exercises while I wait for somebody to evacuate the equipment I want to use.

-switch up cardio and strength. Sometimes I like to do strength prior to doing cardio, but if I notice the weight room is packed, I may need to do cardio first.

Not only does being flexible and able to switch up my workout help me from getting cranky because of the crowds, it also helps to shock my body. Switching up workouts is a great way to get over a plateau or prevent boredom.

Today's workout:
"the pj workout"
triceps and back
abs while waiting
10 minutes on the eliptical (I got bored and couldn't stand it anymore and it was to cold to run outside)