Recently, I came to the conclusion that I was in a fitness rut. My exercise routine had grown stagnant, I was bored with my workout DVDs and I had little motivation to make the long trek to the Fieldhouse gym. I knew I needed something to revitalize my motivation and get me excited about working out again.

I think a lot of people, exercise enthusiasts included, occasionally struggle with fitness ruts. After they’ve been performing the same workouts for a long time, they grow tired of them and lose their drive to exercise.

How do you break out of a fitness rut? I think there are a couple of effective strategies, which I am currently trying to implement in my own workout routine.

First, it helps to establish a specific goal. Instead of going to the gym with a vague, undefined purpose, such as the age-old resolution of trying to “get in shape and lose weight,” you should instead have a specific goal in mind.

Whether you decide that you want to run an eight-minute mile or squat a certain number of pounds, adopting a specific fitness-related goal can certainly help you break out of a fitness rut. Just make sure that your goal is achievable and can be broken down into manageable chunks. That way, you can track your progress and be encouraged whenever you complete another level in the path toward your ultimate goal.

In the same vein, I think it’s also helpful to train for a fitness-related event. This is currently my favorite strategy to use. For example, I have always wanted to run a race but never have. Considering that I’m trying to overcome a fitness rut, however, I figure that now is the perfect time to fulfill this goal.

With that in mind, I’m training for the Turkey Trot 5K, which the GVSU Running Club is hosting on Nov. 22. I’m very excited to cross “run a race” off my bucket list and, in addition, I know that if I want to succeed, I had better make sure that I get to the gym to train. As you can see, then, participating in a fitness-related event can boost your motivation while providing a level of accountability.

Finally, simply trying a new form of exercise can help you break out of a fitness rut. This past summer, for example, I joined a boxing club for the first time. After predominantly doing workout DVDs and weightlifting, I found boxing to be a refreshing change. As a result, I was excited to go to the gym and looked forward to working out my frustration on the heavy bag. There are, of course, many other fun and interesting forms of exercise that you can try as well, such as rock-climbing, Zumba and skiing. It certainly can’t hurt to try something new, and you might even develop a passion for a different form of exercise.

Just about everybody goes through a fitness rut every now and then, but there are plenty of ways to get out of one. If you establish a specific goal, train for a fitness-related event or simply try a different workout, you’re bound to revitalize your routine and boost your motivation in no time.

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