Welcome to IB Body Wellness Coaching! As a personal trainer based in Solihull, my mission is to empower mature adults to lead more active lives. I understand the importance of mobility and the ability to perform daily tasks comfortably. With a focus on tailored fitness programmes, I aim to enhance your overall health and well-being. Each step we take together is designed to alleviate the challenges associated with ageing and help you feel vibrant and energetic. My approach combines physical activity with nutritional advice to support a healthier lifestyle.

Are you stuck in a fitness rut? Don’t worry, I have four tips to help you break through and recharge your routine.

First and foremost, your exercise routine should be progressive. As your body adapts to the demands you place on it, you should gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. This approach will help you build on your results over time.

Think like an athlete. Athletes train in cycles that involve gradually increasing the intensity, duration, and load of their workouts. This method has proven highly effective in maintaining continuous improvement. In fact, incorporating cycles into your exercise routine every few months can be incredibly beneficial. Each workout cycle should be tailored to your body’s response to the previous one.

Our bodies react differently to new exercise routines. Generally, you may start to notice some changes after consistently following a plan for 6–8 weeks. Initially, the physical changes and indicators of improvement are quite noticeable. However, as you become more fit, it becomes more challenging to discern when it’s time to switch up the challenge.

Here are a few signs that your current routine may need a boost:

- It feels easy. Sometimes, a routine that used to be challenging no longer is. If you find yourself able to go through the motions without much effort, it’s time to increase the difficulty level.

- You’re not increasing your heart rate. If you’re not feeling a burn during your workouts, it’s a sign that your routine may need to be more challenging.

To address these issues, consider adding a balance challenge to your routine. This will help you work the small, stabilising muscle groups in your body. For example, try using an upside-down half ball for your squats. This will help keep you focused and engaged throughout your workout.

If you used to feel out of breath during your cardio workouts, but now you can easily talk while exercising, it’s a sign that your cardiovascular fitness has improved. To challenge yourself and burn more calories, you need to increase the intensity of your workout.

Here are some tips to help you achieve this:

- Increase the duration of your cardio workout: This will help you build endurance.

- Increase your speed or incline: This will help you improve your strength and maximise your calorie burn.

- Monitor your heart rate: Make sure to keep it within the safe guidelines for your age and current fitness level.

If you’re lifting weights and they feel too light, you may need to increase the weight you’re using. Lifting light weights for a high number of reps doesn’t provide your body with an effective challenge.

Here are some tips to help you lift heavier weights:

- Select a weight that you can use to perform 10–12 reps while maintaining good form. The last 3–4 reps should feel like a challenge.

- Follow a simple rule: no more than 10% weight increase every 3–4 weeks. Repetition is essential for mastery and muscular change, so carefully select the right weight when you first start out. Then you can work on increasing the intensity as needed.

If your workout is boring, it’s definitely time to change it. It’s hard enough to stay motivated and stick with a plan in the first place. If you’re dreading your workout or can’t wait for it to be over, you risk falling off the fitness train altogether.

Here are some tips to help you stay motivated:

- Try a new fitness class: https://brumshakes.hbzoom.com/workouts This will give you some new ideas and help you stay engaged.

- Choose exercises that challenge your mind and keep you mentally engaged. Exercises that work two or more muscle groups at once, or require you to put together complex movement patterns, will help to strike down boredom.

- In general, a fitness plan will only fail if you quit. Make an effort to keep your results evolving by listening to your body and knowing when it’s time to change things up.