Is It Bad To Do the Same Workout Every Day?

Many people head to the gym every day with the same workout in mind. They might do the same cardio routine every other day or the same weight-lifting one on alternate days. This makes some sense because people are creatures of habit, and you more than likely are one as well.

While always doing the same routine can seem like it’s working, it might not be. How do you know when to switch it up? Is it actually bad to do the same workout every day? The answers to these questions can be a bit tricky.

Keep reading as our experts clear things up.

Should You Do the Same Workout Every Day?

The short answer to this question is: no. But at the same time, you don’t want to switch up your routine too much. How does this work? You’re probably wondering about the apparent contradiction here.

The longer answer to the question spells things out a bit:

Doing the Same Workout Day In and Day Out

It’s not unusual to head to the gym, spend some time on the treadmill or weight machines, and then head home. The problem with this is you more than likely aren’t challenging yourself.

Leaving everything in the same setting or in the same weight class and not switching things up means your body isn’t getting the workout it needs. Your body will get used to the movements, and you’ll notice a lack of gains. Your speed won’t improve, you won’t see your muscles grow, and everything will stagnate.

To see improvements in your fitness, on top of a healthy, well-rounded diet, you need to change up your routine a bit now and then.

Switching Up Your Routine Drastically

Since doing the same exercises every day (or alternate days, as you’re supposed to switch off between cardio and weight lifting) isn’t good, what about changing things drastically? You head to the gym to do cardio, and instead of spending time on the treadmill, you use the elliptical. The next time, you head for an exercise bike.

The same goes for your weightlifting routine. You do some radical changes on weight days, using dumbbells one day, kettlebells the next, and then some weight machines. These drastic changes have to be good, right?

As it turns out, they aren’t. If you make drastic changes to your exercise routine every single time you go into the gym, you aren’t exercising the same muscles, so you won’t see any growth. The results will be all over the place.

This isn’t the way to go about getting fit. Instead, you need to stick to moderation, only changing things up every couple of weeks or when you feel your progress stagnating.

The Issues With Doing the Same Workout All of the Time

Doing the same workout all of the time in perpetuity can lead to a number of problems. While you don’t want to switch things up constantly, sticking to the same routine without changing it every few weeks or so can lead to several different problems:

Uneven Progress

Have you ever seen a fitness buff with big arm and shoulder muscles but small legs? This is a sign of doing the same workout all of the time. Your entire body doesn’t have the chance to become engaged and build up all of your muscles.

The issues with this uneven progress can not only make you look oddly proportioned, but they can also lead to injury because you’ll end up using certain muscles more to compensate for the ones that haven’t been built up.

To follow the example, someone with large arm and shoulder muscles who hasn’t made any progress elsewhere can end up with a sore back because their back muscles have to work harder to keep themselves upright.

A Lack of Progress

You’ve probably heard of the word “plateau” mentioned as far as diets are concerned. There reaches a point where someone following a healthy diet regimen will stop losing weight.

This is described as a plateau because their progress has flattened out. It happens in the fitness world as well. If you keep doing the same exercise routines all the time, your body will get used to them. As a result, your fitness level will plateau, and you’ll stop seeing any gains, even small ones.

If you’ve been spending a lot of time in the gym but haven’t seen your average running pace go down or your musculature improve, then you’ve hit a plateau, and it’s time to switch things up.

Hormonal Issues

This isn’t really a problem, but it’s worth mentioning here. Many women are changing their exercise routines when they’re on their periods.

The hormonal imbalances during those few days can lead to a tired, run-down feeling and plenty of achiness without even going to the gym. As a result, some women switch their routines at this point, opting for exercises that are lower in intensity.

Once their cycle is back on track, they go back to their regular routines. Trying to do an intense workout when you have cramps, brain fog, and already aren’t feeling like yourself can be enough to make you not want to head to the gym anymore.

How Can You Get the Best Results?

By now, you’re probably wondering how to get the best results in the gym. Since you don’t want to make drastic changes to your routine every day and don’t want to keep doing the same thing forever, finding a happy medium is important.

Here are a few tips on how to do just that.

Make Small Changes to Your Routine

While you don’t want to change your routine every time you go to the gym, switching from one cardio machine to another, you can change how you use that same machine. For example, if you’re on a treadmill, spend Monday at one speed and incline, then on Wednesday, keep the speed the same, but increase the incline.

Speed things up a notch on Friday, but keep the incline the same as you did on Monday. By making these small changes, you’re adjusting how your body reacts to the exercise, but since you’re still on the same machine, you’ll be using the same muscles each time.

Switch Things Up Entirely Every Few Weeks

If you don’t want to make small changes to your routine regularly, like the method described above, then change your routine every couple of weeks. Spend three weeks doing one set of routines (alternating cardio and weight lifting days) and then change how you do things afterward.

For example, spend three weeks getting your cardio on the treadmill, then switch to an exercise bike. By making these changes, you’ll keep your progress from plateauing.

Check for Gains and Make Adjustments

If at any time you notice that you don’t seem to be making the gains or progress you want, then evaluate your gym routine. You don’t have to stick to the three-week plan listed above if your body gets used to a routine after two weeks.

Feel free to switch things up occasionally, making sure that you’re meeting your goals at the same time. Everyone is different, just as every body is different.

What About Fitness Classes?

If you enjoy taking fitness classes and attend the same one several times a week, then you’re probably wondering what you should do. Thankfully, the fitness instructors who run these courses are well aware of the dangers of doing the same routine every single time.

They’ll switch things up in small ways that you may not even notice, slightly changing the number of reps or the amount of weight. These changes will keep you from plateauing.