07 May 5 Signs That You are Ready to Progress in Your Fitness

Working up to the next level of fitness means increasing the difficulty of your workouts to keep your muscles challenged. But how do you know when the time is right to set aside those light weight dumbbells in favor of heftier ones? There are a few key clues to look out for as you progress with your fitness.

1. You Never Run Out of Breath
   The most simple sign that it’s time to challenge your body is a lack of anaerobic activity. Look for moments of losing your breath, pushing to failure and knowing if you have more to give. If you don’t hit any of those moments, it is a good sign that it’s time to step it up.
2. The Type Workout You Do Hasn’t Changed in a While
   If you’ve been going to the same Spin class for years or only using five-pound weights, it may be time to shake things up. While I recommend my Fitin5 Weeks Program as an exciting new Challenge for those in a workout rut, any new class that works different muscles with different weights will provide results. Look for movements you don’t do regularly to keep yourself engaged.
3. You Haven’t “Failed” Yet
   When it comes to demanding workouts, failure is an option — but not in the way you may think. To lift heavier, you want to push to failure with heavier weights and less reps. This is where muscles will tear in the correct way and rebuild stronger if you rest and recover correctly. Continuing to lift the same light weights won’t help you build and change.
4. You do multiple workouts a day. If you have the energy to run 10 miles, spin, hit the weights, and then attend yoga, you might want to re-evaluate the effort and exertion levels you’re putting into each workout. Now, if for some reason a single workout just isn’t enough, double up on ones that complement each other. For example, pair high-intensity interval training with a yoga class.
5. Your Brain Is Telling You to Challenge Yourself
   Physical signs aren’t the only indicators that it’s time to amp up your fitness routine. If you’re bored with your current workout or it’s leisurely enough that your mind frequently wanders away from the task at hand, it’s time to jump into a more difficult regimen.

If the question of increasing the amount of weight you lift has crossed your mind, it’s likely time to make the commitment to a more exacting program.

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