Do you ever get so snug and warm inside your comfort zone that, at some point, you feel like you can’t get out of it? Sometimes you don’t even realize it until you’re in a full-blown rut and you wake up one day and realize, if you have to do that same workout one more time, you’ll probably yank out all your hair.

Getting out of your comfort zone is a great way to push your limits a little. Pushing yourself will make you stronger, not just physically, but mentally and you’ll go back to your old workouts with a fresh perspective and a new appreciation for how strong you really are.

Take the Challenge

I’d like to offer you a challenge. This week, I’d like you to push yourself at least one time. How you do it is up to you – it can be a big challenge or a small challenge but, either way, do something new and see what you’re really capable of. Some ideas:

• Try a new activity. If you tend to do the same exercises all the time, try something new this week – a class at the gym, a machine you’ve never tried, an exercise you never thought you could do.
• Try heavier weights. When strength training, many of us don’t lift as much as we could. If that’s the case with you, for just one exercise, pick up those heavy weights and see if you can really fatigue your muscles. Make that last rep difficult, but not impossible. Always make sure you’re safe and have good form, of course.
• Add a burst of intensity. At the end of one of your usual workouts, tack on some high intensity exercise – run up and down the stairs, do as many pushups as you can, sprint as fast as you can for a minute or try a full minute of squat thrusts. Do something that really gets your heart rate up, even if it’s just for a few seconds.
• Set a new goal. If you’re really ready for a challenge, set a new goal for yourself – sign up for a 5K race or join a local cycling or running club. You could even set a goal to be able to do a certain number of pushups or chin ups – whatever it is, make it something you’ll really work for.

Obviously these ideas don’t cover every situation and each person has to decide what’s challenging for them. For some, just taking a walk for 10 minutes is a challenge. For others, signing up for a marathon might be a good challenge. Wherever you are, make your goal to challenge yourself this week to see just how far you can go when you put your mind to it.