Fitness is often described as a journey and for good reason. Everyone starts in a different place and progresses at their own pace. It’s all too easy to encounter road blocks and stop seeing results. If you’re feeling more fat than fit, here are some tips to boost your fitness to the next level.

Train in bursts

Sprints and intense bursts of exercise are effective ways to increase your heart rate and get the most out of your workouts. Short bursts have been proven to build muscle and blast fat quickly. When your body is going all-out during these intense surges of activity, it creates an oxygen debt. This is no surprise to you, as you’re gasping for air during a minute of high-intensity exercise, but an oxygen debt means your body has to burn more fat to keep up. Pushing yourself with burst training helps you push yourself to the next level of fitness.

Matt Westenburg

Get routines, avoid ruts

Establish a workout routine to keep you on track and motivated. Following a schedule has helped many people learn fitness discipline. Once you get into an exercise routine, it will be easier to reach your fitness goals, but don’t get stuck in a workout rut. Mix up your workouts to keep your muscles engaged. If Monday’s are for cardio, for example, don’t get chained to a treadmill for mindless minutes of running. Include variety with jump roping, sprints or other cardio exercises to get your heart pumping. Targeting different muscle groups throughout the week not only helps prevent boredom but also helps you get fitter faster.

Matt Westenburg

Push yourself

To get to the next fitness level, you have to take your training to the next level. It seems obvious, but if you want to improve you have to increase the difficulty and duration of your workouts. Add weight and repetitions to get stronger. Increase your speed and distance to run longer. Stay engaged when you’re exercising. If you’re able to go on autopilot and breeze through your workout, it’s time to kick it up a notch. People who continually bump their workouts to the next level will be able to avoid fitness plateaus and keep progressing.

Everyone moves towards fitness from a different place and at a different pace. Wherever you’re starting your fitness journey, push past your plateaus and keep working towards success.