5 Clever Ways to Fit Strength Training into Your Everyday Routine

People often mistake strength training as referring exclusively to weightlifting, but this is a limited and only partially correct definition. Strength training is actually an umbrella term used to refer to a variety of types of physical exercise that increase strength such as bodyweight workouts, kickboxing classes, and weightlifting.

Incorporating strength training into your daily routine has been shown to blast fat, increase toned muscle, improve bone density, and support brain health. To enjoy these benefits, you don’t have to go to the gym for two hours every day. Here are five clever ways you can easily fit strength training into your everyday routine for the best health benefits.

1. Take a Class

If the gym scene isn’t your thing, try taking a class instead. There are dozens of fitness classes that focus on strength training. Here are the most popular classes that you’ll have no trouble finding:

Yoga: An ancient bodyweight-based practice, yoga has exploded in popularity. It’s excellent for building strength, improving balance, and alleviating stress. For those going through rehabilitation, yoga is a low-impact way to restore muscle and physical ability.

Pilates: This class takes many of the strength-building postures from yoga and increases the intensity. Pilates is a famous core-sculpting form of exercise, leaving you with a lean and tight tummy along with more strength.

CrossFit: Maybe you love weightlifting, but you’ve become bored with the traditional gym scene. CrossFit is a type of fast-paced weightlifting class that focuses on Olympic-style movements. When performed safely and correctly, CrossFit is a sure way to increase strength, build muscle, and burn fat.

Kickboxing: This classic cardio class has remained strong decades after it became popular. Kickboxing is a full-body workout that focuses on punches, kicks, and jumping. You’ll increase your power and strength as you blast away fat.

Spinning: Jumping on a specialized stationary bicycle, you’ll challenge your entire lower body, your core, and your willpower. Spinning classes are intense, but the fat loss, toned muscle, and increased strength makes it worthwhile.

2. Perform a Commercial Break Workout

If you’re watching a favorite show, take advantage of the commercial breaks to increase your strength. We recommend performing a quick workout of simple bodyweight exercises. Your goal for each commercial break is to complete the entire mini-workout before your show comes back on. When the next commercial starts, begin the workout again. Here’s an easy-to-perform mini-workout:

Bodyweight Squats: 15
Push-ups: 10
Walking Lunges: 15
Crunches: 15

3. Try a Fitness Challenge

A great way to start your day as soon as your feet hit the floor is to get moving. This will help you wake up, get your blood pumping, and put you in a good mood. We recommend trying a fitness challenge.

There are plenty of choose from, but the most common challenges involve performing between 50 and 100 repetitions of a certain exercise every day for one month. It doesn’t matter how many sets you need to get to 100; the goal is to reach that number each day.

For beginners, we recommend performing 50 repetitions; for the intermediate level, try 75 repetitions, and for the advanced level, do 100 repetitions.

Here are five of the most common fitness challenges; try performing one challenge per month:

Squat Challenge
Push-Up Challenge
Pull-Up Challenge
Sit-Up Challenge
Plank Challenge (repetitions would become seconds for this challenge)

4. Lunch Break Workout

If you’re like most people, you’re stuck behind a desk all day. When your lunch break comes around, get up, get moving, and get out of the office.

There are a few ways to fit strength training into your work day and lunch break:

Stretch and go for a power walk outside
Do a mini-workout of squats, push-ups, and stretching
Use hand grip strengtheners during the work day
Perform your fitness challenge for the day (if you missed it when you woke up)
Sit on a BOSU ball instead of a traditional swivel chair

5. Go on an Adventure

If you’ve had a long week and the last thing you want to do is to go a gym or fitness class, you can have fun and boost your strength with adventure-based activities. Take a weekend and plan to do something that gets you moving and challenges your muscles:

Go hiking, try zip lining or rock climbing.
Go snorkeling, or explore on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP).
Jog through a new neighborhood or forest preserve or get on a bicycle and explore.

Pick an activity that gets you moving, but is so fun that you forget you’re working out.

If you are interested in a strength training program check out some of our suggestions!