Why not give netball another go?

It happens to the best of us. Whether you’re a Pilates lover or a circuit hustler, there comes a point where what started out as a challenging workout that kept you on your toes and got results becomes a routine. You know exactly what you’ll do when, how long for and can practically calculate how much you’ll sweat. In short, you’re in need of a sports shake up.

The easiest way to overhaul your fitness regime and drag yourself out of that workout rut is to try a new activity. Yes, it might sound scary, especially when you know exactly what you’re doing with your current routine, but it really is a great way to revive your sports life. Not only will an injection of variety keep you interested and your workouts fresh, it also has a whole host of body benefits. Trying a new sport will take your body out of its comfort zone, challenging it to work harder and use different muscles. This in turn can help break through a weight loss plateau and boost waning willpower.

So once you’ve decided to ditch the same tired circuit at the gym or give your running shoes a bit of a break. What’s next? What’s out there for the slightly disillusioned fitness fan? Plenty it turns out.

Try Team Sports

If team sports are your particular cup of Lucozade, then you’re in luck. Recent years have seen an upsurge in women’s teams around the UK and there’s something out there to keep everyone happy. Feel like going old school? Why not dig out that pleated skirt and give netball a try. You can blast around 450 calories in a game, the jumps and throws will tone your arms and legs and the short bursts of activity will build your cardiovascular fitness.

Fancy something a bit fresher? How about one of the fastest growing trends of the moment – Roller Derby? It involves two teams roller-skating on an oval track, as they attempt to get their point scorer (jammer) to gain points by lapping members of the opposing team. It’s fast, furious and a great toner for legs, bum and tum. Possibly not one for the faint hearted though! And it’s not the only American craze to hit our shores either – cheerleading is becoming increasingly popular and classes have sprung up at gyms, dance studios and clubs across the country.

Energetic Exercise Classes

Exercise class fan? Fear not. Thanks to inventive gyms and a never ending stream of fitness fads coming out of LA there’s more choice out there than you can shake a yoga mat at.

Ballet has bloomed into one of the biggest trends this year, no doubt due to the Black Swan effect. You can try everything from classic adult ballet classes for beginners to more targeted sessions like the Ballet Barre classat Shoreditch fitness Mecca, Frame. This combines classic ballet moves on the barre with jumps to up the cardio element and will help hone your body into a toned, lean dancer’s one. Tutus are optional…

Or if you fancy jumping on the barefoot fitness bandwagon, then Virgin Active’s willPower & grace classes in the UK might be for you. These are high-energy classes with a mix of postures and drills that you perform sans trainers. As well as giving a good workout and improving flexibility, they help strengthen feet and correct imbalances in ankles, knees and hips.

A new take on traditional ballet...

For gym bunnies who really can’t do without their strengthening session, GRAVITY might be an idea. This uses a piece of kit that allows you to use a percentage of your own body weight for resistance rather than dumbbells. You adjust the percentage to suit your fitness level and can use the same machine for everything from squats to bicep curls. And best of all it helps you sculpt a lean body, without bulky, soviet shot-putter style muscles.

Revamp Your Routine

But, of course, braving a new sport won’t be for everyone, and there are plenty of ways you can breathe life into tired routines. Take running, simply swapping a couple of pavement pounding sessions or treadmill blitzes for some off road runs, is an easy change that can make all the difference. For example, trails are harder to run on as they absorb more of the impact, making it a tougher training session and strengthening your legs. Dedicated swimmers could experiment with some open water sessions where possible for added resistance, while seasoned yogis could try throwing a few of the super-hot (literally, it takes place in a room heated to 40 degrees) Bikram yoga lessons into the mix.

Either way, whether you go the whole hog and jump head first into cheerleading and barefoot classes or simply add in a few effective tweaks, it really is worth taking the time to shake up your shape up.