I Stick To My “Fitness Activity Cocktail” — & It’s Made Me Fitter

I’ve been going to the gym for about 10 years now. My goals and motivations have shifted during that time, as has how I’ve trained. I started off exclusively using the cross-trainer, bike and pull-up machine, as that’s all I felt confident using. Seeing a PT some years later helped me learn how to use weights, and I went from hating squats to enjoying them with 40kg on my back. I then had a yoga phase for my mental health, a running phase for a half marathon, then a nothing-at-all phase where I lost the joy in exercise and felt sick of constantly having delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMs). Breaks are necessary, and nothing can be maintained perfectly forever, but I’m always noticeably less happy when my exercise schedule has fallen by the wayside. So, it’s important I find ways to make movement exciting to me. Now I’m back at it, the thing I’ve done differently this time is not stick to one set exercise plan.

Weight training was my go-to, but having a set day for legs, upper and back, then full body, week in week out… it got boring. My mind is stimulated by variety. Fitness experts and influencers constantly talk about repetition, and either going for higher weights or upping the reps each time to see progress. There’s obviously merit in that, and science backs it. That method is how I got my quads to grow. But I think there’s another way for people who crave a holistic approach to fitness like me, and that is to keep switching up your method of exercise. 

I’m now back in the swing of it, and that’s because of my "fitness activity cocktail". What I mean by that, is currently I do a mix of: circuit (my favourite), weight sessions, boxing, yoga, Pilates, barre, with the odd run and swim. I go to a low-cost gym chain for £25 a month which includes classes and hosts most of my fitness time; running is free; swimming is expensive at £8 a go so I don’t do it often; boxing is more expensive at £10-20 a class, but I don’t smoke, vape or clothes shop much anymore so I can justify this every fortnight. Week to week, I pick and choose which of these I go for based on my schedule, where I’m at in my menstrual cycle, and how I’m feeling. I always do a weekly circuit class and at least one weights session, both at my gym. The rest is changeable, and I aim for three to five workouts in some form each week, usually working out before work and on quiet Sundays.

Some of these classes I’m better at than others, too. I’ll be the first to put my hand up and say that Pilates does not come naturally to me and I find it more challenging than most. However, I can go to circuit sessions and demolish my body station to station, while others used to lower impact work will struggle. I know my strengths, but I think it’s good to lean into my weaknesses too.

The result? I’ve honestly never felt fitter. I walk up hills that used to get me out of breath, and now my breathing stays steady. I can use battle ropes for longer and harder than I could six months ago. I can hold a V-sit without needing to break while an instructor yells “40 seconds left!”. I genuinely look forward to my workouts. I’m writing this fresh out of a boxing and conditioning class, and it’s the highlight of my day. This isn’t a brag — if anyone compliments me on my fitness, I tell them transparently that I’ve worked really hard on it lately. I have to put the effort in. But I love feeling stronger, and that is the best achievement. 

It turns out, science backs this way of training, too, to an extent. Sports scientist and PT at Metrix, Toby Spooner, says this mix of exercises will “enhance overall fitness because it’s stimulating both cardiovascular and muscular systems”. So, it’s not just in my head that it’s working for me. Samantha Cubbins, lifting club manager at Gymshark says such a varied fitness program means different parts of the body are pushed. “Aerobic exercises improve heart health and lung capacity, while strength training boosts muscle mass and metabolism,” she says. “Flexibility exercises enhance range of motion and prevent injuries, and balance exercises help improve stability. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) burns fat and boosts endurance, while functional training mimics real-life movements to improve daily strength.” This all together will improve overall fitness, Cubbins says, as well as preventing boredom. 

When doing the same exercises for a long time without altering them, the body adapts and progress can plateau, and overuse injuries might set in. “Changing your routine helps distribute the physical stress across different parts of the body, reducing the risk of strain and injury,” Cubbins adds, provided of course you’re always taking care to have the correct form.

There are limits to my new way of training, though. Cubbins says that if my goal is to boost the muscles in a particular part of my body, or if it’s to improve my performance, for example, by running a 10km five minutes faster, not being repetitive with my routine will hinder progress. “For these kinds of goals, a more specialised training plan would be necessary,” he says. Exercises don’t have to be changed entirely to keep them feeling fresh, he adds. “Change the weight, volume or intensity of the exercise. This can create new adaptations for the body while still focusing on specific fitness goals. Similarly, cardiovascular training could incorporate various forms (like running, swimming, cycling) to avoid repetitive strain injuries and maintain motivation.” 

In fact, Arj Thiruchelvam, founder and head coach at Performance Physique, sees lots of gym goers change their routine so much that they don’t allow time for progress to begin. “Dedicating a certain amount of time to an exercise for eight to 12 weeks at a time is the most effective way of making progress.” However, my goal right now isn’t specific. I just want to look and feel fitter. It’s quite nice for once having an aim as loose as that, and so, chopping and changing my exercise plan is good enough. Thiruchelvam says the reason I feel fitter is because I’m targeting several components of fitness and movement. “Not only are you working on strength and aerobic fitness but also anaerobic fitness, mobility, flexibility and core strength; effectively the components of a well-constructed training programme.” 

Arguably the most important thing though, is boredom. “Avoiding boredom while exercising is a major positive. It gives you a greater chance of continuing to exercise, and therefore being healthier in the long term. This consistency is what matters the most,” Thiruchelvam adds. Kind of like how dermatologists, when asked what the best SPF is, will say “the best one is the one you’ll use”. The best fitness routine is the one you’ll show up for.

So, you’ll now know if this kind of training will work for you or not. When I inevitably switch it up again and want to focus on something specific, I’ll get back to a more regimented routine. But for now, I’m enjoying the freedom of each week looking different.