Let’s talk workout burnout
I finally felt like I “got there”—to a point of self-motivation, a place where I found workouts I enjoyed & could push myself to complete four to five times a week. I committed to a schedule that worked for me and began to notice strength & cardio results that I hadn’t felt in years. I was especially proud because I nailed down my routine all from home—a feat I’d never thought possible pre-pandemic.
Flash forward a few months to September 2020. I began to feel less power & more exhaustion when I pushed myself to complete a few extra reps, and noticed that even the smallest exertion left me panting. I felt confused—I thought I’d been making serious progress.
The physical and mental effects of burnout can seriously impact your body and mind, and may deter you from the way you view your future exercise and fitness goals. Two main factors contribute to fitness burnout: overtraining and under-recovery. I took this in and recognized it, but I still felt I didn’t know how to solve my problem. If I took a few rest days, would I be motivated to start back up?
Two notes for those feeling similar levels of exhaustion or lethargy:
1) It’s okay to take rest days. It’s okay to take rest weeks, or more. Listening to your body & the way you view working out is so important.
2) Never let yourself feel like a failure for practicing rest. You’re giving yourself exactly what you need in that moment.
However, if you are looking for a few proven ways to conquer workout burnout and embrace recovery, we’ve compiled tips on where to go and what to do when your body & mind need a break:
Rest, rest, rest
Every fitness platform and instructor promotes rest days. But many people, myself included, consider those the one to two days that they can’t fit in a workout—rather than dedicated days to take a long bath, stretch and ice sore muscles, or even treat themselves to a massage.
Foam roll, hydrate, fuel yourself with a fun new recipe—take the opportunity to focus on how you can maximize your strength outside of a workout so you’re better prepared to hit the mat, bike, or track when the time comes. Address pain points like any swollen muscles or joints that irritate you when you exercise, and don’t dismiss what you notice. Helping yourself to fully recover—with the assistance, when necessary, of a professional—is extremely important to your overall fitness goals, especially when the reality of most people’s workouts no longer includes an in-person instructor to make adjustments.
Make time for stretching
Your muscles contract & shorten when you workout, which can leave them feeling sore or stiff. Stretching combats this stiffness by increasing blood flow to your muscles, lengthening them, and promoting flexibility—all of which can help prevent injury during future exercise. Stretching before and after your run will help, but dedicating time to going further than just a few hamstring pulls is important if you’re consistently exercising. The following stretches & flows are great to promote blood flow and flexibility and keep you moving in a way that facilitates recovery.
MadFit’s 30-minute beginner flexibility routine
Alo Yoga’s 30-minute stretch & flexibility flow
Brett Larkin Yoga’s 15-minute easy yoga stretches for sore muscles
Switch up your workouts
One contributor to burnout is actually too much routine. Your body and mind acclimate to certain workouts to a point, often referred to as an exercise plateau. Ensure physical and mental stimulation by mixing things up once in a while, even if that means a brisk walk or hike rather than a HIIT class.
If you’re committed and in love with the workouts you choose, no worries; you can keep your routine while mixing up small aspects to help avoid hitting a wall. Play around with weight size, rep count, or even equipment (you can trade out dumbbells for resistance bands and make many of the same exercises equally as effective) to trick your body into a new regimen.
Find ways to make exercise more enjoyable
Were you a pro with a jump rope as a kid? Maybe you were a dancer. Tap into the activities you loved back when you didn’t know what “working out” was—you just did them for the sake of moving, expending energy, and because they were fun. I found myself in a strength training/pilates rut, so I googled a hip-hop tabata workout & got in a serious sweat that I barely noticed because I was so busy enjoying it.
Be kind to yourself
You aren’t weak or unmotivated for feeling burnt out, just human. And treating the one body you get with love and rest is equally important to making it stronger. When you take rest days, fill that exercise time with things that make you feel mentally strong—write in your journal, look through photos, watch your favorite show for the tenth time on Hulu. Most importantly, remind yourself that recovery & rest are crucial to your mental and physical progress.
