Do you find yourself in the gym repeating the same old work out day after day, but you just aren't seeing a change? You've tried different weights, reps, tempos, even fancy new shoes with toes and nothing seems to get you past that stuck point. Well, try this on for size; the best change you can make is also the easiest. It's an environmental change.
No, we don't mean go work out in the rainforest. We are talking out changing the actual environment around you during a normal exercise. Slight modifications (dark, stability, noise, vibrations), known as proprioceptive changes, all cause your body to react differently while performing a seemingly simple task. Those new reactions force your body to adapt to stimulation by recruiting muscles differently, or sometime involving a whole new group!
Think about it like this, a biceps curl on one foot as opposed to two is going to force you to stabilize from the ground up. Resulting in stronger joints, engaged core muscles and better balance. The best part, these new recruitments mean you are burning more calories!
So the next time you find yourself in a rut just close your eyes, stand on one foot, grab a stability ball or ask a fitness professional for one of 100 other ways to better your workout through perceptively rich environments. Take the opportunity to stabilize your core, and your results!