Has this ever happened to you? You spend hours at the gym but don’t see results. You could be doing an exercise that’s just not right for your body. But a new study shows that if you switch exercises, you’ll likely see improvement.
“One of the things you see when people engage in exercise training is some people respond more than others,” said Michael Joyner, M.D., an exercise expert at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Joyner says that can be super frustrating.
“But, in general, if the dose of exercise is high enough, almost anyone will respond,” he said. “And, so, what people need to do if they’re not responding is subtly change their program or try different doses of exercise.”
Dr. Joyner says the following two tips can really help: high-intensity interval training—that’s when you repeatedly go hard for a few minutes and then rest …
“If you tend to be a nonresponder or having a harder time getting in shape, that’s where interval training will really pay off for you,” he said.
… and lifting to failure—to where you do so many reps you can’t lift any more.
“The other thing is to make sure that they get a high-protein meal within 30 minutes to an hour after they’ve lifted,” he said.
Talk to your health-care provider if you’re just starting an exercise program.
When Your Workout Doesn’t Work
