When workouts become monotonous, they can feel about as fun as flossing your teeth (sorry, dentists). Heading into a New Year, that mundanity can zap your motivation, leaving your fitness resolutions to get thrown out like the Christmas tree. But we’re here to change all that. 

As the calendar resets, we reached out to two fitness founders to get their best ideas for spicing up your 2026 exercise routine. Whether you’re looking for fresh home workouts, new ways to exercise in a group, or affordable fitness class alternatives, our pros have you covered.

The Experts

• Zarina Manaenkova (AKA Zarina del Mar), certified Smart Movement specialist and founder of the 3D Movement Method and 3D Training School
• Fredo Lopez, MS, founder and head coach at Core Collective Fitness

Our Experts’ Go-To Workouts for Fresh, Fun Exercise

For an actually enjoyable workout routine in 2026, our pros recommend focusing on variety and consistency, not duration or intensity. 

“The biggest mistake people make in fitness is assuming that progress requires torture. It doesn’t,” says del Mar. She focuses on mobility, nervous system regulation, and multiplanar movement (exercise that engages all planes of movement, including forward/backward, side to side, and rotation). This approach can “make workouts feel fun instead of overwhelming…if it’s enjoyable, your brain will want more, and that’s how long-term consistency is born,” adds del Mar. She recommends blending these three ideas into any workout routine to prevent boredom:

• Movement snacks: “Two-minute bursts of mobility throughout the day (spine waves, hip circles, shoulder glides). They keep your lymphatic and hormonal systems awake without draining your energy,” says del Mar. If your work schedule leaves minimal time to work out, we suggest starting here!
• The 360° Walk: “A walk where every 30 steps you add a micro-movement: ankle mobilization, rib-cage rotation, arm circles. It turns a boring habit into a playful ritual,” says del Mar.
• The 3D Five-Minute Rule: “Pick a different area each day: core, glutes, posture, legs, breath. Five minutes feels so easy that people actually stay consistent,” says del Mar. 

Lopez has a similar take: “Short workouts, walking challenges, or run clubs are great because the focus is to simply move. Mixing things up also helps; maybe one day it’s a strength workout, another day it’s yoga or a long walk. Shorter workouts that fit into real life tend to be the ones people stick with longer,” he says.

How to Refresh Your Home Workout Routine 

For many of us, home workouts are the most realistic way to exercise consistently and avoid lofty membership fees. “The problem with at-home workouts is that it feels like a chore to people. [But they] don’t have to feel repetitive or boring. Keeping them quick and short gets you moving,” says Lopez. Del Mar agrees: “You need variety, novelty, and different sensations.”

Here’s how they recommend reinvigorating your home workouts:

• “Set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes and just move. At the end of the day, the goal is simpl[y] to move, it can be ten minutes, or it can be an hour,” says Lopez.
• “Use the floor differently: Switch between kneeling, sitting, squatting, and standing. New positions wake up new stabilizers,” says del Mar. 
• Utilize free online resources: “There are tons of free online workouts and trainers that offer free home workout programs. Find one and do it for a few months; this adds structure and motivation,” says Lopez. 
• “Change the vibe: dim lights, nighttime soundtrack, candles, and suddenly your workout feels like a spa ritual instead of a chore,” says del Mar. Lopez also suggests rearranging the room or putting on your favorite playlist.
• Consider simple gear: “Small equipment like resistance bands or sliders can create variety without taking up much space,” says Lopez. Del Mar recommends “micro-props”, such as “a towel (for sliders), a pillow (for core activation), a water bottle (for light resistance), or a wall (for balance).”

Stridekick tip: The Stridekick Shop is home to an extensive collection of space-saving fitness gear to upgrade your home workout setup. Here are a few standouts to consider as a little post-holiday gift to yourself:

• The Blogilates Ultimate Toning Tube Kit, featuring resistance bands with handles and a door anchor to create a varied strength workout from virtually anywhere in your home
• Echelon Adjustable Dumbbells range from 7.5 to 52.5 pounds with a quick pin adjustment system, replacing 12 pairs of traditional dumbbells to save space in your home without sacrificing workout variety.
• The Bala Starter Kit, featuring Bala Bangles, Bands, and Bars, introduces new possibilities to your home workout routine in a compact, aesthetically pleasing bundle. 

Save Money and Stay Motivated: Guided Workouts Without Pricey Classes

Many people turn to workout classes to maintain their focus on fitness goals in the New Year. We see the appeal: guidance, motivation, and accountability, with cancellation fees that can prevent last-minute back-outs. But they’re expensive, especially if you opt for a monthly pass. 

You don’t have to compromise your financial goals for your fitness resolutions. Our pros offered these tips to help you stay motivated sans formal workout class:

• Aim for micro-wins: “Follow short guided videos for instant reinforcement and the gratification of completing a workout, even if it’s not long,” says del Mar. 
• Find online guidance and accountability: “There are so many free or low-cost ways to get that guided experience. Many certified trainers offer free workouts on social media or YouTube,” says Lopez. “Virtual accountability, whether it’s checking in with a friend or joining an online fitness community, can also provide that extra push without the price tag,” he adds. 
• Try habit stacking: “Pair movement with your morning coffee, a podcast, or brushing your teeth,” suggests del Mar. 
• Join a local run club: “They provide an opportunity to socialize and provide free outdoor workouts guided by coaches and fitness brands,” says Lopez. 
• Audio coaching: “Many people don’t realize how powerful a simple voice guide can be. It gives the feeling of a personal trainer without the price tag,” says del Mar. 
• Set weekly checkpoints: “Set one mini-goal per week (better posture, deeper breath, less back stiffness). The nervous system loves achievable targets,” says del Mar. 

Better Together: Tips For Exercising in Groups

Exercising with others is a shortcut to making workouts more gratifying (and it’s one of the main reasons we created step challenges!). “Everything is more fun in a group, and scientifically, group synchrony boosts oxytocin, motivation, and adherence,” says del Mar. 

Check out these group exercise ideas from our experts:

• “Fitness scavenger hunts, partner circuits, or step challenges add a fun, competitive element,” says Lopez. 
• Del Mar suggests the “Follow the Leader” circle: “Each person leads a 30-second movement.”
• “Recreational sports like pickleball, kickball, etc., are great because they don’t feel like traditional workouts,” says Lopez. 
• Try del Mar’s 3D Mobility Relay: “Teammates alternate between hips, spine, and shoulders, which is fun and surprisingly effective.”
• “Even something as simple as a themed running or walking club can turn regular movement into a social event,” says Lopez. 
• Del Mar recommends “walking mastermind: walk together and add mini-movements every 100 meters.”
• Try partner resistance: “Gentle pushes, pulls, or mirrors to activate stabilizing muscles. This turns fitness into connection, which I think is the secret ingredient of longevity,” says del Mar. 

Getting Bored at the Gym? Try This. 

The gym is one of the most accessible ways to stay active, and many have low monthly membership fees. But it can get repetitive and, well, dull. We asked our experts how to revive our gym routine in 2026, and their tips didn’t disappoint. 

• “Allowing flexibility, like having planned lighter weeks or days where you go for a hike or do an outdoor activity, prevents burnout and keeps workouts enjoyable long-term,” says Lopez. 
• “Change planes: sagittal, frontal, transverse. Movement in 3D instantly wakes up your brain,” says del Mar. 
• “Cycle intensity: [alternate between a soft day, power day, and mobility day,” says del Mar. Lopez agrees: “Rotat[e] goals every few weeks, such as focusing on strength one month and endurance the next.”
• “Track sensations, not calories, [like] ‘My spine feels longer,’ ‘My hips feel open,’ ‘My breath feels deeper.’ Sensations give real-time feedback that keeps you engaged,” says del Mar. Lopez adds: “Tracking non-scale wins like better energy or improved sleep can also help maintain motivation.”

Extra Tips to Elevate Your 2026 Exercise Routine

We’re just about ready to send you off into 2026 with enough workout strategies to keep you interested all year long. But to ensure you stay inspired, here are some bonus tips from our pros:

• “Start micro, not massive. Five minutes beats one abandoned hour-long workout,” says del Mar. Lopez adds, “One of the most important things is redefining what success looks like. Consistency matters far more than perfection. Short workouts still count, especially on busy days.”
• “Focus on longevity, not punishment, move to feel young, not to ‘burn’,” says del Mar. 
• “Regulate first, train second. A calm nervous system builds better habits,” says del Mar. 
• “Pairing movement with activities you already enjoy, like walking while listening to a podcast, makes fitness easier to stick with,” says Lopez. Del Mar agrees, adding, “The body repeats what feels good.” 
• “Know your ‘why’. Mine is: I want to move well when I’m 90,” says del Mar. 

Need an easy starting point? Kick off 2026 by starting a free step challenge with your friends today.