SoulCycle Instructor Kitty Terzo Reveals What To Do About Movement Ruts - Exclusive

Most of us have been stuck in a rut with our movement routines at some point. Maybe life gets really busy, and you can't find the time to go to the gym. Perhaps you get an injury and can't figure out how to start working out again. Getting out of that rut can feel impossible, especially if you don't know where to start. 

As a fitness professional and SoulCycle instructor, Kitty Terzo's job is to motivate people to get their bodies moving, so she's a pro at helping people climb out of their movement ruts. But she's just as familiar with being in a movement rut as she is with helping people break out of them. In an exclusive interview with Health Digest, Terzo shared her personal experience with periods of inactivity and tips and tricks that have helped her and her clients break out and get back into a routine.

Terzo stressed that movement ruts happen to everyone, even fitness professionals. "It's okay to be in a rut," Terzo told Health Digest. "We're all human. I think we all hit a rut at least once in our lives, right? Completely normal."

She went on to say that one of the reasons a lot of us get into movement ruts in the first place is by doing too much too soon and not letting our bodies rest. "I think the best way to prevent a rut is listening to your body and really prioritizing rest," Terzo said. "I used to never do that. And I've had periods of time where I feel like I'm really burnt out."

Terzo emphasized that an important part of breaking out of your movement rut is making sure that you're taking enough time for yourself before you head back to the gym.

The last time Terzo was stuck in a movement rut, the process of climbing out started long before she ever made it back to the gym. It started with writing. "I think just writing down your dreams... talking yourself back into it. Being like, 'You know what? I got this.' Words of affirmation. Writing, journaling, reflecting."

Terzo also suggested writing down your ideal movement routine to know exactly what you'll be doing on each workout day. "Have a calendar and you write down, 'On Monday I'm going to go to SoulCycle. Tuesday I'm going to go for a run or for a walk. Wednesday maybe I'll go to the gym and lift some weights. You know what? Thursday I'll relax...'" Terzo explained. "I think just having a schedule that you could set forth for yourself and just kind of get up and get it done and stick to it."

Once you've taken the time to write down your goals, reflect on your ideal movement routine, and schedule it all out, it's time to take the plunge. "Dive right in," Terzo said. "See what happens, see where it takes you... If you need to modify or change anything after that, you'll know. But you'll never know unless you just like go right back into it."

However, she stressed that diving back in does not mean going all out right away. "There's nothing wrong with taking your time! It doesn't have to be every day," Terzo said. "It could be once a week, could be a few times a week... Just taking things at your own pace and just seeing where it takes you." She emphasized that any amount of movement will help you break out of your rut. 

Catch Kitty at SoulCycle Miami. Book a bike here.