Let’s face it: working out can feel like a chore sometimes. Even if you’re the biggest fitness buff around, training is not always as exciting as you’d like it to be.
Well, why don’t we fix that? Today, I’ll share with you 10 tips to make your workouts a little more exciting.
Let’s get started!
Tip #1: Mix Things Up With Classes
If you do the exact same routine every session, you’ll naturally get bored. Why not spice things up a bit by joining a class or two from time to time? Who knows? You might discover a way to train that you never thought you’d enjoy.
The idea here is to pick something you don’t normally do so you can challenge your body in ways you’ve never challenged it before. It can be anything: circuit training, Zumba, yoga, pilates, plyometrics, Olympic lifting, or whatever other classes your gym offers. (We know we have a bunch of different Martial Arts and fitness classes you can try here)
Tip #2: Set Mini Challenges
Working out just for the sake of working out can get boring fast. Make each session a little more interesting by turning it into a game. Set mini goals each time you go to the gym and try to hit as many of them as you can before the workout is over.
Here are some ideas to help you get started:
- No sitting down to rest
- No watching TV (Unless the class is digital J )
- Talk to three people you don’t know
- Do one more rep in at least three exercises than you did in your last session
- Use nothing but dumbbell for all your exercises
By turning your workouts into a game, you transform them from an uneventful activity you need to do into an exciting quest that you can’t help but look forward to.
Tip #3: Crank Up Your Favourite Tunes
You’ve probably heard this one before, but you can’t have a list of things to spice your workouts up without talking about music.
It’s a scientifically proven fact that listening to specific songs can help you perform better in the gym. Needless to say, when you perform better during training, you get better results much faster—and who doesn’t want that?
But even if the research didn’t exist, listening to your favourite tunes while working out can still make the activity much more interesting. Think about it. You’re essentially turning each training session into a movie by giving it a soundtrack.
Don’t be that annoying person who blasts their music on full volume from their phone, though. The gym is still a public place after all. There’s a big chance there are people there who won’t appreciate your taste in music.
What you should do instead is invest in a pair of wireless earbuds so you can enjoy your favourite songs without disturbing anyone.
Tip #4: Start a Vlog or Instagram Page to Document Your Progress
Another way to make your workouts more exciting is to turn them into content for a vlog or Instagram page. Doing so will not only allow you to document your progress, but also inspire people who want or are just starting to work out.
But what if you’re a newbie too? What if you’re not in the best shape yet? What if you don’t know much about fitness and nutrition?
Well, that’s exactly what would make your content much more relatable and interesting than that of a ripped fitness expert giving workout and diet tips.
You’re an average person doing what’s necessary to get to where you want to be even if you don’t have everything figured out yet. Is there anything more inspiring than that?
Tip #5: Bring Someone Along
Another great way to make working out more fun is to invite a buddy to tag along so you have someone to joke around (or engage in friendly competition) with while you work out.
Book a Digital Drop In at Canberra Martial Arts to refer a friend and you never know what you’ll get.
Tip #6: Bring a Timer
Sometimes, the problem is not that your workouts are boring, but that they run longer than you’d like—which in most cases has less to do with the number of exercises you need to perform and more to do with the time you spend resting between sets.
As a general rule, a minute to a minute and a half should be enough time for the average person to recover between each set (unless they’re training for power using extremely heavy weights).
But are you really just spending that much time resting? Or do you find yourself lounging around for much longer because you’re constantly getting distracted by your phone or the TV in your gym?
The solution? Use a timer and follow it strictly. You’ll be surprised at just how short your workouts actually are. You probably won’t even have time to get bored.
Tip #7: Rearrange the Order of Your Exercises
You don’t always have to do your exercises in the same order. Feel free to move things around when you start getting bored. As long as you keep the total work volume (i.e., weight x reps x sets) you do the same, you should be fine.
But be sure to complete the most challenging movements—such as the squat, deadlift and pull ups—at the start of the session. Studies show that doing so makes working out much more enjoyable than when you start with the easier movements first.
It also keeps you from having to do difficult exercises when you’re already exhausted.
Think about it. Do you think you’ll be able to do as many, say, pull ups as you normally do if you perform three sets of heavy bicep curls first? Probably not, right?
Tip #8: Go to a Different Gym
Not all gyms are created equal. Some are simply more fun than others. So, if you’re not a fan of boring workouts, then you should definitely consider looking for a gym that hates them too. Bonus points if that gym also has staff and members that are fun to be around as well.Looking for fun people to work out with?
Book a Digital Drop In at Canberra Martial Arts now to get started!
Tip #9: Make Friends at the Gym
Can’t bring a friend to the gym with you? Why not just make friends with people who are already there? It shouldn’t be that difficult anyway, considering you already have something in common and you both already go to the same gym.
Tip #10: Set Up a Reward System
You probably already know this, but getting ripped takes time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate smaller victories along the way.
It doesn’t matter if you just managed to perform another rep, added one more plate to the bar, or lost a kilo or two. Rewarding yourself for these small improvements could help keep you motivated to stick with your training and push even harder.
But what kind of rewards are we talking about? Here are some ideas:
- A cheat meal or two on the weekend
- A massage
- A Netflix marathon
- A glass of wine before bed
- The workout attire (or shoes) you’ve been eyeing for a while now
Say Goodbye to Boring Workouts!
Working out shouldn’t feel like a chore—and with the 10 tips I’ve shared with you today, it definitely won’t. Give them a shot today and breathe new life into your training!Want to make training even more exciting?
Book a Digital Drop In at Canberra Martial Arts now and see for yourself just how exciting working out could truly be!