So, you want to perform FEATS OF FREAKISH STRENGTH too?
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5 Ways To Make Working Out Addictively Fun
1. It’s a war!
Always view exercises as a challenge, or better, an ongoing battle.
If you can do 10 push ups in a row, keep at it until you can do 20 or 50. It’s a battle to get there and each day you should be of the mindset to better your previous workout session.
Increase your previous weights, decrease your previous times, do more reps, just make sure you’re moving forward and you’re keeping things a challenge. If all you’re doing is maintaining your current level of fitness, then very quickly workouts will become a chore, another daily task to add to your burden of busyness.
Chores are boring, a battle you need to win – that’s exciting!
2. Simplify
Simply your workouts, simplify your dieting, use less numbers and definitely no calculations – keep it simple, stupid! Unless you’re planning to become a bodybuilder, you don’t need to have your workouts scientifically optimized.
My workouts are divided into 3 sections and each section has has 2 exercises which are done antagonistically (one set of the first exercise, followed by one set of the second exercise, then back to the first exercise until 3 sets of both exercises are complete). This essentially translates to a very simple 3 part workout. I’ll also have a finishing exercise to cap it off.
Keeping workouts simple means they’re shorter and much less work in your mind when your anticipating your next workout. Of course that doesn’t mean your workouts should be easy, but rather uncomplicated.
3. Don’t do it alone
I’m all for working out alone, but if your fitness goals remain private then not only is there no accountability, but there’s less fun too! Challenge a work colleague or friend to get to 50 push ups in a row, first one there gets a free drink.
Or what about challenging your partner? Bodyweight exercies are great for these challenges because each one is working with their own bodyweight – females may be lighter, but males have more muscle creating the perfect balance to start your next pull up challenge!
4. Don’t overdo it
Lifting heavy things is fantastic for increasing muscle and keeping the flab away. But if, after a workout, you feel like slumping on a couch for the next hour, you’ve overdone it. A workout should get the muscles working, spark your hormones into gear and get the blood flowing – how should this make you feel? Energized and rejuvenated!
Keep workouts half an hour long or less.
5. Creativity & Variety
First of all, there is no perfect routine – so don’t try and find one. Just do a set of exercises that you know work, and when you master them, move on to some different ones. Personally I like to rotate between free weights (namely kettlebells) and body weight exercises (pull ups, push ups, dips etc).
Hand in hand with this is creativity. Don’t just do squats and pull downs, do pistol squats and one arm pull ups, or clapping handstand pullups (don’t try that one straight away)! In other words, learn come cool tricks and you’ll start to find things a lot more fun.
Do you find your workouts addictively fun?
If the answer is ‘no’, then I’m also guessing their not consistent either. And if they are, just stop and think, can you imagine doing these workouts for the next 40 years?
The time to change things is now. Take the above steps to make your workouts the unmissable part of your day.
Comment by Alan@Lifestoogood The free life, health, business and money coaching site
9 October 2011
Great post (I just learned that ‘list posts’ are a great idea too) – 5 points that could apply to anyone and any type of exercise at all (somehow ‘workouts’ always makes me think of the gym). Also congrats on doing so well on MDBP.
p.s. if you’re interested in getting another free backlink just leave a comment anywhere on our site http://lifestoogood.net (assuming you like what you read!!) – or – let us know if you’d be interested in writing a guest article if you’re into guest posting as something like the one above fits quite well with the philosophy of our site (which is all about enjoying life more for less, part of which is better health)
great post!!