7 tips to revitalise your gym sessions

March 14th, 2007 • Related • Filed Under

Filed Under: Goal setting • Health

Tags: Exercises • Intentions • Just do it • Motivation

Making the gym more interesting

weight are excellent motivators for going to the gym
but sometimes it can be very boring. My workout in the mornings are;
treadmill for 12 minutes, abs 3 reps, biceps 3 reps, bench presses 3 reps,
legs 3 reps, bike 10 minutes and rowing machine 1000 meters. I started
looking at my workout when it became a little stale and frankly boring, so
this is what I have come up with to make the gym a little more interesting:

1. Close your eyes. I close my eyes on all my exercises,
   except for the treadmill. This way I can visualise me being in the
   Olympics. When I am on the rowing machine I am sitting in the
   boat with Steve Redgrave as my rowing partner and my family are on the bank
   of the river cheering me on. I imagine my oars going in and out of
   the water and it can be very real when I’m in the zone. When
   I am doing my biceps work I close my eyes and imagine that the only way I
   can get my family back is to finish the last rep. When I am on
   the bike I am in the tour de France and again I see my family on the big
   screen cheering me on. This has the added benefit of strengthening
   your visualisation acuity. Visualisation is a great way to attain
   your goals see
   Visualise
   your life
2. Vary your workout routine. If you are the type of
   person who does the same thing in the gym all the time, why not try varying
   the routine. Try reversing your routine altogether, if you normally
   finish with leg curls make this the start of the routine. This simple
   little thing allows your mind to wake up a little. I always imagine
   peoples brains walking into the gym like Elmer Fudd, shoulders drooping and
   saying ‘Same old routine, treadmill, biceps, leg curls, bike, walking
   and rowing’ spice old Elmer and get him thinking for a change by
   reversing your routine.
3. Try it with a partner. Someone else suggested this
   to me. I am the type to workout alone however I know a lot of people
   like a partner as a motivator. I think this is a good idea as it
   can be good to have someone cheering you on and just pushing you that little
   extra.
4. Watch the television. Most modern gyms have TV screens
   in them; why not switch to your favourite channel and workout to a little
   TV. This can help take your mind off the exercise itself. Pretty
   soon you’ll have run a mile, burned 150 calories, lost a few grams
   and watched Oprah all within the space of 15 minutes.
5. Listen to your goals. Last month I wrote an article ‘Change
   your life with a computer and a headset’ if you tried this
   it means you can listen to your goals whilst at the gym. This
   is what I do every morning. Sometimes I zone out and don’t
   hear them as I am visualising but they are still being heard. I think
   this is a great way to focus on your goals whilst getting fit and losing
   weight at the same time.
6. Join a class. This can be an excellent motivator
   as you automatically try a little harder when other people are around pushing
   you that little bit further.
7. Push yourself some more. When I first started going
   to the gym I was running at the same pace, lifting the same amount of weights,
   and rowing at the same pace. Now I tray and add a little every week. I
   used to run 5 miles per hour (a 12 minute mile) now I have pushed myself
   to run 6.5 miles per hour (just over a 9 minute mile). I have also
   managed to row 1000 meters in 4 minutes which was a great achievement for
   me. I can lift heavier weights, cycle faster, run faster etc. This
   is a great motivator for me as I am the type to push myself all the time
   and love competition.

These are only a few suggestions for making the gym
more interesting. Why
not share your gym tips and we can all be gym freaks in no time.

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There Are 7 Responses So Far. »

1. Comment by Yolanda on 14 March 2007:

   I found #3 effective. I already did it several times with different friends. Somehow, they keep me talking about something without being aware of the time. How time flies if you like what you’re doing. The only problem is, you sometimes forget the number of reps with so much talking.


2. Comment by Steven Aitchison on 14 March 2007:

   Hi Yolanda

   I haven’t tried it with a partner but some of my friends swear by it.


3. Comment by Vic on 15 March 2007:

   I think joining a class will be exciting. I remember how things were, back in school. Competition was alway around. It was embarrassing if you were least in class. Trying to stay in the middle or the top means extra effort.


4. Comment by Mark Needham on 15 April 2007:

   Love the idea of visualisation when exercising. I was thinking about that earlier on but I’ve never tried doing any exercises with my eyes closed - think I will try that tomorrow!

   Another non related idea I’ve been playing with is imagining the muscle you are working taking all the effort required in a particular exercise and handling it easily. I find it intriguing how easy that actually is to do!

   Some excellent posts though - I only came across this blog today. Thanks for the advice.


5. Comment by Steven Aitchison on 15 April 2007:

   Hi Mark

   Thanks for visiting the blog, I am glad you like it.

   I hadn’t thought about visualising the muscle, thanks for the tip.


6. Comment by Cord Blood on 7 May 2007:

   I usually close my eyes and listen to my ipod. And when I want to work real hard, I think of my ex


7. Comment by Strength Training on 21 May 2008:

   Hello Steven,

   I myself are well into training; particularly strength training, and found some of your tips very useful, particularly the one about closing your eyes… I perform every lift I do with my eyes open, so this is something I may have to try.

   Some other tips for improving performance and motivation that I have, are:

   - Have a break once in a while; do something else, or just rest. You’ll be surprised at how much more motivated you are, and usually how much stronger.

   - Stretch before and after every exercise. This makes every exercise feel so much better, and helps you to stay injury free and improve performance and gains. Recently, I developed a shoulder problem, and, through stretching the pain has subsided, I’ve gained better range of motion, and my strength gains continue to rise!

   I’ll certainly be re-visiting your blog - bookmarked! - so keep the good content coming!

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