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:
- 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 - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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.
