5 Ways To Make Your Workouts Fun And Effective

Although necessary, working out is not fun and effective for everyone. For the majority of people, the gym is not a pleasant place. It’s a place of blood, sweat and tears. A place of pain and discomfort. And by human nature, we rarely exceed at the things we do not like, and often do not see the results we are seeking. By taking a few steps to increase the enjoyment of working out, you will put a little more effort into your fitness activities and have more effective results.

Although I am super motivated to go workout, my husband is just the opposite. He knows the benefits, but yet he has to drag himself out each day. I tried quite a few techniques with him and have found these to be the most effective.

These 5 five techniques  are super easy for making your workouts more fun and effective.

1. Workout with a Friend

Working out alone can be boring, especially if your motivation is low to begin with. Find a friend with a similar fitness level and work out with them. If you don’t know anyone, just ask around the gym, and I’m sure you will find someone in your same situation. In my husband’s case I am his workout buddy.

2. Take Your Music

One of the most boring exercise activities is cardio conditioning. Load your favorite songs on your phone or I Pod and take it with you to the gym or when you are outdoors walking or running. Include high energy music that makes you want to pick up the pace. I personally increase the beats per minute using a software so I jog at that pace and move out of my comfort zone.

3. Get a Trainer

If working out is really not your thing, turn this stressful activity into a learning opportunity. Hire a trainer to guide you through your workouts and gain some knowledge along the way. During your workout, ask your trainer different questions on proper exercise technique and nutrition. In addition to getting a great workout, you can learn a lot about your body and how to make it perform better.

4. Compete With Yourself

As with any activity you want to do better with, you need to measure your progress. As you get better, you can start to compete against yourself. Try to lift just 5 more pounds than you did last week. Little self-competitions make the workout more exciting and help to promote better fitness levels.

5. Have A Plan before you go to the Gym

Walking into the gym without a game plan can be extremely overwhelming. You walk through the doors and there is equipment everywhere. You can spend 30 minutes trying to decide what to do. This increases you time in the gym and is completely non-productive. Before you walk into the gym, have a workout plan. At the very least, know what major body parts you plan to exercise (chest, arms, legs) and the type of conditioning you want to do (strength vs. endurance). For the best results have your exercises listed, with sets, reps and weight loads written out.

Exercise is a basic life function and is not going away. Your time in the gym can become something you look forward to with very little effort. By simply adding companionship, music, a professional, competition and a plan your workouts can become extremely fun and effective.