Ways to make Training more enjoyable.

So we all get a little bored of the same old same old at the gym. So how do you get things going again? Here are some tips:

#1: Change the type of training you do for a few weeks. If you normally lift heavy with low reps try lifting some lighter weights with different tempos and rep ranges. It is amazing how this can give your training a new lease of life.

#2: Change the time of day at which you train. In the Summer I like to train around 5-6pm when it is still light but a bit cooler. In the Winter early mornings, 6am. Who wants to leave work at 5pm on a cold, DARK, Winter’s night to get stuck in the terrible traffic, to go to the gym? You just want to go home and chill. I like to train early in Winter, give myself no time to mull it over. I wake up, grab some BCAA’s, a shot of Pre-Train and I am good to go. Not saying that is good for everyone but it works for me.

#3: Put some new exercises in to your routine. Yeah ok, benchpress may be your strongest exercise but it doesn’t mean it is the best to optimise your results. Switch barbell for dumbbells or vice-versa once in a while. Swap Steady-State cardio for HIIT (intervals) or circuits.

#4: Find a training partner with a similar attitude to you. You don’t have to have the same goals but attitude counts. You don’t want a training partner who doesn’t take it as seriously as you do, it will just bug you when they inevitably let you down by not showing up on leg day!

#5: Get a good trainer to format some new routines & workouts. Now, how do you quantify what a good trainer is? Well this is how I quantified it. There are a number of PT’s at the gym where I am at and they ALL talk a good game. But talking a good game and giving me good advice are two different things. I took my time to look at the clients the trainers had. You can spot the clients who don’t care (but again, if they are a good trainer they should be able to inspire for at least 60mins!). I saw one trainer who had a client whose transformation was incredible. They literally went from an absolute bag of bones to a great shape and condition in 12weeks. The client wasn’t overly muscular, but that wasn’t their goal. The goal they had set was to get as lean as possible and build some muscle tissue. Well it inspired me to try this specific trainer and I’ve never looked back. Nowadays we just have a catch-up once per month and we update the workouts.

#6: Don’t be afraid of challenging yourself. Set a goal that will test you in the gym but invariably improve your body composition or fitness level.

So there you go. Just one of these tips could help re-start your training and set you on the right path to make your goals a reality.