Energize your workout with these tips
Death to Robot
Ditch the bored, robotic routine with these trainer-tested strategies for injecting more life into your gym time.
Exercise scientists call my strategy disassociation. “Research consistently shows that people who are able to disassociate themselves from what they’re doing while they’re exercising enjoy their workouts more than those who can’t,” says Kevin Masters, Ph.D., director of clinical training in the psychology department at Syracuse University in New York. And people who don’t enjoy their workouts? They tend not to work out as long or as often as those who do, says Masters.
Here are more strategies guaranteed to shake up a boring, robotic routine—and help you burn more calories, shed more pounds, and climb to the next fitness level faster. Assistant DA Jack McCoy himself couldn’t craft a more convincing closing argument.
“Athletes never walk onto the field and wonder, ‘What am I going to do today?’ ”
Go hard. “Intensity always trumps boredom,” says Edmund Acevedo, Ph.D., chair of the department of health and human performance at Virginia Commonwealth University. Step it up once or twice a week. “Demand more mental energy from yourself,” he says, “and you’ll feel more energetic physically.”
Get concrete. Instead of mustering up vague ambitions like “get in shape,” aim to run a specific event or survive an entire kickboxing class. “You have to create concrete value in the pursuit of fitness,” explains Tony Goodrich, fitness manager at the Paseo Padre 24 Hour Fitness in Fremont, California. It’s that value that will keep you going on the machine.
Try a trainer. It’s impossible to be bored when someone is cheering for you—just ask a high school quarterback. Besides, you needn’t hire a trainer for life: A few start-up sessions and then a tune-up every few months will keep you progressing.
Plan ahead. “Athletes never walk onto the field and wonder, ‘What am I going to do today?’” says Kris Mukherji, fitness manager at the Downtown La Jolla West 24 Hour Fitness in La Jolla, California. “Likewise, you should never set foot in the gym and wander around looking at what equipment is available.” No structure equals no commitment. See a trainer if your routine feels rudderless.
Keep it short. “You shouldn’t be in the gym for more than an hour, at most an hour and a half,” says Mukherji. “Get in there, keep moving, and get out.” The most intense and most diverting workouts are usually the busiest ones, he says. Between weight-training sets, jump rope for a minute or do ab exercises. Maintain your momentum—so you don’t lose interest.
Record results. Every 3 to 6 months, write in a notebook how many pounds you can squat or how many beats your resting heart rate has dropped. “Results are addictive,” says Goodrich.
