Results don’t come from just showing up at the gym, they come from showing up like a champ. Here’s how.
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You know those days in the gym where you’re there … but only in body?
But no man on this earth should ever be bored into a crosstrainer coma.
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Staring at some music video on the TV, not taking anything in, dragging one leg forward in front of the other. Just wishing the new physique would hurry and show up — so you can get back to doing more important things than swishing about on one of those crappy cross-trainer thingys.
I hear ya. But no man on this earth should ever be bored into a crosstrainer coma. The gym can be an exciting place and by taking a whole new approach to training you really can look forward to every workout.
That’s when the results show up.
When I took out my first gym membership 17 years ago I was close to cancelling after about six weeks. Every workout felt like Groundhog Day. Treadmill 20 minutes, rowing machine five minutes, exercise bike 15 minutes, then dumbbell exercises for 20 minutes. Rounded off depressingly with countless ab crunches.
Repetitive. Boring. Frustrating – especially when you look in the mirror 73 times throughout the day and still see no sign of a six pack appearing.
The penny finally dropped that I was wasting my time doing cardio when I learned that weight training not only builds muscle and strength, but burns fat and improves cardiovascular health at the same time.
Once the focus was exclusively on the most effective form of training – lifting weights – I set about using tactics that would bulldoze boredom in the gym and keep workouts interesting. Here are my top five:
#1 — Always aim to set personal bests.
Stroll into the gym like an Olympian – with the intention of setting a new Personal Best or two. Attempt to squat 5-10kg more than last time. Or do one more chin-up than you’ve ever done before. Don’t care about what anyone else is doing, this is all about you. Set out to beat yourself, you’ll grow stronger physically and mentally.
#2 — Mix it up.
Never do the exact same workout twice in a row. For your own sanity. Change the order of your exercises to keep things fresh. Also, switch up the number of sets for each exercise every now and again, ideally keeping it within the 2-4 sets range.
#3 — Turn up the intensity.
You’ll be bored silly if you’re just going through the motions and not properly testing yourself. When lifting weights aim for 8-10 reps with strict form. If you’re comfortably managing more than 10 then add on more weight. Also, aim for shorter rest periods, around 60 seconds, between your sets of exercises and really get the blood pumping.
#4 — Team up with a partner.
There’s much more chance of you sticking with it if you hit the gym with a training partner. You text each other about when to meet, what exercises to do, keeping each other accountable. You can also have a laugh at the weird involuntary noises you’ll probably make as you squeeze out your last rep.
#5 — Test yourself with a “finisher.”
Ever play the computer game Mortal Kombat with your mates when were younger? It basically involves two characters fighting till the death and there’s a bit at the end where it says “finish him”. What’s next is kinda like that. Except you probably won’t die.
There’s no real stimulation and no sense of reward unless you mix things up and challenge yourself in various ways.
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At the end of every workout you should do a high intensity ‘finisher’ move. Pick any weight training exercise you had completed earlier, cut the weight you did by half, and then complete as many reps as you can in 20 seconds. Take 10 secs rest and do the same again for another 20 secs, giving it your full effort. You’re a damn Olympian, remember.
Repeat this 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for eight rounds. This short, sharp style of training is known as the ‘Tabata’ protocol, having been developed by Japanese sports scientist, Dr Izumu Tabata. It’s been proven to be extremely effective for body conditioning and burning fat by supercharge your metabolism. Not only that, you will round off your session in style, and will leave in no doubt that you have worked yourself hard.
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It’s easy to get bored at the gym doing the same thing over and over. There’s no real stimulation and no sense of reward unless you mix things up and challenge yourself in various ways.
The five tactics above can be game changers for boosting enthusiasm and motivation. Then you keep showing up. You soon have momentum. You start to see physical changes in your body and feel stronger. People start noticing and complimenting you.
Then, my friend, you’re hooked.
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Photo: Pixabay