Exercise Boredom

Generally, people start a fitness program, become bored easily after a short amount of time and then move on. Boredom may occur during fitness programs that last more than a few weeks, because we tend to lose purpose and fail to keep track of progress from one stage to another. It is also the result of a lack of desire rather than an inability to exercise. Boredom can be avoided in large part if the type and location of exercise is varied, if reachable but challenging targets are set, and if exercise is a fun experience. We have discovered a few tricks for staying motivated and minimizing boredom over the years during our work-outs. They may work for you, too.

* Try training in a group. First of all, it is difficult to work-out on your own consistently because it is hard to get and stay motivated being alone. Training with other people can provide a great foundation for sharing and bouncing ideas off each other.

* Be open to trying new techniques. Adding a minute or two of jump rope is a great way to change-up a ho-hum routine. It doesn’t matter that you haven’t jumped rope since grade school. Start slowly and build up – it’s fun.

* Test your limits safely. Add a set of 8-10 burpees (an intense form of strength conditioning) to your daily routine for instance. These exercises utilize your own body weight as resistance – they are tough, but condition the entire body and are well worth the effort.

* Ignore the gimmicks. By switching around from one expensive and ineffective gadget to another in our attempts to become fit, we expend our energy in trying to find the ‘miracle cure’ and become lost. Keep your mind focused and your body working instead.

* Be ready for the long haul. It may take months to develop a good routine that develops strength and endurance as well as weight loss. Consistency over time is an important part of achieving a healthy, toned, and lean body.

We cannot completely eliminate the risk of becoming bored and quitting a fitness program, but through good planning and variety, we may be able to minimize the chances of failing to follow through on our objectives.