Wednesday 22 January 2020

How I'm planning to make my exercise routine more interesting

I've been going to the same gym for a long time, and I've definitely got myself into a rut which doesn't help with my gym motivation. So I've been trying to think of some ways that I can make my exercise routine something that I look forward to, rather than a chore to get out of the way.

To start with I've discovered interactive workouts on the fancy treadmills. Instead of my usual half hour running on the flat, I've been 'running' through different scenery alongside avatars of other runners from around the world, with the incline automatically adjusted to reflect the terrain. I quite like setting my sights on another runner in the near distance, then stepping up the pace a bit so that I can overtake them. Are they real people or not? I don't know, but that doesn't really matter!

I've always enjoyed using the stair climber machine, a mini escalator that you climb without going anywhere, making sure that you keep the rhythm going so that you don't fall off the bottom! I've also recently been having a go on the cross trainer. I've always rejected it in the past as I find it quite difficult to co-ordinate arms and my legs at the same time. I'm getting better at it, as long as I don't go too fast!

I've finally dug out the headphones that go with my phone, and I've been using our Spotify subscription and Google to put together some exercise playlists. I've discovered that the songs I like to workout to come from searching for things like 'angry workout music', and putting together a new playlist makes me excited to get down the gym and listen to it.

Exercise equipment in the gym
Photo credit Gina Lin via Unsplash

The one thing that I do baulk at is trying an exercise class. I used to love Body Pump, but since having children and suffering from abdominal separation I'm a bit wary of using my stomach muscles too much. I'm also a bit terrified of going into a new class by myself and not knowing what to do. I'm perfectly happy working out by myself!

Let's hope that I can keep up my new good work!

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