Should Workouts Be Fun?

How much fun do you have with your workouts? I realized, after recently talking with an 82-year-old neighbor who works out regularly, that finding ways to enjoy workouts, or making them more fun than work, is a huge secret to results. Effective workouts are not easy, as much of what causes our bodies to change is the stimulus of serious effort and pushing outside our comfort zones. It’s much easier to sit on the couch and watch TV or scroll through our social media feeds than it is to go and exert ourselves in a workout.

For my neighbor, he said it’s something he knows he must do, as it helps him ward off arthritis and allows him to stay mobile, active, and able to do things he enjoys like traveling to national parks, camping and hiking, among other things. The reward of those trips and the ability to get outside and enjoy the sun and fresh air keeps him going consistently. However, it’s not easy. It takes determination and a strong will to make himself exercise when he could take it easy.

One of the things that makes working out fun for me is the variety. I love learning new things, which is something I’ve always enjoyed. I get bored easily, so it helps to have a mixture of movements, skills, and types of workouts (short, long, varying rep schemes, etc) to keep me interested.

I also enjoy progress. We use the Level Method at 925, which helps me see what my next steps are in each area of my fitness. If one step is taking too long, or proving too difficult, I can focus on another area for a bit and move that level up, and return to the other once I’ve had a mental and physical break. The Level Method gives me a solid assessment on what I personally need to work on without the guesswork normally associated with workouts.

I also love being around like-minded people. Working out takes determination, drive, optimism, and grit. People we see on a weekly basis possess these qualities, or are working on gaining them. As individuals, we are the combination of those we associate with most, so I prefer to be around these types of people as they help me improve and stay the course when I’m tired or having a difficult week.

We make it a point to prioritize having fun at 925. Joking around, trying new movements and not always doing so well at them is a great way to break down barriers and build friendships. It’s not about how much weight we can lift or how fast we can run, but about doing it all together and getting a little bit better each day. The culture of a good gym will support and encourage this, because, in my opinion, life is too short to make working out about competition and all-business attitudes.

If you have a hard time sticking with a workout plan or a gym membership, look for a gym that has these qualities:

It needs to be personal, where you actually have a good relationship with your coach and fellow gym members.

It needs to be fun - it can’t be so serious and hardcore that you’re intimidated to be “new.”

It also needs to be encouraging. When you find a group of people who are genuinely happy to see you progress and are motivated to be a part of the group as a whole, you’ll be motivated, in turn, to hold on to it.

If you take the time to find this type of culture and group of people, you’ll have a hard time not succeeding :)