Alternative Fitness Ideas

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Do you find that your workouts of late have become stale and repetitive?

Perhaps you are less interested in making the effort to get to the gym, or even if you do get there, you are just not motivated to push yourself to achieve more.

Whatever the reason, having the right motivation is important to ensure that you have regular, productive workouts.

With this in mind then, we are going to highlight some great alternatives that may help you find that motivation and joy in working out at the gym.

Kettlebells

Do you make use of the weights in your local gym?

Are you bored with doing the same movements and sets of reps day in and day out?

why not switch it up a little and use kettlebells instead?

They do look a little silly, but they are an easy and effective way to add an extra dimension to your fitness routine.

Punching Bag

Many gyms now have a boxing punch bag or two.

Have you avoided using this in the past because you felt it was only for those training for boxing, MMA, or some other form of contact sport?

Although this is understandable to an extent, the fact is that working out with a punching bag is a great way to work out both your cardiovascular system, while improving your hand-to-eye coordination, balance and stamina.

Pilates

Pilates may not sound very appealing if you are used to participating in high-octane sports or bulkier weight resistance training.

However, diversifying your workout routine to include a class or two of pilates a week is a great way to concentrate your efforts on different muscle groups and improve the strength of your core and body as a whole.

Don’t be misled, because pilates may look like some kind of relaxing yoga thing, but it is actually hard to do and you may well struggle with it in the beginning.

Stick at it though and you will experience rich rewards.

Change Your Routine Regularly

Although we all have busy lives and it is often best then to stick to the same routine each and every week; this can lead to boredom and a lack of motivation.

Our advice would be to try and switch up or change your schedule every few weeks, to prevent it from becoming stale.

So rather than Monday being leg day, Tuesday abs, etc.. Switch things around, or incorporate different machines.

Take Advantage of the Pool

Most modern gyms have a pool that is either part of the gym itself or the sports center where the gym is based.

Do you make use of the swimming pool as much as you perhaps should?

Often, swimming can feel like more hassle, because you need to get ready and showered, etc.

However, if you halved the time you spent in the gym and used that extra time you had to swim; you may find working out is a lot more interesting.

Swimming is obviously very low impact and can actually be soothing if you’ve worked various body parts and muscle groups.

Step Outside the Gym

Time and convenience often are involved in the decision to work out at a gym.

However, if your motivation and enjoyment of working out are suffering; it could be that you need to think outside the box or four walls of the gym.

We are not suggesting that you start running every day instead of attending the gym. Far from it. But, as diversifying your workout is one way to increase your enjoyment of it, taking some time out to exercise in the great outdoors, could be a good move.

Even if you just cycle once a week or go for a jog; you will welcome the change of scenery and those hard days at the gym will feel more refreshing.

Set some Goals

Perhaps you need to set yourself some goals, to give your workouts some direction – something to work towards.

The gym will feel less boring and stale if you know you need to get there and work out to achieve your goals.

Whether it is that you want to take part in a long-distance run or have an event to attend that you want to lose weight for to fit into your suit or outfit; think of what you want to achieve and work towards it.

It should go without saying that you need to come up with goals that are achievable and not impossible, or you will just give up.

About The Author:

Simon Barker is the owner of BoxingReady.com, the ultimate resource on boxing tips, information, and reviews. He’s an avid boxer, part-time fitness expert, and amateur blogger. You can find Simon on his blog or in his local boxing gym

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