It doesn’t matter how much you love working out and being active, if you do the same thing over and over again then you’re bound to get bored of it eventually – that’s just how our minds and bodies work! 

Building self-discipline instead of relying on motivation is challenging enough already, and if you add monotony to the mix then it becomes a lot harder to stick to your workout plan and reach your goals. In order to fight monotony and boredom in your fitness journey, you need to keep things fresh!

We’re here to help you enjoy working out with a few tips that you can follow to beat boredom next time you’re training, so you can have a smooth fitness journey that’s both effective and fun.

Set micro goals

While setting up fitness goals sounds more like a regular part of your workout routine and not something that’s exactly fun to do, it can be a complete game-changer when it comes to fighting boredom – especially micro goals.

A micro goal is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a smaller and simpler goal that you can achieve before any of your biggest goals. For example, if your main goal is to lose 30 pounds, a good micro goal would be losing just 5 pounds or going on a run or a walk at least three days a week.

By setting up these micro goals, you’ll have something to look forward to every single workout session instead of having a distant goal that you’re nowhere near achieving just yet, helping you stay focused and interested in your workouts!

Try a new workout structure

The way you structure your workouts depends on what you like and what your goals are, and this looks different for every person. Usually, all beginners start their fitness journey with straight sets and stick to that for the rest of their journey, which can get boring.

To overcome boredom with exercise, you can try different types of exercise structures, such as pyramid sets. This style of training increases the weight that you’re using on each set while decreasing the total reps, making it a more dynamic workout and keeping your muscles stimulated.

Or, if you want to increase the intensity of your workouts, you can try supersets. This technique involves doing two exercises back to back with little to no rest in between, such as doing a weighted exercise followed by one with a resistance band. This is a great way to increase the intensity of your workout while also trying something new and fun.

Make it social

Doing things with other people is always a great way to make activities more enjoyable, and this is true for fitness too! Whether it’s with your friends, family, or people from your community, turning your workouts into social situations can help make them more fun.

You can try having a workout buddy that always goes with you to the gym, or you could work out at each other’s houses. Joining a fitness class is also a great idea since you’ll always be surrounded by a group of people with the same interests as you, and you can discuss your workout plans and goals for the future.

And if you’re not too keen on having someone working out next to you, you can always join an online fitness community! You can share your important milestones with other people with similar goals while they do the same to keep things fun and stay motivated. It’s up to you!

Prioritize variety

Sometimes boredom stems from doing the same exercises over and over, even if they’re working out perfectly for you. Just because you’re seeing results doesn’t mean that it’s sustainable long-term, because part of having a successful fitness routine is actually being able to enjoy it.

If you’re a fan of squats because of how effective they are for your strength training gains, don’t stick to just one or two squat variations – there are so many! You can do them with or without weight, with a resistance band, on different gym machines, make them unilateral, etc. And this applies to all exercises!

Plus, you can add some alternatives. Instead of always training your triceps with exercises such as triceps dips and overhead triceps extensions, you can switch things up and try skullcrushers or triceps pushdowns. Keep it fresh and you won’t get bored!

Incorporate a fun element

For some people, the act of exercising often isn’t enough to keep their attention, and they end up getting bored even if the workout is highly dynamic and full of different exercises. So they need to incorporate something else into their workouts!

It can be something as crazy as a virtual reality headset that transports you to a different reality during your workout sessions, to something more realistic and simple like playing a YouTube video that makes you feel like you’re running through a field or an obstacle track.

You can even add some dance elements to your workouts, or make playing with your high-energy dog part of your exercise routine. Not every workout needs to consist strictly of reps and sets – any physical activity that keeps you moving and entertained is good!

Change your environment

A change of scenery can always help keep things fresh, especially if you’re used to working out at the same place every single time. If you’ve never trained outside of your usual gym or your home, maybe now it’s a good time to try!

Something as simple as going to the park and getting a breath of fresh air while you work out can go a long way. You can also go to a different gym or a fitness center and interact with the people there, as well as try equipment that they might not have at your local gym. The place doesn’t matter as long as you feel good there!

Personalize your favorite tunes

Last but not least, this might be something that you already do, but there’s always a way to make it more enjoyable! Listening to music is a must for a lot of gym goers because it helps keep things fun, especially if you put some time into it and actually plan what you’re going to be listening to.

Instead of pressing shuffle and hoping for the best, try creating different playlists for different workout moods. Have a playlist ready for those days when you need something soft to keep you grounded or a high-energy one for when you’re feeling down and need some encouragement. Or switch to podcasts, your choice!

Don’t let boredom keep you from making gains

When it comes to sticking with a fitness plan and achieving your goals, workout boredom can be a huge obstacle for many people, particularly beginners. With these tips, you’ll be able to keep boredom away so your workouts stay fun and entertaining even on the most monotonous days!

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