4 things to do when you are bored with your exercise routine

Just because your motivation and enthusiasm for working out is going down doesn’t necessary mean you call it quits. Here are ways that you can do to get yourself back in the groove:

Try something new: If you think you’re stuck doing the same thing over and over or stuck to that solitary pursuit, try doing something else. Sign up for a team sports, a jogging group, a dance class or do something a bit challenging that you’ve been shielding away. Just switch and find new routines that can keep you on the edge and motivates your spirit. Find something fun that will make you want to do it again and again.

Get support: Find a friend or family member to work out with you. Such people usually add that social element to your exercise routine while making you accountable for any missed workouts. These should be people ready to walk with you all the way throughout your training period.

Change your scenery or add variety: If you are used to training indoors, move your exercise outdoors for once. Try exercises that you normally don’t do indoors like swimming, hiking, rock climbing, hill-walking or just walking around your neighbourhood. The experience will be much different and somehow satisfying because it will out of the ordinary. To add variety, try unique exercise that you haven’t tried before like doing power yoga instead working out on machines, do cardio kicking like taebo, zumba and salsa dance classes instead of normal aerobics classes.

Find your ideal training intensity: Doing this will help you know if you’ve under-trained, over trained, if you are feeling sore most of the time or if you are having trouble sleeping. If either happens, you will somehow want to increase or reduce the intensity of your routines based on your activity level so as to get a good workout though out. Your ideal training intensity will also help you know if you have gained strength, endurance and total body fitness and at some point encourage you to push your workout up a notch to yield more results. This helps to kill boredom.

If by any chance all the above fails, it will be good to take a break. Sometimes getting bored or losing motivation is your body’s way of telling you to take it slow. Take a break for a few days. That little rest may just be what your body needs to recover and renew the motivation you need.