Add Variety & Enjoyment To Your Workouts

By Kris Bierek

Are you bored of your workout routine? Here are some ideas for you.

Get Fresh Air: Yes, make a trip to the outdoors. If you are like most people, you are in doors all day long and bored with the daily repetition. Take your lunges outside try jogging, biking or walking. If you are a regular hitter of the pavement, find new routes or parks.

Move with a Buddy: If you want to get personal insight on what sort of workout your friends enjoy doing, workout with them for a couple weeks. Training with a friend is a great way to learn new exercises or teach a friend something new. While doing cardio, walking next to someone on the treadmill is more fun than watching the clock tick. Plus when you have a friend meeting you, you will be less likely to cancel.

Update Tunes: Do you already train to music? If so, this is good, but it may be time to select new tunes to move to. Playing the really motivating songs near the end of your cardio can really keep you going, and help you boost through plateaus. If you don't train to music - start! You may find it so much easier to get through those first 10 minutes on the treadmill in the morning or make it to 30 minutes total. Music is motivating!

Try a Class: You too boys. Check out the class schedule at the gym and show up for their next kickboxing or hip-hop class. There is so much more then the 80s leg warmer filled aerobics classes. In fact establishments such as Crunch gym have Disco Yoga, Cardio Striptease, African Dance, Fitness and Defense, House Groove, Cycle Cross, Masala Bhangra, Step & Strength, and Taebo Classes. For relaxation enjoy Abs & Candlelight Stretch, BOSU Progressive Pilates and Ashtanga Yoga. Your hour will fly by and you will leave the gym feeling far more exhilarated then after your regular routine which you may have been doing for weeks or years! Take advantage of what your gym is offering you, already in your membership.

Get Sporty: Remember in high school when you were on a sports team? Well even if you weren't you have the opportunity to be, and this opportunity is still here for the taking. Join team sports like volley ball, or soccer, or hike and bike with friends.

Charity Walks: Do good while getting fit. Sign up for a charitable event such as a run or walk to raise money for a cause close to your heart. You'll be energized by the contribution you're making and can bond with others who care as much as you do.

Try Gymnastics: Learn to do a handstand or a back flip. Can you touch your toes? Work on it either on your own, or with a certified expert. Check your area for a gymnastics gym in your area and start at your skill and fitness level.

Yoga or Pilates: Your body will become strengthened and toned, and your posture will improve. Feel your stresses leave you, exhaustion diminish and enjoy improved sleep. Clarity and a sense of well-being will be coming place within your mind.

Pole Dancing: I personally lost over 20 pounds from pole dancing. Pole dancing is becoming common place in the media as fitness enthusiasts rave about the muscle toning and confidence building benefits of pole dancing. Included in classes are sensual dance and floor moves. Great for improving your coordination, abdominal and back strength and flexibility.

Martial Arts Classes: Have you ever seen an overweight person hitting the bag or skipping? Well, if you have they won't be overweight for long. You can pick what you want since there are literally dozens of choices: judo, karate, kung-fu, kendo, etc.

Dance Your Heart Out: Hip-hop, Salsa, Break Dancing, Belly Dancing, Ballroom, or even Exotic Dancing. Who would think that dancing could be a great workout!? Spend an hour moving your body and you may find that you have a healthy addiction. Capoeira: Combing dancing with martial arts. This African-Brazilian form of martial art/folk dance is a lot of fun since it is done in a group, where the focus is on cardio, coordination of body parts, and stability.

Rush Lovers: Enjoy the high you get from skiing, snowboarding, parasailing, jet skiing, hang gliding, and surfing. What other activities do you enjoy that pushes the limits of your comfort zone!? Try something new each year.

Water Bunny: Enjoy a drop-in swim or join any of the other water sports at your local swimming pool.

Gardening: Fire the local company that cuts your grass, blows your leaves, and maintains the yard. Do it yourself instead. Not only is it good physical exercise, you breathe some fresh air and learn about gardening.

Relaxation: Are you needing a break from all the excitement in your day? Many people have taken every cardio class under the sun but may benefit greatly from taking a relaxation course. Improve your joint mobility, and muscle flexibility.

Gridiron workout: Punt, pass and kick like the pros. This workout is derived from the practices used by football players and the emphasis is on speed and agility.

Bosu: Meaning "both sides up". This training uses a Bosu balance trainer, which you can buy at many online shopping websites. The goal here is to adjust to an unstable surface. Try the Bosu in a group and have some fitness laughs too!

About the Author:

Kris Bierek created www.ShapeFit.com to provide quality health and fitness information to people from all over the world so they can live healthier and happier lives. Kris was an all state defensive lineman for Glencoe High School in Hillsboro, Oregon and excelled as a 4-year varsity golf team member. Kris graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and has been involved in Internet development since 1999. He has an extensive background in strength training, nutrition and wellness planning. He created the new FitTracker fitness tracking system to provide an easy way for anyone to track and analyze their dietary intake and exercise output. FitTracker also provides a wide range of healthy meal plans, workout routines and sports related information.

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