How Can I Make Going to the Gym More Fun?

How can I make going to the gym more fun?

So you want to make the gym less of a chore and more of a good time – love that for you!

The secret sauce? Find ways to get excited about your time in the weight room and before long, the gym might become your favourite sessions of the week!

Here are some practical ways to shift from “just getting through it” to actually enjoying your session.

Pump the music

Music triggers the release of dopamine, a feel-good brain chemical, which can help lift your mood, reduce feelings of fatigue, and get you more mentally engaged in your workout. Find an upbeat, high-energy playlist to get you in the zone and keep you moving.

Find a buddy

Working out with a friend is always way more fun than slogging it on your own. Bonus points if they help keep you accountable and challenge you to pick up heavier weights or go for an extra rep! You can also spot and check technique for each other, keeping you both safer and making improvements in your form.

Set yourself mini targets

Sometimes doing it for the good of your future running career can seem way too big picture and far away to be motivating. And often, big goals can be overwhelming and daunting. Setting smaller targets and goals can build your confidence and enhance the fun by giving you regular wins along the way. You could focus on being able to lift a certain weight by the end of your training block, you could aim to make your 1 rep max a weight you can do reps with, or you could practice perfecting a new movement. The options are endless! Every time you hit one of these mini-goals, you’ll get a little boost of confidence and excitement, which can keep you focused and feeling accomplished which = more fun in the gym am I right!?

Celebrate all the small wins 

Make sure you acknowledge it if you hit a new personal best, finish a challenging workout or even just tick off your gym sessions for the week! Recognising all kinds of achievements reinforces positive feelings towards the gym, helping make it way more enjoyable.

Switch things up 

Find a new coach, start a new program or join a new gym! The novelty of something new can can spice up the gym, keeping your mind engaged and excited to lift some tin! Just make sure you don’t switch up your workouts too often, as progressing on the same exercises (for a certain period of time) is the best way to see results.

Learn why 

Understanding why you’re doing certain exercises and movements can help you to find joy in doing them instead of seeing it as a boring task which you want to avoid. Knowing that your certain exercises will benefit your running stride making you a faster and more efficient runner could be all it takes to give you purpose in the gym!

You’ll find that the more you engage and buy into your gym sessions, the more you’ll start to enjoy them!