To strengthen our bodies and better health, we often let our workouts stagnate. Many of us are guilty of going to the nearest gym to do as many bicep curls and bench presses as we can and then acting surprised when we don’t see the results we want.
Especially for men, it seems that most of us only learned about three muscle groups growing up: chest, arms, and abs. And sadly, this limited view of the body is reflected in our workouts.
For many of us, heading to the gym and working out on our own has never felt harder. With school, work, families, and the increasing number of demotivating images of perfect men surrounding us, it can be difficult to start and maintain our fitness goals.
So if you’ve noticed that your workout routine isn’t bearing the fruits of your labor or if you—like so many of us—are just now realizing that it might be time to reclaim your physical wellness, consider the following options as ways to make exercise something you enjoy (rather than loathe).
Group Fitness
Group fitness gets a bad rap in the man’s world; it’s often associated with large gatherings of middle-aged women dancing in step to a young, strangely excitable instructor. But group fitness can be one of the fastest and most consistent ways to get and stay in shape.
Most locations (such as the widely available OrangeTheory Fitness) offer classes daily that allow people to come in, workout cardio and weight training, and leave without any further hassle.
And it isn’t just large corporations that offer classes. Local gyms and fitness studios have taken up the call and are now whipping people into shape. Group fitness is an excellent choice for beginners, those who haven’t been active for a while, and/or those feeling bored with their routines.
CrossFit and OrangeTheory have popularized group fitness among groups of men, and they may be great options for you, but they’re not the only ones. Yoga classes, martial arts classes, and even kickball leagues are also great ways to exercise as a part of a group. Plus, they’re some of the best ways to make friends outside of your workplace as an adult.
Functional Fitness
Know those crazy people who are always posting pictures of themselves covered in mud, grinning from ear to ear after the successful completion of a race? Ever noticed how they are usually in great shape?
This isn’t a coincidence. Many people find sitting on a communally sweaty bench and “pumping iron” for an hour to be pointless and monotonous. To those people, I say, “I agree!” Some of the best exercise one can get is when we’re working towards a goal.
Functional Fitness is fitness with a purpose. Rock Climbing isn’t just for those reedy-looking hipsters carrying yoga mats; it’s a full-body workout that tightens and hones nearly every muscle in your body. The same goes for swimming, an especially great workout for anyone suffering from joint issues or injuries.
Attending Spartan Races, Tough Mudder’s, and other obstacle course-based races are fun way of staying active as well. Plus, you get to feel like your favorite superhero in training while you’re doing it. Functional Fitness is a solid choice for people who find they can’t stand being inside all day, are training as athletes, or like being distracted while working out.
App Driven Fitness
Like everything, we can still say, “there’s an app for that” when it comes to fitness. The range and types of apps available for shedding weight and building muscle are numerous. Want to up your cardio game while also training for a zombie apocalypse? Try Zombie Run. Zombie Run is a fun app that sends you on missions and tells you when to pick up the pace, when it’s safe to jog, and when you’re about to be eaten alive.
There are also apps for those who have the motivation but not the imagination. Jefit Workout is a fantastic app that allows users to create workouts on their phones, track reps, and watch videos to see exactly how to perform certain techniques. Apps are great for those of us who like to work out solo, need a boost in creativity, or aren’t confident enough to venture out to some of the more alternative methods of getting fit.
(Editor’s Note: I’ve personally been using an app called Strongr Fastr for meal planning and logging my workouts, and I have loved it.)
Time to Sweat
A common saying that’s generally misattributed to Einstein is, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.”
If you know you want to improve your health or get in better shape but repeatedly commit to workout routines you hate, I have bad news for you, friend. That means you’re doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.
When you notice yourself dreading your workouts or finding excuses to get out of them, ask yourself why you don’t want to work out. Once you’ve pinpointed the source of your dissatisfaction, it’s time to look for ways to try something new, and these methods will help.
