I get bored when lifting weights. Please help.

[Monkey_Style]

Hey guys,

I would like to start strength training twice a week to compliment my fight training. The problem is I find lifting weights extremely dull. I’ve tried it several times but after sticking with it for only a month or two I get bored and end up quitting. I’ve tried watching TV and listening to music during the workout. I will be doing it at home by myself with limited equipment: pull up bar, dumb bells, and an exercise bench without a barbell rest. Maybe I just need more will power but does anyone have suggestions on how to keep the brain active during the workout?

Thanks

[ramus]

try lifting with friends

[Builderofmuscle]

I don't like lifting with friends because distraction is easier.

First of all listen to some music. Something that will get you really motivated like P.O.D. or Eminem. Also, change your workouts every week, change the exercises, weihts, reps and sets. The last thing is to constantly read up on new strategies and concepts of weight training. You can find information at t-mag.com, bodybuilding.com, and flexonline.com

[Monkey_Style]

Ramus,
I don’t think I have any friends that could stick with a workout on my schedule.

Builderofmuscle,
The web sites are awesome! Lots of info that will take months to get through!
I am a little confused about your suggestion to change my workout every week. I thought that it was important to stick to one workout for a while, especially the basics when you are really just a beginner like me?

Thanks for the suggestions! Keep them coming.

If you were really concentrating on the succesful completion of each rep in each set, then you wouldn't be bored.

If you keep fastidious records of your performance, and then watch it get better as the weeks go by, you would not be bored.

If you visualise yourself with an incredible set of muscles, especially the ones that you are working on at that time, you would not get bored.

If you push yourself to the limit, and imagine yourself in a do or die battle for survival when the last rep seems impossible to get, you would not get bored.

You're not bored with weight training. You haven't doen it properly yet, thats all. No offence.

[swan104]

Originally posted by Bri Thai
If you were really concentrating on the succesful completion of each rep in each set, then you wouldn't be bored.

If you keep fastidious records of your performance, and then watch it get better as the weeks go by, you would not be bored.

If you visualise yourself with an incredible set of muscles, especially the ones that you are working on at that time, you would not get bored.

If you push yourself to the limit, and imagine yourself in a do or die battle for survival when the last rep seems impossible to get, you would not get bored.

You're not bored with weight training. You haven't doen it properly yet, thats all. No offence.

That was almost poetic Bri! You could make a song out of it!

Is there a second verse?

Steven

[Monkey_Style]

Hey Bri Thai,

No offence taken. I’m sure I haven’t done it properly yet, that’s why I keep quitting. I’ve always thought of lifting as a boring choir. I’d rather clean the dishes. Maybe I’m weird but visualizing myself with giant muscles doesn’t do anything for me, I’ve never really wanted to get huge. I just need to look at it in a different way as you are suggesting, which is what I needed to hear and why I'm asking for suggestions. You are right when you say "If you were really concentrating on the successful completion…". I just keep thinking on how bored out of my skull I am when I'm trying to get through a set. Keeping records is a good tip that I’ve heard before but never tried. I'll keep all of this in mind.

Thanks

[jcolvin]

Originally posted by Monkey_Style
Hey guys,

I would like to start strength training twice a week to compliment my fight training. The problem is I find lifting weights extremely dull. I’ve tried it several times but after sticking with it for only a month or two I get bored and end up quitting. I’ve tried watching TV and listening to music during the workout. I will be doing it at home by myself with limited equipment: pull up bar, dumb bells, and an exercise bench without a barbell rest. Maybe I just need more will power but does anyone have suggestions on how to keep the brain active during the workout?

Thanks

My question is do you get bored in your fight training? If you do then it is a matter of focus. As someone who hits the weights regularly you can't think of it a I have to hit the weights now, but instead you should approach it as the next phase of your training for the day.

[Monkey_Style]

I never get bored with my fight training. When I first looked into it I thought the reasons I would like to do it (in this order) is 1. I want to get in better shape, 2. I want to learn how to defend myself, 3. It looks fun. The reasons I stick with it (in this order) are 1. It’s fun 2. I want to get in better shape, 3. I want to learn how to defend myself. I guess that is sorta what I’m hoping I can get to happen with weight training. The reason I want to get stronger is to help my fighting; the way to continue is to make it fun. Maybe by continuing my work out after class at the center would help me get into the "the next phase of training" approach. Unfortunately they don’t have a lot of weight equipment. Do you think I can achieve this with body weight exercises?
Anyway, I guess I’m rambling. Good point and thanks.

[jcolvin]

Hate to sound all Zen and everything, but anything is possible if you want it bad enough. When I was in college our school gym did not have alot of equipment. This made a lot of people not train and that is one approach, but another is that it forces you to focus harder on what you can do. The variety of machines and equipment only serve to spice up your workout.

I don't have a second verse......

As regards your motivation to fight train, it all applies to the weights. The stronger you get the more power potential you develop in every single technique that you use. Is that not worth it?

[swan104]

I find it quite tough motivating myself to lift weights sometimes, or even to run on a treadmill. Running really bores me, even though I know it will do me a whole lot of good. Motivation is a problem, but I'm making very slow improvements, so that is a good sign, and I am using that to motivate me. Since working out at the gym, I've also found I can go that bit longer on the pads.

In a martial arts class, there is always somebody to motivate you, and push you that extra bit. In the gym, I find it a lot more difficult. Thats why, I've begun doing circuit training and boxercise once to two times a week, which keeps your heart pumping at a good rate. Very light weights are also used, which is also good for martial arts.

For those with a lot of money, you can also hire a personal trainer to give you a few pointers now and then!

Steven

[terry]

Things that help me keep motivated when lifting weights:

1) Measuring, logging and then exceeding my previous best performances in each endeavor.
2) I like to compete with my friends in the gym as we each try to set new personal bests. We post this in the gym on six or seven white boards, so there is a men's 400 bench club, a men's 500 deadlift club, women's 200 bench club, and so on.
3) Competing with my wife. We're competing on a goal of bench pressing twice our body weights and deadlifting 3x our body weights. So far, she's kicking my butt. Bad.

[FeatheredSnake]

You asked how to make lifting weights more interesting and basicly everyone else has just said suck it up and do it. Let me try to give you a couple things that may be a little more helpful, cause I can totally relate to your mental boredom when it comes to simple repetitious movements (lifting weights). And I am a certified personal trainer so hopefully I know what I'm talking about here....lol. One thing to try is doing more than one excercise at once. That will give you more to think about. A couple examples: When you do dumbel curls (for biceps) do lunges or wall sits at the same time. Try standing on one foot while you do deltoid raises...this will improve your balance and also require more concentration. And with the deltoid raises lift one arm to the side and the other arm to the front. This will take more coordination and challenge your balance. Do a tricep cable pulldown with one arm while doing a bicep curl with the other arm then switch arms for the next set. When you do bench press try adding leg lifts to strengthen hip flexors and abdominals while you perform the reps. By integrating excersises like that you give yourself more to think about, it may be more fun for you, and it will keep your heart rate higher and give you additional cardio benifits. Any other questions let me know. Good luck.

That must rank amongst the worst and most dangerous pieces of advice that I have ever heard about weight training.

Second only too "why not weight train with a horny, rampant elephant whilst not wearing your underwear and being on your hands and knees?"

Feathered snake. Go on, try it. Elephants need love too.