We all know that regular physical activity is an important part of staying healthy, but committing to a regular exercise routine isn’t always easy to do- in fact, sometimes it can seem quite daunting. But it doesn’t have to be! You are more likely to stick to an exercise routine if you enjoy what you are doing and if it is easily accessible/attainable. Check out and explore your options and find something that works for you so exercise becomes part of your everyday life! Below are some ideas on how to make exercise more enjoyable:
- Make a game out of it
- Deck of Cards – in this game you turn a 52 card deck into a workout. Take out the Jokers and come up with one exercise for each suit and then shuffle the deck and place it face down. Pick up one card at a time and perform the exercise for that suit for the amount of repetitions designated by the number on the card (*all face cards equal 10 repetitions)
- Variations can include making the 4 exercises all lower body focused, upper body focused, core focused, etc.
- Progressions can involve timing yourself and trying to “beat the clock” the next time you perform that set of exercises. Or you can choose more complex exercises to perform.
- Exercise Roulette – for this game, you write down various exercises on individual pieces of paper, fold them in half and toss them in a box/hat/bowl/etc. Once you decide how many exercises to do, you choose that many from the box and to create your workout. Then, you choose how many sets and the duration. A sample workout could be to pick 5 exercises and perform each for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest between each and then repeat that circuit 3 times.
- Variations can be similar to those listed in the Deck of Cards explanation.
- Progressions can involve increasing your “on” time, decreasing your “off” time, or just choosing more exercises to complete.
- Deck of Cards – in this game you turn a 52 card deck into a workout. Take out the Jokers and come up with one exercise for each suit and then shuffle the deck and place it face down. Pick up one card at a time and perform the exercise for that suit for the amount of repetitions designated by the number on the card (*all face cards equal 10 repetitions)
- Find a class
- In Person – Gyms, fitness centers, and sporting goods stores everywhere provide a wide variety of classes for people of all ages and fitness levels. If you belong to a gym, explore the classes they offer and see if one is a good fit for you. If you don’t belong to a gym, do your research to see what is available in your area (and keep an eye out for programs that may offer a free first lesson or a certain amount of classes at a discount).
- Virtual – Since the pandemic, virtual workout classes have been on the rise. You can find practically any kind of exercise/workout class online now and some fitness centers/gyms even have virtual access to lessons. Take some time and browse the web for what might interest you, and be sure to look at all different channels/accounts to see what instructor(s) work best for you.
- Meet with a friend/group
- If you don’t feel comfortable going to a group class for whatever reasons, try meeting up with a friend or two to exercise. This will help pass the time and keep you accountable.
Written by: Dr. Taylor Ryan