djuk

Hopefully I can get some opinions on this from the vast pool of knowledge which is scoobynet

Im 21 and have been going to the gym for about 6 or 7 months now 3 times a week before work in the mornings, mainly just to get some sort of definition and to get my fitness up.

However, recently ive been finding it a bit on the boring side. The main thing is running in the gym which I cannot bear, i would much rather be outside running which is fair enough and could easily be sorted by just doing that part of the process on another day or after work outside.

Its not just the running though, although i take my mp3 player with me and there is a sodding great plasma tv on the wall of the gym i cant help feeling its all a bit tedious and id much rather be doing it all at home or in the garden.

Obviously im not going to have any of the equipment and due to space limitations im probably limited to investing in barbells/dunbells as i simply dont have room for any larger equipment.

So the question is, can i do myself the same sort of good with limited equipment in the home environment as i would in the gym for my needs?

ta

David

fast bloke

you can but you will get bored anyway - try running, pressups, sits ups, crunches and squats for a free workout.

Senior_AP

Drink beer and ****.

SteveV-WRX

Get to know your fitness/gym instructor.

I manage a leisure facility and would honestly say that the is not better environment to work out in.

Does you gym run any fitness classes, running groups?

Also consider doing cross training, the problem you seem to have is that your bored of YOUR workout. change what your doing, if its mainly weights/ resistance then change to CV.

Or if your a big whingy girl then go into the aerobics and step classes :-p

Steve

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

You could take up a martial art..

Dieseldog

Senior AP does have a point...

TelBoy

Take up squash or badminton. If you're any good, you'll burn more calories than running ever could.

fast bloke

and if you are crap you will burn even more calories as you spend all the time chasing the ball while the other guy stands in the middle and takes the p1ss

SteveV-WRX

lol at fast bloke

i've just started playing badminton with my brother, who's 17.5 stone and hasnt worked out in circa 4 years, he gets a very good work out ;-)

TelBoy

LOL FB, true!

Steve - tell Poor-Guy that. He needs ideas.

SteveV-WRX

Telboy

I think were onto something here, wrap him in cling film and set him up for a squash-a-thon!

Steve

messiah

have a go at orienteering mate - running bores be to tears but orienteering makes you think your way around - physical fitness is secondary to mental.

have a look at http://www.compulink.co.uk/~bof/ for a local club.

super_si

Mix up your routine

ScoobyJawa

You'll burn bloody loads running around looking for a ball in badminton

suprabeast

lots of decent sex...

like a bedroom gym!!

burn calories... and lots of them and its fun

EddScott

Just as an aside, I take it going to the gym over the last months has improved your fitness/definition?

Wouldn't mind getting into the gym thing etc.. At 27 and working in an office I'm becoming very aware that my fitness has flatered somewhat!

imlach

Another way to the gym? Is there a path, or perhaps a cycle route there? You could always get the bus there....or cadge a lift from someone?

ozzy

Get outside. Do cross country running and find some hilly ground. That'll get you fitter much quicker than a treadmill ever will. If you find it getting easy, stick some rocks in a rucksac and run with that.

Do basic circuit training at home or outside on a bit of grass. That'll build all-round fitness, and build muscle strength and stamina (if you put in enough effort).

The military don't use any equipment to get soldiers fit, so there's no reason to spend all your time in a gym to achieve excellent results.

Racquet sports like Badminton and Squash are good for CV conditioning, but they're not as good as a hard run IMHO. It's all about intensity if you want to increase fitness and there's too many rest periods compared to a non-stop run to have the same benefits. Of course, you have to compare things in relative terms. A 60 min run may not burn the same calories as a 30 min squash game if you just jog.

I would stick to running as the main exercise to get you fit and then use some other sport to mix up the interest.

Personally, I took up hill running and that's by far one of the best forms of running to get you fit quickly. I did 4 hours on Tuesday evening in the pi$$ing rain with my local club. We saw herds of deer on the way up the mountain and even with 40mph winds, I loved every minute of it. When I looked at my watch, I couldn't believe how long we'd been running for. Try that in a gym and you'd be watching the clock on the treadmill after 20 mins.

Stefan

imlach

Back that up 100%.
Same with cycling....do it in a gym, and 15 minutes will seem like an age.
Go outside and cycle from a to b and back to a, and even it was 1 hour+, it'll feel like nothing.

milo

do something other than running then if its boring to u.

gym probably has lots of classes like martial arts etc. or do what others have suggested and cycle outdoors.

or lift heavy weights instead/as well.

Hol

iTrader: (1)

I go to the gym and do martial Arts.

My motivation at my old gym used to be the fact that you could often see a reflection from the girls shower room on the wall tiles next to the ajoining door (which was bit flimsy) I'd go 4 nights a week straight after work.

New gym don't have that, just a load more women training there


A training partner would help! Someone to try and outdo on exercises and who can spot you on the few reps.

djuk

Thanks guys some good suggestions, the hill running certainly sounds a lot more interesting than treadmill work.

Its also going to involve some mental work too it would seem, I have to find a hill in Bracknell now

David

djuk

I would definately say that even in the short space of 6 months even given a couple of weeks off when i was on holiday I am very pleased with the results so far, feel a million times better too - a lot more energy strangely even though Im doing more exercise and hard work!

matt85

I can certainly sympathise with the boredom aspect of going to the gym.

What i found worked for me was varying what i do. I now do hill running maybe2/3 times a week with a mate, play 5-a-side twice a week, play squash once or twice, maybe play golf saturday/sunday and maybe go to the gym once or twice if i have time. What happens there is that even if you miss one or two of those out on a certain week you are still doing more than enough and obviously it isnt as repetitive as a treadmill. I also think the competitive edge in squash and 5-a-side helps you as you put that extra bit more in so that you dont lose.

Just a suggestion.

gsm1

I saw a shopping channel the other day. They are selling a device which supposedly gives you even better abs and works more muscle groups than the piece of sh*t they were selling last year. From the before and after pictures I was well convinced, especially when they interviewed a guy with a white coat and glasses on who confirmed the test results and was pointing to a scientific chart. Might be worth a try and you'll save all that gym membership.

ProperCharlie

there's no other way
there's no other way
all that you can do is let them play.

hth

Martin J Stirling

Boredom is a common problem for a lot of people in the gym, but often there is a simple reason. Most failed gym goers that I know used to go to the gym, aimlessly wandering from one machine to another each day, with no programme, proper routine or GOALS.

To make the gym fun and motivating you need to keep an exact daily record of your progress and try and improve on it. Each time u go, keep a little notebook and try and run that extra mile, run your normal distance 10 seconds quicker, or up a K on the weights.

I did weights for 3 years, and I was amazed how motivating it became, just being able to watch yourself progress, get stronger and up the weight! I was always determined to improve on my last days routine and press a bigger weight or an extra rep each time.

I think if you set yourself definitive goals and monitor your progress, you will WANT to go to the gym, just so you can beat your previous time etc.

Well, worked for me!

Mart.