Boredom can often leave you feeling trapped or blocked from creative inspiration. Becoming bored with a routine can also result in a decline in commitment and motivation, which can ultimately lead to a plateau and/or the abandonment of a fitness goal or focus. A fitness experience is no place for boredom to take up residence. Send it packing with these creative approaches.

Deal it Out. If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy a scripted or pre-planned workout, try a deck of exercise cards. These products make it effortless to deal out a daily workout that is full of variety and different skill levels. Plus, they are affordable and easy to pack on a trip.  

Musical Intervals. The right type of music is a source of motivation and can make you feel more enthusiastic about your workout. Create musical intervals of various exercises. For example, during an upbeat chorus, increase the pace or speed. During the verse, slow the pace. This is great for cardio-style or more dynamic exercises. 

Dance, Dance, Dance. Dancing is an amazingly effective approach to fitness. It is aerobic in nature and requires balance, agility, coordination and core strength. What better way to get the job done and have fun than to dance it out to your favorite music?

Child’s Play. If we observe children, we notice that they gravitate toward anything that involves running, jumping, kicking a ball or swinging a bat. Who says being physically active can’t resemble childhood fun? Set the adulting aside for a few days and revisit your favorite activities from childhood. Better yet, get your kids involved and ask them to teach you their favorite games or activities.

Get Sporty. A backyard game of volleyball, a soccer match in the park or flag football in an open field are all awesome options for getting active. These activities enable you to involve the whole family, friends and neighbors, while creating a little friendly competition to encourage participation.

Get Social. Social support is a primary predictor of success in achieving a fitness goal. You can leverage this aspect by inviting a friend or co-worker to exercise with you—even if it takes the shape of a mid-afternoon walk for 15 minutes. This gives you a chance to visit with someone, reset your mind and support each other on your individual fitness journeys.

Obstacle Course. Nothing offers a challenge quite like a well-thought-out obstacle course. This approach can offer the best of several worlds—games, childhood adventures and physical challenges. Obstacle courses don’t have to require large or expensive equipment to be effective and fun. Try setting up different stations that present unique physical challenges. A simple course might include a tire run, frog jumps, soccer dribble, weighted ball toss, sprints, crunches and bear crawls. Let your creativity run wild with this one and you could start a new fitness trend. 

Boredom happens. But it does not need to become a permanent fixture in your fitness experiences. Remember, the most effective workout program is the one you will commit to and enjoy. There’s no need to repeat the same routine for weeks and months on end. In fact, it’s crucial to change it up and add variety to what you do inside and outside the gym. Make progress in your exercise routine by keeping it fresh, unique and infused with fun. 

Looking to make fitness fun your career? Start your journey to become an ACE Certified Personal Trainer now!