You wake up. You see the time. It’s 5 am. Groan. You’re in no mood to go to the gym. Who wants to get out of a comfy bed, get into a car, or even walk a few feet? No, sir.
And when you return from work, you have another reason ready to not workout. You’re tired. That’s it. The thought of working out on treadmills, pulling weights…just no. If only workout was fun…
It can be. You don’t have to do routine workouts that you don’t want to do. Making exercise fun can be possible. For instance, Dubai-based Samuel Anthony Madtha, picked up a skateboard last year and hasn’t looked back since. He skateboards, and skates around his community. It feels freeing, and he gets a good workout. He mixes it up with kickboxing in the gym too. “I used to get bored quickly, by just doing the same routines everyday. I wanted to work out, but I just didn’t know what to do,” he explains.
The truth is, as Sonea Kapoor, a fitness trainer explains, everyone loves a little variety, challenge, and, the sheer thrill of it. When workouts feel like chores, motivation drops, and the gym becomes a dreaded obligation instead of a source of energy and accomplishment.
So, how to mix it up? With the help of Dubai gym-goers, we’ve got a list for you.
Find your groove
Try different activities: Don’t limit yourself to one type of exercise. Dance classes, kickboxing, yoga, hiking, or even rollerblading can be great ways to stay active without boredom.
Use tech to your advantahe: Fitness apps, virtual trainers, and interactive workouts can add excitement and gamify your exercise. So HIIT challenge, guided meditation? What’s your pick? There’s always something for every mood.
Play with music and podcasts: Create playlists that pump you up or dive into podcasts you love during cardio sessions. Music and engaging content can distract from fatigue and make time fly.
Go with friends
Exercise doesn’t have to be a solo grind. “Working out with friends or joining group classes is actually fun, and you have someone to check on you too,” says Kapoor. There’s such fun in jogging in the park, or playing team sports: It’s a good time to bond too.
What do you really want to achieve?
Give yourself a target. Go beyond words such as ‘get fit’ and ‘lose weight. Look for goals that give you some motivation. Could it be mastering a tough Yoga pose, or something like progressing from playing defender to mid-fielder in football matches? “Even a 5k walk is a goal,” says Kapoor
Speaking from advice, she says that she once attended dance classes for fun, too. And that, friends, is how you can turn your workouts into rewarding experiences.
Play it up
Remember when you were a child and play was the best form of exercise? Channel that spirit. Jump rope, play tag, try obstacle courses, or go for a swim. The more playful the activity, the less it feels like work, and the more you’ll want to do it.
Finally, you don’t need to love the gym itself to enjoy moving your body. You just need to find the right ways to make workouts feel less like a task and more like a fun part of your day. So next time you’re tempted to skip exercise, try mixing things up.