The Joy of Training

For too many people, training and exercise are forms of righteous self punishment. It’s an hour of misery that they perform because of a feeling of obligation. This is an unhealthy mindset that has several easy fixes.

Introducing play into your routine is easy, no matter your goal. If you want to work on aesthetics, work on gymnastic skills for added aesthetic in movement (not to mention the aesthetic quality most gymnasts have to their own physiques). If you are purely training for strength, try a bent press or learn kettlebell juggling. Both of these options will increase your strength in weird ways while also providing novel challenges. For movement practitioners, branch out into mace or clubbell work.

I generally dislike calling any of my routines a “workout” because they do not feel like work; they (usually) feel like play. I play with weights, movement, weird equipment, and anything else that may make me sweat. 

Training does not always have to be serious. There is a time and a place to get down to intense sessions, but for the vast majority of us a basic level of exercise is sufficient to stay healthy. The rest is all supplemental and should be enjoyable. If you train for a sport, remember that you continue the sport because it is enjoyable, not because it is a matter of life and death. This is especially true for game-type sports. It is a game. You are meant to play.

If your exercise selection bores you or makes you overly frustrated, change it up. Branch out and explore other methods of training; better yet, branch out and combine different methods of training to become something entirely your own.

I hate the bench press. It bores me to no end and the time spent training my max bench I would much rather spend on planche or learning new push ups. What do I do then? I train planche and push ups. Why? Because I like planche and push ups.  Why do I like planche and push ups? Because it seems like stuff Spider-Man would do and I want to be like Spider-Man when I grow up; and I am willing to bet that each person you see at the gym has some nerdy superhero they look up to for training motivation. 

Give in to your inner child, play with heavy things, have fun, and try to be a superhero.