How can I find a fun way to develop muscle?

JazzaDark

Lifting weights is incredibly boring and so I never stuck with it. I quit the gym because it was a stifling environment of weight equipment and restricting treadmills and ellipticals.
I take walks outside, and I try to learn dances to keep things peaceful or fun on the cardio part. Sometimes I run but I don't like to often- I always make time I go for Long walks.

I used to do yoga and strength training but I just can't keep interested in it for more than 10 minutes. I know they are terrific things to do- but I personally have never been able to get myself to do it.

I want to tone and get more muscle, but I don't know if I'm doomed to be bored lifting weights? Do you know any way to make it more fun or interactive?
Thanks so much for any tips you can give. Ill try my best either way but I just know it will be a lot easier if I can find a way to make strength training a fun thing I look forward to like my walks.

froeschli

Maybe I am weird, but I usually am very well entertained when lifting (it's all in my head).
Whenever I am in need for extra entertainment, I borrow an audiobook. You can make it an extra appeal by only listening to the story whilst exercising
Other than that, maybe try a group strength class or something...

ndj1979

if you do not want to lift weights or do some form of strength training then you are not going to gain muscle….

muscle gain requires hard work, which it sounds like you aren to committed to…

I personally find lifting to be fun and enjoy it 90% of the time…

Galatea_Stone

If you're working hard enough and tracking progress, then you're less likely to get bored. Just going in and fiddling around with this machine or that machine and not having a program and goals can get very boring.

kjo9692

A lifestyle change requires you to get out of your comfort zone in many aspects. For cardio there are several ways you can make it fun, but for strength training? Not sure I can think of any that doesn't involve dangerous or crazy activities (wrestling bears?)

I enjoy weight lifting a lot! If you don't, try to convince yourself that you do, like the saying that goes "fake it til you make it." Eventually I'm sure you are going to enjoy it from the results you get.

By the way, if you are eating at a deficit you won't build muscle, but by lifting and eating at a deficit you will maintain your muscle (make sure you eat enough protein too) and lose fat, which will give you that "toned" look.

f1redshoes

If you can find an adult gymnastics class near you, that's pretty good for it AND it's fun!

ottermotorcycle

I'm surprised by this, because it has never been my experience. It's sort of like a video game - sometimes you have to do some grinding, but leveling up (or lifting heavier weights) is worth it!

Maybe you would have more fun doing body weight exercises. You won't be picking things up and putting them down, and it'll be based in wielding your own body, climbing, pushing, real life motions that are clearly things you're going to use. You can check out You Are Your Own Gym if you're interested in doing something like that.

Mr_Excitement

Ashtanga yoga can be good. It's geared more toward strength.

JackieRL55

Sometimes we have to do things we don't necessarily want to do in order to get what we ultimately want. I'm more than sure that if you dedicated enough time and energy to a solid weight training regimen you would see some fantastic results in a fairly short amount of time. Those results would make you love weight training. I've never ever met a person that is toned and or muscular that didn't fall in love with weight training after a while.

With that said, you have to want it bad enough to just do it. "It's boring" really just means you don't want it bad enough.

spirit095

I'm surprised by this, because it has never been my experience. It's sort of like a video game - sometimes you have to do some grinding, but leveling up (or lifting heavier weights) is worth it!

Maybe you would have more fun doing body weight exercises. You won't be picking things up and putting them down, and it'll be based in wielding your own body, climbing, pushing, real life motions that are clearly things you're going to use. You can check out You Are Your Own Gym if you're interested in doing something like that.

I like your video game analogy! Now, I'm going to think like that when I do my workouts lol

And to answer your question OP, I think you're just going to have to experiment with workouts to see what you actually like. Listening to music when you lift can make it more fun.

DavPul

maybe stop looking for entertainment and start looking for progress instead?

i can't speak for everyone, but when i'm setting up goals and steady knocking em down that's all the fun in the world

bebeisfit

Have you tried a bootcamp type class or DVD? I enjoy making up my own workout using those same principles. Next time you go walking, take a couple of ten minute strength breaks. Step ups, push ups, tricep dips can all be done on a curb or park bench. Burpees are wonderful and can be done anywhere. Walking lunges and squats need no equipment. The internet is a great place for ideas.

You could also use a deck of cards and make a game of it.. Each suit represents a full body movement and the # is the amount of reps to do. Say you do burpees when clubs are pulled.

If you don't strength train, you will find it more difficult to keep the weight off.

PennyVonDread

There are activities I find fun that get me moving and toned, but that take the "work" out of working out. Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Rock Climbing (even at those indoor, wonky fake rock gyms) are both incredible workouts, board sports of any kind for balance and core engaging activity and wow- you should've seen my back, arms, and shoulders the summer I took Rock Climbing at my community College! Dance is actually pretty toning, too. Bellydance and Flamenco have a lot of arm posing and movement depending on the styling, and some people claim yoga and Pilates alone were enough to get some serious toning using only one's own body weight. I don't think anyone is obligated to workout (or be healthy, for that matter), and I think moving can be seriously fun. Bodies are meant to move. I recently found a parkour gym in my area, so I'm pretty certain I'll get a good workout trying that out and seeing if I enjoy it.

Don't feel obligated to push through a workout you don't enjoy. Life is short and you won't stick with it if you truly don't like what you do.

meritage4

I echo any type of paddling for upper body workouts. I'm just back from my first canoe paddle of the year. Stand up paddlingand kayaking are also great. If you want to up the intensity try Dragon boat racing or out rigger canoes.
Not only good workouts but also fun times!

PennyVonDread

I echo any type of paddling for upper body workouts. I'm just back from my first canoe paddle of the year. Stand up paddlingand kayaking are also great. If you want to up the intensity try Dragon boat racing or out rigger canoes.
Not only good workouts but also fun times!

Yes. Dragons boats ftw. So, so good! Swimming is pretty all-around toning, too, but OP seems to get bored so easily that I think she'd need something more interesting than just laps. If you're daring, most martial arts forms are pretty good at keeping classes interesting and you'll definitely feel your muscles when you're beating up crash pads with explosive energy. Or you could try a Barre/Ballet fusion class, if that's something you're into. It's got cardio, toning, and stretch all in one go, so it's pretty effective, and I personally enjoy their classroom environment.

PJPrimrose

I wouldn't be motivated to work with weights if it weren't to the benefit of the sport I love. The sport gives me a goal and a desire to do better. Very few sports aren't helped with weights (none that I can think of...). Finding your sport and training for it is a whole lot less boring than just exercising because.