How do you stay motivated with weight training?

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Annie5859
Annie5859 Posts: 280 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know that "weight training" is very important. But I find it soooo boring! What do you do, to get yourself motivated to lift weights. I don't belong to a gym, I just do it at home and plan to continue this regime. I use Jerri Love DVDs and they run about 1 hour in length. I usually get tired of it after about a half hour. How long do you weight train? How many times a week? My goal is to tone up and stay healthy.
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  • ThaiKaren
    ThaiKaren Posts: 341 Member
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    Glad there is someone else out there like me, I find it boring as well and really have to push myself, only been doing it for the last month 3 times a week, and anyone who says they love it are crazy in my opinion ;-) I have paid for a personal trainer who I see once every 2 weeks to make sure I'm doing the exercises she has given me correctly, but at the moment just enjoying swimming and walking really. Sorry I can't give you any ideas how to enjoy weight training, because I hate it as much as you :wink:
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
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    I weight train at a gym. I try to do a basic full body routine twice a week, it usually takes me between 30-45 minutes. People watching keeps me entertained, but I also bring my iPod and have specific playlists for running, weight lifting, etc....I'm really passionate about music so it keeps me from getting bored.

    Do you need to hear the instructions on the video or could you play some of your own motivating music? Maybe that would help. Or maybe check out some different weight training DVDs--you can get them through Netflix or the library if you don't want to buy new ones.
  • HolleeERL
    HolleeERL Posts: 313 Member
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    I do about 30 - 45 mins of weight training 2-3 times a week. After I do my short runs, I do the weights. I figure I'm already sweaty I might as well go for gold. The thing that keeps me motivated is seeing the results. I did P90X and learned several different typs of weight exercises so I don't really get bored. I also do push ups - great for core and shoulders!! Anyway, it's not my favorite, but I do it because I like the way my arms and shoulders look. It also has helped tone up my back. That is the biggest motivator to me.
  • DEMONSLAYER1977
    DEMONSLAYER1977 Posts: 4 Member
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    i work out 6 days a week. monday thru saturday. and at the moment i am doing 2 workouts a day. my motivation is just the feeling of being in shape and healthy. i lift heavy in the morning and do my lighter sets in the evening. i do 40 minutes of cardio, and my weight training is only 45 min a session. with that and the changes i made in the last few months i have been healthy and in some of the best shape of my life
  • HolleeERL
    HolleeERL Posts: 313 Member
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    Oh, and I work out at home with 10-15 lb dumbells.
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
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    I love the feeling at the end when I have really pushed my body, and as I am inherently competitive I actually push very hard to make sure that I get at least a 500 calorie burn every session - so I suppose that is my motivation - the feeling at the end - and the reading on my HRM .....I train at least twice a week, and if I can I sneak a 3rd session in as well....

    My session normally runs 10 to 15 minutes on the elliptical - and then 45 mins working as hard as my body can cope with.....
  • pftjill
    pftjill Posts: 488
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    Do your own thing. DVDs do get sooo boring. Find things you can do at home-like push ups for chest. Squats, lunges for legs. Dips off your couch for tris. There are so many things you can do at home on your own. Find something fun. Also to do it in a circuit. So between each workout work some cardio in jumping jacks, jump rope, run in place. Make it fun for you.

    I did P90x and while he does have some great ideas in there, his videos are soooo slow. Plus I just got done with personal training school and you learn what works and why, but basically you learn by doing things and experience. So, again, find something you love! Keep up the weight training-it is your BEST weight loss tool!!!
  • Annie5859
    Annie5859 Posts: 280 Member
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    Do your own thing. DVDs do get sooo boring. Find things you can do at home-like push ups for chest. Squats, lunges for legs. Dips off your couch for tris. There are so many things you can do at home on your own. Find something fun. Also to do it in a circuit. So between each workout work some cardio in jumping jacks, jump rope, run in place. Make it fun for you.

    I did P90x and while he does have some great ideas in there, his videos are soooo slow. Plus I just got done with personal training school and you learn what works and why, but basically you learn by doing things and experience. So, again, find something you love! Keep up the weight training-it is your BEST weight loss tool!!!

    What would you recommend as an ideal amount of time each week to weight train?
  • vpurser1
    vpurser1 Posts: 7
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    For what you are trying to accomplish an hour at a time seems excessive. I recommend breaking it up and doing about 20 min per day on a given muscle group or groups. Minimize your rest times... if you are ever working out at a gym, notice how much time people waste resting... not only is this type of weight training boring, it doesn't maintain your heart rate and aerobic level. If you do an exercise for arms,instead of sitting and waiting to recover between sets,work out your legs between sets. This keeps your heart rate/aerobic level higher and isn't as boring. I also agree with the post above about listening to music to keep you going.
  • kerri007
    kerri007 Posts: 123
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    my motivation is how my body is transforming. i wrk out at home so i go no pple distractions. i do weights 4 days a week then if i dont walk first thing in the morn i have to walk for an hr after my workout. i use my free weights and a bar. and it helps that i have a trainer that comes to my house and pushes me
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
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    The thing I love about my weight training is that is relatively fast (at most 45 minutes) and it's only three lifts per workout. Another great thing is that I'm upping my weight every time, unless I didn't complete it the previous workout. It is always changing and becoming more difficult. If you wish to check it out, it's the second link in my signature.
  • Annie5859
    Annie5859 Posts: 280 Member
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    For what you are trying to accomplish an hour at a time seems excessive. I recommend breaking it up and doing about 20 min per day on a given muscle group or groups. Minimize your rest times... if you are ever working out at a gym, notice how much time people waste resting... not only is this type of weight training boring, it doesn't maintain your heart rate and aerobic level. If you do an exercise for arms,instead of sitting and waiting to recover between sets,work out your legs between sets. This keeps your heart rate/aerobic level higher and isn't as boring. I also agree with the post above about listening to music to keep you going.

    The DVD I use works the entire body. There is no resting, just a lot of reps until the muscles are fatigued and we move on to another muscle group. It's a good workout, but just so long. I suppose maybe I should just do upper body one day and lower body the next. I am trying to tone mostly, tighten up.
  • VegGrrl
    VegGrrl Posts: 336 Member
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    I love lifting! It makes me feel really powerful to watch my muscles grow. And it makes me feel like superwoman when I can bump my weights up a couple lbs. or five or add reps on body-weight exercises! I do it circuit style - for instance, take 3 different exercises for the body part I'm training that day, and do 1 set of each different exercise without rest, then repeat two or three times. Like on back day I did this:

    reverse pushup on smith machine - 15 reps
    lat pulldown - 20 reps
    bent over dumbell row - 20 reps
    REPEAT

    back extension - 15 reps
    pull-ups - 15 reps
    REPEAT

    I don't waste time sitting around between sets so not only does my workout fly by, but I torch the calories.

    I have a recovery shake (Vega Sport), then power through my cardio. No time to get "bored"! :happy:
  • lovejoydavid
    lovejoydavid Posts: 395 Member
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    I know that "weight training" is very important. But I find it soooo boring! What do you do, to get yourself motivated to lift weights. I don't belong to a gym, I just do it at home and plan to continue this regime. I use Jerri Love DVDs and they run about 1 hour in length. I usually get tired of it after about a half hour. How long do you weight train? How many times a week? My goal is to tone up and stay healthy.

    I only find myself motivated by results, lacking those I drift a bit. It is helpful, I think, to keep in mind that "tone" is literally a neurological function, and is the continuous and passive partial contraction of muscles. You can only change it by having bad things happen, and it is not subject to exercise. What is colloquially referred to as tone is actually the perceived firmness of the muscle, which is dictated mostly by the degree of subQ and intramuscular fat, and that actual size of the muscle. As you might imagine, large amounts of reps with low weights done at low intensity is not going to change either very much. I advocate working with some degree of intesity, and with a weight that offers some challenge.
  • NubyGloom
    NubyGloom Posts: 49
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    I know that "weight training" is very important. But I find it soooo boring! What do you do, to get yourself motivated to lift weights. I don't belong to a gym, I just do it at home and plan to continue this regime. I use Jerri Love DVDs and they run about 1 hour in length. I usually get tired of it after about a half hour. How long do you weight train? How many times a week? My goal is to tone up and stay healthy.

    Heres an awesome site they post new stuff every week!! I love it its bodyrock.tv, yes she show a bit of skin but pay attion to the work out and they say the reps and times and all thats stuff. They do HIIT, intervial. I think you may like it!!

    And yes I change my rutines all the time, at less every 4 weeks, but what i do is like a part A, which would be like , pushups15reps, chin ups15reps, dead lifts12 reps, then a part b that would be like chin ups 12reps, dead lifts 15reps, push ups 12 reps... then have A for week one and three, and B for week two and four. ^-^!! Good luck hope you find something that works for you!

    As for motivation, I love helping other people with fitness and seeing the get to thier max motivates me to keep going.... and it really comes down to a great play list for me I love music! and Iam a christian so I like to quote motional scriptures as i work out as well!
  • maemiller
    maemiller Posts: 439 Member
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    i use to think it was boring. but if you change your routines daily and also change the intensity of it, then its more challenging for me. Google TABATA training and I use this method when doing wgts. I also have several Jillian MIchaels CD and an APP called Nike Training Club. I dont workout at home because theres too many distractions and i lift at they gym on my lunch. I watch the videos, change/+ routines from the apps and CD and make up my own routine. I love it! I lift/XT at least 4Xs a week.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    I've got a great book called "Smart Girls Do Dumbbells" which has loads of different exercises and sets you a programme over several weeks with a completely different routine every day! That might help you relieve the boredom. Good luck!
  • k1r5ty23
    k1r5ty23 Posts: 23 Member
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    I weight train once a week which I make myself go to. They run a body pump class at my local gym so i've been going to that for few months. First class was impossible didn't know what weights to use and had visions of me dropping barbell on my foot...but after just that one session I noticed a really huge difference so it's got me hooked.

    Nowadays I do find myself thinking maybe i'll leave pump this week but because I have to book a space in class a week in advance I feel I have to go....afteral it's always fully booked so it's not fair on someone else if I dont turn up.
  • rachmaree
    rachmaree Posts: 782 Member
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    As somebody mentioned- check out www.bodyrock.tv they have super challenging short, intense workouts that can be done at home. Looking at Zuzanas body motivates me, so does checking out articles/ pics on simplyshredded.com or bodybuilding.com.
    I love trying to lift as heavy as I can and really pushing myself.

    My husband works out at the same gym, so that also helps keep me motivated. I lift 5 days a week, and for me it is almost like an appointment- I don't like rest days, but I know they are important so I make myself have days off. It is a pretty full-on gym, so just walking in helps get me motivated. I don't think ı have the discipline to just work out at home.The owner of the gym and his wife also motivate me, as they have commented on the changes in my body since I started there. Last night the wife said no other woman works out as hard as I do- that was hugely motivating!

    Take photos to be able to see progress, that sure helps.
  • DianaPowerUp
    DianaPowerUp Posts: 518 Member
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    My motivation comes from the fact that I get a good, intense workout, in a short period of time, and when I look in the mirror, I see the results, and THAT is really motivating.

    However, I wouldn't have been able to start with weights in the gym - I probably would've gotten bored and given up. I started with group classes at my gym (like body pump classes), and I met some really nice ladies, and it was like a social hr. AND a workout. Fun!

    I've also found an exercise dvd that I really enjoy following, that is geared towards women and strength training (ChaLean Extreme), since I can't get to the gym now b/c the kids are out of school.

    Now that I'm really into it, and see what it's doing, I'm ready to get into the gym and go hardcore on the weights, and I'm looking forward to that. So maybe if you find some ways to make it more fun for YOU, and you start getting into it, when you start seeing the results you won't care if it's fun or not, b/c the results alone will be motivation!

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