Teach me how to love lifting

ydyms
ydyms Posts: 266 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I. Hate. It. But I wanna love it. Any tips?
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Replies

  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
    Make it part of your routine. I like stronglifts 5x5 because I can complete the entire workout in 30 minutes.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    You lift. Then you love feeling stronger. Then you love lifting/strength training.

    Perhaps consider starting with another method of strength training. Body weight, bands, TRX.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    I hate heavy weight on my back but love the results I can get by moving it.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Get better at it by doing it and chances are you won't hate it as much. And if you still do hate it, at a minimum it will be slightly easier because you'll know what you're doing so the time will go faster.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Get in the habit. You'll see results, that will be motivation in itself. Set fitness/lifting goals. For example, I started off leg pressing 110 (max) and wanted my goal to be 260 - rep. I can now leg press 365 - rep. Motivates you like crazy to continue and never give up.
  • Kimo159
    Kimo159 Posts: 508 Member
    Try different lifting programs to see what works best for you. I personally like lifting for strength because it makes me feel like a beast. So to keep me motivated I incorporate strength focused main lifts in my workout with higher rep accessory work.
  • bruhaha007
    bruhaha007 Posts: 333 Member
    Be consistent, if you plan to go the gym three days a week you have to go three days a week and not skip. Also, it helps to get in and out in 45 minutes or less so you don't dread going. What will keep you going back and not dreading it is when you look in the mirror and see real results but in the meantime be consistent and find a workout circuit that works best for you. Lot's of great ideas from others on different workout routines to try. I also find if my diet is bad I am much less motivated to workout so eat clean!
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    ydyms wrote: »
    I. Hate. It. But I wanna love it. Any tips?
    Why the hate? Details.
  • KiyaK
    KiyaK Posts: 519 Member
    I used to hate it. It hurts, it's hard, it's boring. I blast some kick-*kitten* music in my headphones & get myself pumped up mentally. I picture what I want to look like & all the amazing things I want to be able to do with my strength. I do short routines (30 mins of actual lifting) and supersets to make things go faster (or at least feel faster) After a few solid workouts I can feel my strength improving & that's what really started to spur me on. For me, the right playlist is a big deal to get me in the zone. Actually starting enjoy it now. Love is still too strong a word ;)
  • AbsoluteTara79
    AbsoluteTara79 Posts: 266 Member
    Share more details about what you hate specifically and I'm sure you'll get some pointed tips.
  • ydyms
    ydyms Posts: 266 Member
    I hate it cuz it's boring. But I do love the feeling when I'm done! So I guess I need to make it routine as you all mentioned!
  • patesq
    patesq Posts: 111 Member
    I started enjoying it when I started seeing results. Seeing my biceps appear and the muscles in my forearm gain definition helped. And my quads are really muscular. Someone showed me a website, strengthlevel.com, and I'm getting encouragement from watching my strength level increase. It compares your lifts to others in your age/weight group so you get an idea of how you are improving.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    ydyms wrote: »
    I hate it cuz it's boring. But I do love the feeling when I'm done! So I guess I need to make it routine as you all mentioned!

    Find some other lifting program, or some completely different resistance training routine?
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    ydyms wrote: »
    I hate it cuz it's boring.

    If it's boring, the weight is too light. :+1:
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    keep on doing it, eventually you will enjoy it especially once you start noticing your muscle tone :smile:
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    ydyms wrote: »
    I hate it cuz it's boring.

    If it's boring, the weight is too light. :+1:
    This^^^
  • mean_and_lean
    mean_and_lean Posts: 164 Member
    If you hate it then do something you like. Not everyone likes to lift.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    I don't think anyone can be taught to like something. Try a few variations to see if any are ones that you prefer. Strength training can be done many different ways.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    I don't think you can be taught to like something either. As a matter of fact, I know you can't.

    So my take is, if you hate something, don't do it and find something else of interest. That something else of interest may make you want to do it. Not rocket science here...
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    ydyms wrote: »
    I hate it cuz it's boring.

    If it's boring, the weight is too light. :+1:

    :expressionless:

    Anyways, if you don't enjoy something the liklihood of you keeping it up is pretty low. In my opinion, you should find something that challenges you that you enjoy doing and can maintain forever. You don't HAVE to lift weights to have a nice physique, be strong, or "be cool" despite what everyone on MFP says.
  • mean_and_lean
    mean_and_lean Posts: 164 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    ydyms wrote: »
    I hate it cuz it's boring.

    If it's boring, the weight is too light. :+1:

    Or . . . . they just think it's boring.

    Not everyone likes to lift weights. It's not the "end all be all" of exercise. The OP should do something that they enjoy doing and what they will stick to because they want to do it, not because some online community says they have to.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,982 Member
    ydyms wrote: »
    I hate it cuz it's boring.
    I'm puzzled sometimes with statements like this. People will go on an elliptical, run, or do yoga and love it, but say that weight lifting is boring when there's much more variety in ways of doing it. I mean, you can only really run a couple of ways, and the same with elliptical. Yoga is a lot of pose and hold. And for an hour it's the same repetitious motions. So I do the Spock eyebrow raise sometimes.
    IMO, most feel it's boring because they lack knowledge on how to lift correctly and have a well put together regimen. Going from machine 1 to machine 20 isn't always the best way to do a program. Nor is doing the same lifting workout week in and week out if you're a person that likes variety. There are thousands of programs that can be assembled for ways of lifting you like. Find someone or a site that can help you with that.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png





  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    ydyms wrote: »
    I hate it cuz it's boring.
    I'm puzzled sometimes with statements like this. People will go on an elliptical, run, or do yoga and love it, but say that weight lifting is boring when there's much more variety in ways of doing it. I mean, you can only really run a couple of ways, and the same with elliptical. Yoga is a lot of pose and hold. And for an hour it's the same repetitious motions. So I do the Spock eyebrow raise sometimes.
    IMO, most feel it's boring because they lack knowledge on how to lift correctly and have a well put together regimen. Going from machine 1 to machine 20 isn't always the best way to do a program. Nor is doing the same lifting workout week in and week out if you're a person that likes variety. There are thousands of programs that can be assembled for ways of lifting you like. Find someone or a site that can help you with that.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png





    My husband does not lift because it is boring (his words, not mine.) According to him, having to rest between sets is the boring part. I have suggested supersetting lifts or doing a circuit (we have a home gym so it's easy to customize a circuit without annoying anybody else) in order to do less resting/thumb-twiddling. He hasn't done either yet but those are two ways that could help alleviate boredom.

    I think we all find different things boring though. He used to play basketball and I attended every game all through high school even though I find the sport mind numbingly boring to watch and worse to play.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    If you think it's boring, find another way to approach it. There are other ways to get resistance training in without lifting barbells if that's what you don't like. I don't enjoy it, but a good mix of kettlebells, basic lifts like squats and deadlifts, and trying new movements every couple of weeks keeps me reasonably interested so I fit it in once or twice a week. It's not my main priority but it has benefits, so I appreciate it for what it is and don't expect to get the same sense of fulfillment from it that I do from running. You don't have to love lifting, and if you don't that's OK, but you can get a good workout done in half an hour so you shouldn't have too much time to get bored!
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    ydyms wrote: »
    I hate it cuz it's boring.

    If it's boring, the weight is too light. :+1:

    :expressionless:

    Anyways, if you don't enjoy something the liklihood of you keeping it up is pretty low. In my opinion, you should find something that challenges you that you enjoy doing and can maintain forever. You don't HAVE to lift weights to have a nice physique, be strong, or "be cool" despite what everyone on MFP says.

    The OP asked how she could start loving it not how she could do something else instead. More weight
    is certainly one way to make it anything but boring. Mindlessly curling 3 lb dumbbells for 100 reps can certainly be boring but squatting a 1 RM isn't so boring as intimidating and scary. Different lifts and routines is another way to ease the boredom.

    For the OP, what kind of lifting are you doing and what are your goals? If your goals and routine match there isn't much to say. If your goals and routine aren't a match we have room to work with you.
  • AbigailC17
    AbigailC17 Posts: 78 Member
    edited February 2016
    Yep, we cannot make you like weightlifting. You have to "like" it. I started to like it when I saw my body change faster than just doing cardio by itself. I did Zumba, body combat, and all other classes (all considered cardio). It all ended up into a disappointment till I did my research about women weightlifting. Once I started seeing results, I CANNOT STOP. I always look forward to go at my gym!!!
  • ydyms
    ydyms Posts: 266 Member
    Op here. Right now my goal is maintenance. I'd love to reduce BF'ing % which is why I'd love to love lifting:)
    Some of you gave great advice and I thank you for that!
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    ydyms wrote: »
    I hate it cuz it's boring.

    If it's boring, the weight is too light. :+1:

    I don't know. I run and have heard people say they don't want to run because it's "too boring". Or they can't run more than x miles because it's too boring. But I think for a lot of these people, it's more about being able to push past the pain of not quitting when it gets too hard (and I don't really mean physical 'ouch I'm hurting' pain, but like don't give up and start walking or mental pain). So I think people can say 'too boring' when they mean 'too hard and I'm not motivated to keep pushing.'

    I struggle to regularly weight lift as well, but I really want and really need to make it a part of my routine. I like the ideas for an awesome playlist, might try that next time. I am usually walking back and forth between the room where my weights are and the room where my entertainment is. Maybe it would help if I took more time to setup in front of the TV or something. But then, laziness and avoiding too much setup is for sure a big part of my problem. Stronglifts is great because it's easy for me to just remember and do without too much changing plates around or looking at my notes to remember what I'm supposed to do next.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Ok, what - exactly - do you find boring about it?

    What - exactly - is your current lifting routine?
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member

    I have my fitness gear in front of the TV. If I want to watch a show, I have to be working, either hula hooping, or weight training. It's gotten to the point where if I just curl up to watch a show, I feel like I need to get up and move.

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