hate strength training.. need help!

I get bored as well. Now, my favorite workout routine is Nike Training Club (plus it helps they are all professional female athletes). My second choice is Fitness Buddy - both are apps. Nike Training Club is free, and Fitness Buddy is $0.99. My other recommendation is Fleetly.

With both Nike Training Club and Fitness Buddy, you will find workouts for strength training that don't involve weights should you choose not to.

Good luck!!

I do Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. It's a combo of strength training, cardio and core and it's about 25 minutes. No time to get bored.

Ditch the isolation exercises and do some big compound lifts. Squat, Deadlift, Overhead Press, Bench Press. Keep it simple and heavy. Make it a challenge, not a bore. You need a comprehensive program that will give you steady improvement. It will give you something to work toward rather than just going through the motions doing dumbbell curls.

Check out Starting Strength, StrongLifts 5x5, or NROL.

Ditch the isolation exercises and do some big compound lifts. Squat, Deadlift, Overhead Press, Bench Press. Keep it simple and heavy. Make it a challenge, not a bore. You need a comprehensive program that will give you steady improvement. It will give you something to work toward rather than just going through the motions doing dumbbell curls.

Check out Starting Strength, StrongLifts 5x5, or NROL.

This! Big time. Compound lifts means less work, more results.

My best suggestion is spread those workouts out. The most efficient way to build muscle and lose fat at the same time are these high intensity circuit type workouts that rip your muscles all apart on large areas of your body and basically eat you up and crap you out within 2 hours at the gym. However, the body also isn't naturally built for that kind of thing, and it tells you EXTREMELY loud and clear. You'll feel crappy, you'll want to puke, you'll be dizzy, and it's completely normal.

So what you do, is train your body not to hate the burn so much, and a good way to do that is to not constantly push your limits. Choose 2 strength workouts every day... so, I'm gonna do pushups and situps today. And then just do them at different times, and focus only on that one exercise at that time, push through the burn as much as you can for that one single thing.

It's much easier to not lose focus since you know you don't have to save any energy for the next 4 sets or anything like that, and you'll slowly train yourself to tolerate higher lactic acid levels without freaking out. After 2-3 months of this you should be able to go through the more intense workouts again without as much hatred of them, and the simpler focus exercises that are separated from everything else, you may actually grow to like doing. I often find myself taking a break from homework reading or what not by taking 5 minutes out to do situps. I couldn't have even imagined actually wanting to do situps 3 months ago.

[edit] If you're getting bored you're not lifting enough weight. For a weighted exercise, to tone muscle, you should only be doing 20-40 reps, and it's best to do at least 2 workouts a month strength training, 8 reps per set (don't worry about getting hulkish, it's impossible to do that accidentally). Some things like push ups you can make harder by using push up bars to dip your chest deeper or plant your hands further down your body not right under your shoulders.

Does your gym have any strength-training group fitness classes? My gym offers Les Mills Body Pump, and it really is a great full-body workout. Between the great music, the instructor motivation, and even some friendly competition with the other participants, it really does make the time go much faster. I push through harder than I would if I were on my own - I don't want to look like I can't keep up, and I certainly don't want to walk out when 15 other people are pushing through! A boot camp style class would work, as well.

Oh wow...I'm exactly the opposite. Time just flies by when I'm strength training. Cardio bores me to death. Are you heavy lifting? That's always challenging...keeping the right form and trying to push for heavier weight. If you change up your routine every other day or so (working upper body one day/lower another), it keeps it from being so monotonous. I have a little chart I take with me and keep track of my progress.

Start out with New Rules of Lifting! I'm way more bored doing cardio than lifting.

My best suggestion is spread those workouts out. The most efficient way to build muscle and lose fat at the same time are these high intensity circuit type workouts that rip your muscles all apart on large areas of your body and basically eat you up and crap you out within 2 hours at the gym. However, the body also isn't naturally built for that kind of thing, and it tells you EXTREMELY loud and clear. You'll feel crappy, you'll want to puke, you'll be dizzy, and it's completely normal.

So what you do, is train your body not to hate the burn so much, and a good way to do that is to not constantly push your limits. Choose 2 strength workouts every day... so, I'm gonna do pushups and situps today. And then just do them at different times, and focus only on that one exercise at that time, push through the burn as much as you can for that one single thing.

It's much easier to not lose focus since you know you don't have to save any energy for the next 4 sets or anything like that, and you'll slowly train yourself to tolerate higher lactic acid levels without freaking out. After 2-3 months of this you should be able to go through the more intense workouts again without as much hatred of them, and the simpler focus exercises that are separated from everything else, you may actually grow to like doing. I often find myself taking a break from homework reading or what not by taking 5 minutes out to do situps. I couldn't have even imagined actually wanting to do situps 3 months ago.

[edit] If you're getting bored you're not lifting enough weight. For a weighted exercise, to tone muscle, you should only be doing 20-40 reps, and it's best to do at least 2 workouts a month strength training, 8 reps per set (don't worry about getting hulkish, it's impossible to do that accidentally). Some things like push ups you can make harder by using push up bars to dip your chest deeper or plant your hands further down your body not right under your shoulders.

HUH!?!?!??!?!

I'm going to step in for someone who isn't on today..


Check out nerdfitness.com.

Beat me to it lol

I think heavy compound lifts are the way to go. Do them on a different day than when you are doing your epic cardio. I do my cardio on the same day as my weights, but i only do about 20 minutes of cardio.

Once you start seeing muscles you didn't know you had, you won't be bored anymore. Believe me on this one

As others have said: heavy compound lifts all the way!! They're so much more rewarding - bicep curls even bore me a little bit (and I LOVE lifting!)

I love heavy lifting and have a hard time getting in my cardio. A lot of people have suggested the New Rules of Lifting for Women (great book!). I also like the idea of a personal trainer (if you can afford it) to help with form, etc...

My best suggestion is spread those workouts out. The most efficient way to build muscle and lose fat at the same time are these high intensity circuit type workouts that rip your muscles all apart on large areas of your body and basically eat you up and crap you out within 2 hours at the gym. However, the body also isn't naturally built for that kind of thing, and it tells you EXTREMELY loud and clear. You'll feel crappy, you'll want to puke, you'll be dizzy, and it's completely normal.

So what you do, is train your body not to hate the burn so much, and a good way to do that is to not constantly push your limits. Choose 2 strength workouts every day... so, I'm gonna do pushups and situps today. And then just do them at different times, and focus only on that one exercise at that time, push through the burn as much as you can for that one single thing.

It's much easier to not lose focus since you know you don't have to save any energy for the next 4 sets or anything like that, and you'll slowly train yourself to tolerate higher lactic acid levels without freaking out. After 2-3 months of this you should be able to go through the more intense workouts again without as much hatred of them, and the simpler focus exercises that are separated from everything else, you may actually grow to like doing. I often find myself taking a break from homework reading or what not by taking 5 minutes out to do situps. I couldn't have even imagined actually wanting to do situps 3 months ago.

[edit] If you're getting bored you're not lifting enough weight. For a weighted exercise, to tone muscle, you should only be doing 20-40 reps, and it's best to do at least 2 workouts a month strength training, 8 reps per set (don't worry about getting hulkish, it's impossible to do that accidentally). Some things like push ups you can make harder by using push up bars to dip your chest deeper or plant your hands further down your body not right under your shoulders.

HUH!?!?!??!?!

I've seen some bad information on strength training on this site, but THIS by far is the worst, most uneducated by far.
Pretty much do the opposite of everything written here.