Bored with your workouts lately? Need something to liven them up? I get that feeling often. We tend to get into pretty mundane routines, running the same routes at the same times, often crossing paths with the same people. It's even worse at the gym. On the treadmill or spin bike, we look at the same scenery for hours upon hours. Something's gotta give or we're going to throw in the towel.
My solution to this problem is to start getting a bit creative. Not just creative, but almost a little crazy. When it comes to working out, there are a couple types of crazy. I saw a woman on the elliptical yesterday whose panty lines clearly revealed that she was wearing thong underwear under her yoga pants. Ignorant Crazy. There is the girl who is clearly anorexic, works out for hours, and then sprays herself with bronzer in the locker room until it is foggy in there. Sad Crazy. What about the men who spend more time walking around and tightening their gloves than they do actually lifting weights? Crazy Dorks. In short, these guys can all be called "BAD CRAZY".
I'm talking about a different crazy, a good kind. There is a woman who swims at the 20th Avenue YMCA. She's not a small woman but she is a damn good swimmer. Her flip turns are acrobatic and she glides through the water without a ripple. We call her the "The Black Dart" referring the to color of her swimsuit and the precision of her stroke. The Black Dart is good crazy.
I like to say that I am FUN Crazy. Here's how I do it. I like to get my legs going as fast as I can sustain for about 20-30 minutes on the spin bike. Thanks to a really great spin teacher, I can go pretty fast. Once I'm in my rhythm, I start getting a crazy look in my eyes. At times, I'll plaster a smile on my face or shake my head as if I'm responding to something that no one else can hear. Other times, I'll put a really intense look on my face, like I am taking myself way too seriously. I notice that people look at me kind of strange and I like to think that they are admiring how fast I am going on the bike. Usually by this point, there is a good pool of sweat on the floor that has dripped off my chin.
Sound kind of crazy? Of course it does. The best part is that I literally enjoy every second of this foolish behavior, making a routine, boring workout way more fun! I actually usually get a better ride this way because I must really keep up the speed in order to pull the whole act off.
The other thing I love is to craft choreography routines to the songs I listen to the most. Think I look crazy on the spin bike? You should see me on the treadmill. I actually subdue it a bit at the Y but in my basement, it is a serious show. I know it's good when I am laughing out loud at myself.
The fact of the matter is that if you are going to commit yourself to fitness, it needs to be for life. Anything that you do for your whole life is bound to get boring now and then. It is up to you to find ways to keep yourself interested and liven things up a bit. Getting a little bit (good) crazy makes you feel confident and allows you to have fun.
So get a little crazy this week. Let me know how it goes. I'm always looking for ways to improve my act.
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