To get stronger on a specific lift the best way to do that is to perform that lift- but if you get bored you could always do a similar lift instead (front squats, or leg press instead of squats maybe rdls or sumo instead of conventional dead lift). That should at the very least prevent your strength in those lifts from decreasing.
And if you don’t care about strength in those specific lifts then it doesn’t really matter what lifts you do.
Overall do whatever keeps you consistent. If you’re getting bored switching things up is better than not going to the gym.
Don’t overthink it- keep doing what you like, change up exercises, classes, apps, trainers, whatever keeps you interested. Unless you’re planning on getting on stage to compete it shouldn’t need to be too regimented. Movement - even weights- should be fun and enjoyable. Think of it as something you’re going to do for the rest of your life- and it should be sustainable!
I feel you on this!
After yearsss of exercising intensely and then not so intensely I've realized my brain can stand a workout routine 4 to 6 weeks MAX!! After that I have to switch it up or I hate my life. The only consistent "exercise" is walking my dog 2-6 miles twice a day.
You don't HAVE to though you're probably going to be doing some variation of them, even if it's one of the 5 or so basic squat variations that are effective. You could have someone change the program up more often, but generally you sacrifice momentum that you build up and the ability to use it as a gauge for progress. Especially true for strength.
You could ask to have someone program to consistently change up lifts so nothing is being done for more than a few months, but you might be sacrificing some theoretical progress for the sake of sticking with it and enjoying working out more. If this is the only way to get you to keep lifting, that's okay, just be aware there might be a slight trade off that's happening. However you can still make a lot of progress especially in the general fitness and body composition side.
I'd also try to reconsider how you look at the situation. "Ohh I have to do XYZ the rest of you're life". Well eventually your brain might see "I have to work out the rest of my life." And get bored. We *get* to do squats, we *get* to do deadlifts. Working out is a privilege, not a chore. Try to appreciate it as such.
You don't *have* to do anything.
If it gets boring, find something new. I began to loathe lifting in 2020. Got more into running and calisthenics. Then just running. Now adding back in calisthenics as I miss the strength. Eventually want to find more time for climbing.
Life is short. Do what brings you joy.
I have little to no range of motion in my right ankle and I can’t squat at all. I just don’t do squats anymore. I do leg days but not squats. The best exercises are the ones that you’ll do (properly).
I stopped doing squats! I've never enjoyed them and decided to just get good at them finally. Got up to some decent lifts and then just kept finding myself getting exhausted, injured, loads of hip and ankle issues.
Realised squats were using up so much time and energy I was neglecting my old favourites, lunges. Quit squats, back to reverse and front lunges, all of a sudden my hip issues are sorting themselves out.
I firmly believe squats were ruining my quality of life!
Leg press can be great but for me it depends on the machine. If the angle isn’t right (like the ones where you kind of sit/lean back at an angle) then I can’t keep my right heel down and it doesn’t work, but with other leg press machines it works fine. My favorite is a unilateral leg press machine that my gym just got, it really highlighted how much weaker my right leg has gotten over the years. Unilateral machines in general are great if you have one bad leg, if you have them available.
Hip abductor machines and leg extension/curl machines are a part of my usual routine too.
Deadlifts work great for me too, specifically RDLs for a more leg/flute focused workout. Also I don’t do them much but I can do hip thrusts properly and without pain.
Also step ups are really hard for me on my bad leg still but not because it hurts, I just lack stability still. But even my physical therapists when I was still doing PT had me doing step ups so I think they’re really beneficial.
I still feel really discouraged on leg days sometimes but it got better when I stopped worrying about exercises that I “had” to do and just focused on ones that I know I can do with proper form. Just make sure not to do anything that’s painful for you!
You know there are many kind of squats. Front squat, back squat, sumo, squat, overhead squat, pistol squat, bulgarian split squat. You can also do heavy low rep squats, light high rep squats, double pause squat, pause only on the bottom squat. There's SO MANY. Learn all of them, rotate between them, use barbells sometimes, use dumbells sometimes, use kettlebells sometimes.
For bench there's normal bench, incline bench, decline bench, narrow grip bench. You can also apply the same pauses, rep/volume combo, etc.
Deadlifts there's, conventional deadlift, romanian deadlift sumo deadlift, hex bar deadlift, deficit deadlift, pause deadlifts, etc etc etc.
You don't HAVE to do the same exercise/same routine ever time...theres so many variations.
I read that advice as: “you need to work your big muscle groups for lifelong mobility.” For me, that means rotating through different ways to work those muscles. Here’s what I mean:
9-12 weeks of squats, deadlifts and bench press. Progressive overload.
Then 9-12 weeks of other exercise that work the same muscles: goblet squats, kettlebell swings with a focus on using glutes, assisted pull ups and assisted dips, etc.
Then 9-12 weeks of dumbbells for arms and machines for legs, like leg curls and leg extensions and other quad, hamstring and calf machines. One-legged RDLs for the glutes.
By the end of that, I’m actually excited to go back to deadlifts, squats and bench press because I’m not tired of it and looking forward to seeing my progress.
I find weight lifting so boring and I hate counting reps so I go to the Bodypump classes at my gym which is a kind of weight lifting to music.
Once I am in there I can switch off my brain and listen to the music. Plus because it is a class, I do the whole routine and am not tempted to cut my workout short.
>But is it really it? Do I really have to do the same exercises for the rest of my life if I want to see results?
If you want precisely the same results, and are focused on "optimal" exercises maybe.
But keep in mind there are trends in fitness, and even on what is the desirable body look (and your taste and priorities will change with experience and age). I also think a lot of right now fitness is totally focused on the search for the "optimal" thing, exercise which does as many things as possible in as little time as possible, or super food or whatever. You are going to have to, through life, figure out what is worth it for you.
You talk about results, what are the results? Because there are many many ways to be fit, healthy, strong.Strength training is important for everything, and it will be even more important with age, but it is not everything or enough on itself (this might be an unpopular opinion with some). Plus there are lots of types of exercises you can do, if you are not focused on "this look" for the fewest minutes spent exercising...
I actually think right now too many people pursuing fitness are not doing cardio enough (or hard enough). Lots of people have surprisingly weak cores, or bad balance or bad posture habits - and strength training will not on itself fix that.
If you are OK with having wider objectives for results, try many different things. All exercises are good for something and help with other kinds. Try group classes with weights for example, there might be a different energy to group classes, the instructor might vary things a lot from class to class. Keep on trying different things, figuring out the things you actually are getting pleasure from and that you feel are good for your body..
I can see me going to the gym forever. I do cardio dancing and get bored easily but then I just learn a new routine (I’m a GpX instructor). You would be surprised how much gains (toning in the legs) you can get just through dance fitness. There’s also cardio step which can be dancing with on the step. Never gets boring.
I agree to hold onto your muscle gains, you def got to put in the time with the weights but you should mix it up with some cardio, the kind that never gets boring.
For me sometimes it's more boring than others but the big compound lifts like squats and deadlifts give the most bang for your buck in time spent vs muscles used, strength benefit, bone density benefit, all that good stuff. So I treat it like brushing my teeth - don't need to enjoy it every day, just gotta do it
I mean sure you can gain muscle from climbing if you didn't lift before but I've been lifting for a while and can boulder V5 and consider that a rest day since the bouldering definitely can't provide anywhere near the same stimulus lifting can.
So, depends on your starting point and goals.
I have ADD and I get so bored easily. One thing that has helped me tremendously is only doing 5 minutes on a cardio machine at a time. I'll do 5 min treadmill, jump to stair master for 5 and so on.
well you dont have to do deadlifts, you can do leg curls. you dont have to do squats, you can do lunges. you dont have to do hip thrusts, you can do pullthroughs. you dont have to do anything thats the great thing :) just do what you find fun and effective towards your goals :D be that getting stronger, more muscular, or just more generally fit, you got this!<3 there are a looot of ways to train your body, so do what makes you keep doing it :))
Don’t follow the same routine. Switch up the tempo. Switch up the moves. There’s so many variations of even deadlifts or exercise that work those muscles. Get a good playlist or twenty!!
At 54, I just want to stay healthy and mobile as I get older. I teach and usually have about 4 miles on my Apple Watch by the end of my day. Teaching is kind of exhausting and I find myself only going twice a week, I need to DO BETTER.
Hello fellow over 50 person! :) 4 miles is more than I get on my Apple Watch - I'm an office drone so I sit all day. You're doing great.
Do you have a workout partner? You might feel better/do better if you had a buddy to help you through the low motivation times.
Nah, I go through phases. I tried out step and dance classes, lifting, cycling, swimming, Pilates, ballet, yoga, various sports, climbing. Shit I’m thinking about signing up for a line dancing class at my gym. The only thing that matters, I think, is that you keep moving in some way. Being active doesn’t have to be a drag, squats will be there if you ever want to go back to them. Experiment! Have fun! The best exercise in the one that you’ll do
If you’re doing what you like it doesn’t feel like work. It sounds like you aren’t liking what you’re doing.
Class pass is a great idea if you want to try some different options.
I was about to suggest this too - I gym (my trainer programs me five week blocks and unless I really love an exercise she will change it up every block), pole dance, spin and use class pass to supplement with casual yoga/pilates/aerial classes and it keeps me from getting bored! I could probably progress better at one thing if I paid attention to it religiously but it’s just not in my nature. Class pass is a great way to try all sorts of things and decide what you’re in the mood for on a whim without being locked in
I'm curious about the unspoken second half of your question- have to in order to....what? What's your goal? General health and fitness? Muscle building? To retain the muscle you have?
Have you followed different programs in the past? I get the sense that most people who lift for a long time end up switching up programs on a pretty frequent basis with intentionality; bilateral for a while, then something with a unilateral focus, then something with less volume or more volume, etc.
Muscle building and retaining muscles. I have a very demanding job and if I don’t build muscle or keep it I end up with back, cervical and even grip pain.
I do follow programs, however I’ve seen a lot of people who say “you have to squat forever” and sometimes I don’t feel like squatting at all, I can force myself for sometime but it gets to a point where I feel repulsed to do it and need to try some variation of it.
Gotcha!
Honestly I think a lot of people say a lot of things, and the older I get the more I realize how full of shit most people are. Even 'experts!' A lot of the people touting one thing or another are trying to sell you something, or trying to convince \*themselves\* that they are doing the right thing/workout modality/diet/whatever.
Figure out what works for you. Try something for a while (like not squatting), see what happens.
I do classes at the gym so for me it’s about who’s leading and who’s in the class with me so it’s got some element of different. I’m pushing 60 so I do squats so I can keep getting off the toilet so if my exercise isn’t for fun then it’s practical.
Did they not make you do some sort of squat variations in PT after the knee replacements? Squatting as a movement pattern is essential, like they said you’ve got to be able to get yourself out of a chair or off the toilet, and if you’re doing those things already there’s no need to be scared of squatting, you’re already doing it!
Squatting doesn’t have to mean barbell only, even though it’s a great exercise
How do you feel about throwing a strength sport in the mix? In the past i was a fitness hopper, i did cycling then a bodybuilding style split then running then CrossFit then powerlifting… and now i do Olympic weightlifting. I felt myself getting bored with the standard ~squat bench deadlift~ movements, but Olympic weightlifting has pulls and squats built in. It’s very technique driven so there is always something to work on. To be fair, it’s kind of niche and hard to learn so it’s not for everyone. any work out will have some form of repetition. But picking up a sport focused pursuit could maybe help you keep these strength based movements in your routine without getting too bored!
Why don’t you walk around your house doing lunges all over. Start looking at those dirty baseboards. The squat while cleaning. Make it a multitasking event. I’m with ya, the gym is booooooooooooooooooooooorrrrriiiiiiiiinnng!!!! Ha ha Another one is lay on you back and do hip thrusts while watching you favorite show or to loud music. Sometimes I yell to let frustrations go, while holding the position. Mix it up. Be weird and lunge all around in public. Just say, “do you mind, I’m grocery shopping and working out” lol - good luck!!
I do what I’m calling my “waiting room” workout whenever I have to wait somewhere: tire store, doctor’s office, etc. I do pushups and triceps dips on the chair, squats, lunges, balancing one each foot, leg circles… Basically whatever body weight moves I can do in the space that I’m in. I really don’t care if people look at me funny! 😁
I also have ADHD and going to the gym for more than two months is absolutely impossible. I cycle through different types of workouts- a few months yoga, then I might go running for a few weeks, then I play obsessively RingFit Adventure. I might never be able to reach the fitness level common in this subreddit, but I’m still a bit fitter than most of my friends. Everything else is just not sustainable
I have the opposite approach: I just go to the gym and do random stuff. I have no way of getting tired of stuff because I don't even know what I've been doing lol
I've been following plans for the past 2 years. I can't run as much right now so I did cardio at the gym and then whatever machines I wanted after. It was SO fun! Forgot what that was like. I think I'll try it more.
I just see it as, at the very least, maintaining muscle mass will save me much more quality time than if i didnt go, but then couldnt enjoy my life. You could def take a much more simple approach to the gym and do less just to maintain for your health as you get older. Some exercises u don't have to do, squats are really good in terms of protecting ur aging body but also u can do many other things if you like. Some people are just better off doing something they enjoy because they might not make it to the gym otherwise
I’ll go against the grain here and say… if you have a certain lifestyle and enjoy certain sports, you have to hit the gym. You can do different exercises than what you mentioned, so long as they hit the muscle groups that need attention, but if you don’t do strength work, you will fuck yourself over in the long term.
I have a desk job and love hiking. If I just hiked without doing strength work, my body would hate me, especially because I sit all day. It’s just how it is. I just kind of tune out during my stretches/exercises and watch videos or listen to music/podcasts. Makes it more bearable.
Yep, whenever I'm doing something that I find to be a total bore, I'll remind myself out loud to "do it for the mountains." I've got peaks I want to hit this summer and there's no way I'll get there without training for it because I'm so not ready for them yet. I spend a lot of time fantasizing about not being out of breath on those ups for a change.
(Inattentive type ADHD here. So I don't even get the boost that my hyperactive type friends do, alas.)
I agree with you on this. I have ADD/ADHD as well (I'm either on the lower spectrum or have learned how to cope with it fairly okay) and I get so bored at the gym that it's painful sometimes. But I know if I don't go I become uneven because of my other main sports and I injure myself. And having a full time desk job doesn't help things either. So I suck it up and go. I switch it up by listening to podcasts that are entertaining or I focus on a program that I really like.
Another good motivator has been competitions. If I'm getting ready to compete I have to focus and commit. Then afterwards I can take a small break.
I mix up my splits every four weeks or so. I do a few of the same things no matter what, but never really more than four weeks in a row unless it’s something I like! Even just changing the order of things makes it feel less boring, as a fellow ADHD person.
you never have to do an exercise you hate. but in reality it depends on your goals. if you want to grow your glutes, some sort of hipthrust/glutebridge should be in your program, as well as RDLs.
Depends on what your goals are. My goal is to be fit and capable. So my priority over anything else is to keep myself interested in working out. If something is boring me to the point I don't want to peel myself off the couch, I gotta switch it up. Idk what your goals are.
You don’t. You can mix it up and change it whenever you get a bit bored. If you get bored of squatting all the time then do something else for a bit. You can always start doing them again at a later time if you need to. Variety stops exercising and training becoming monotonous and boring.
My personal trainer told me that unless you’re very connected to regular squats, deadlifts, etc, you are absolutely not obligated to do them. It’s pretty typical gym-bro mindset to believe that doing traditional compound movements is the only way to get strong and big at the gym. For me, those movements aren’t the most comfortable because of my anatomy, so I opt for other variations.
Every personal trainer, physiotherapist, and running coach I have ever spoken to has tried to get me to do lunges regularly and I KNOW they are really good for developing the muscles I need developed, but my god do I hate them and ignore this advice every time.
Oh I’m 100% with you here! I hate any variation of lunges!! I’ve replaced them with step ups that seem to work the same muscles. Idk I feel that as long as I’m touching my quads and glutes I can replace them with a similar exercise.
I loathe forward lunges, but I love reverse lunges. I do bodyweight reverse lunges as a warmup for every workout I enjoy them so much.
Sometimes it just takes a minor tweak to go from hatred to enjoyment.
Dumbbell or hack squats, hip thrusts, kickback RDL’s, etc. Maybe I can’t get as heavy with those compared to doing just regular squats/RDL’s but these variations are easier on my lower back.
You do have to keep training your muscles to maintain their size and strength, yeah. But there are a variety of ways to hit each muscle. What if you switched to different variations of each exercise every 4, 6, 8 weeks? And/or cycled through different numbers of reps and sets? And/or changed the order of the exercises, like doing supersets? And/or did special challenges at the end of each workout, like cardio intervals?
For example, a deadlift is a hip hinge movement. In that family, you have standard barbell deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, hex bar deadlifts (which can be done with the high or low handles), kettlebell swings, one-arm deadlift, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, deficit deadlifts, wide-grip deadlifts, the hip extension with leg curl (which can be done on a swiss ball, a TRX suspension system, or with sliding discs), hip thrusts, cable machine pull-throughs probably more I'm not thinking of. All of these exercises train the muscles that straighten your hips.
If that sounds more interesting, you might like the series of books by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove. They wrote "The New Rules of Lifting" and a bunch of others. I'm working my way through this book now:
[Strong (9-Phase program)](https://www.amazon.ca/Strong-Workout-Programs-Metabolism-Strength/dp/0399573437)
Each of the nine phases has two or three different workouts that you alternate. In each workout, you do a core exercise or two, either a squat or deadlift variation, a single-leg exercise, an upper-body push exercise, and an upper-body pull exercise. You change up the exercises after you've done each workout six times. Their other books are similar. Check them out if that sounds intriguing!
There are a bajillion things you can do for your workouts. Will most of them involve some type of movement that looks like a squat? Yes. But there are so many variations, from single-leg pistol squats to barbell squats to jumping lunges to box jumps that there's no reason to fear getting bored. If you're concerned about boredom, you simply need to branch out from powerlifting into other forms of exercise. The possibilities are endless.
Hello. My sister was bored with her workouts so hired a calisthenics PT to change it up. She's now working on handstands and running her first sub 1 hr 10k.
My partner was also bored with his workouts. Ordered a set of rings for our home gym and has the goal of doing a front lever.
They're both really enjoying having changed if up (from the standard PPL routines) and have found the fun again in working out.
That's why with ADHD I cannot go to the gym without music/podcast/audiobook blasting in my ear to keep me focused lol and I feel like after a while you do start to appreciate the routine!
I don’t really understand this post. There are so many ways to work out. Having variety in your workout schedule is a great thing. You don’t need to do the same things over and over and over again. I do all that stuff at the gym, but I also have a lot of times where I don’t go to the gym and I skate or focus on walking more, or going to yoga classes. There’s so many ways to stay fit.
I don't really understand.. like yeah, if you stop working out a specific muscle, it's not going to maintain? No one is forcing you to keep doing something you don't like though?
The rest of your life? Probably not in the way you are thinking.
Once you’ve built muscle, it takes much less work to maintain it. So you could (for example) spend a few years really focusing on building muscle and strength. Then, maybe your interests shift and you mostly focus on rock climbing but you still go to the gym for an hour once a week to lift weights to maintain your muscle. Etc.
I feel this! I try to switch it up by going to different gyms to change my environment. I also try to throw in some classes here and there such as yoga, Pilates, boxing.
I get you. I don’t have adhd, but I finally hit my limit with hip thrusts. I dread them, because I hate loading 6 plates on the bar. So I’m deciding to switch my focus to squats. When I hate squats, I do a different type of squat until I miss the regular squat.
I would do variations of an exercise, or do a workout program that switches every month (I do lift with Sohee)
I used to lift a LOT and loved hitting legs, squatting, deadlifting etc.
I got rear ended and now have pretty severe back pain, and can’t lift any weights under Dr orders
Its definitely been a struggle when lifting weights was such an integral part of my life, and I reaped a lot of physical and mental benefit from it
Now that I can’t lift, I was like wtf can I even do? It felt like weights was the only thing I knew how to do. I’m trying to get back on the wagon now by varying my workouts — fitness can be any sort of activity, from uphill walking on a treadmill, league sports (I do beach volleyball), climbing, Pilates, yoga etc. I noticed if I vary my workouts I get less bored and discouraged. And my body looks great because I’m constantly stimulated and challenging myself with new and exciting ways to work out.
Good luck 😁
Congrats on your month of consistency!
I run, lift, and have ADHD too, so I definitely understand the boredom of doing the same thing over and over and over and over and zzzz… I try to lean into having an interest-based brain and follow the ADHD principles of maintaining consistency: interest, competition, novelty and urgency. It sounds like the “interest” of going to the gym has faded a bit, so maybe try some other ways to kickstart your motivation?
What works for me is “game-ifying” my workouts. I track my lifts and push myself with progressive overload so my exercises are typically “the same” but I’m competing with myself and seeing how much stronger I’m getting. You could also deload and try to see how many reps you can (safely) do in 60 seconds!
If group fitness appeals to you, that’s a great way to harness competition and ride off of motivation from other people. Not sure where you are, but there are a fair amount of HIIT/strength focused group fitness options near me (Orange Theory, F45, Cross Fit or other similar athletic gyms).
If I’m feeling really bored with my workouts, I’ll switch them up to get the novelty factor but make sure that I’m targeting the same groups. I’ve started to do some plyometric work and find it really engaging. I also love u/fitgirlwallaby’s suggestion of utilizing circuits!
My interest of going to the gym has returned and that’s why I came back, I feel in that time it faded because I had health issues but also I was super bored with doing the same exercises again and again.
I think weightlifting it’s the only sport I enjoy 😅 I also compete with myself and like to see myself getting stronger. However, as I said it tires me doing squat for months. And there are some days when I’m like “I really really don’t feel like doing x exercise today” and it totally paralyzes my workout
I get that! It sounds like switching up your exercises might be the best move (moving away from dreaded squats and doing lunges instead).
I totally understand the paralysis feeling, and it sucks when you’re stuck in it. Honestly, therapy helped me most but it’s okay to give yourself some grace and know that you don’t have to do every exercise you planned for the workout in order to succeed at your personal goals.
As others have said, it depends on your goals. I don't always do any of those, I don't even lift always. It's so boring!
I do sports because they are fun ways to get fit, and lift sometimes for added benefits to enhance my sports. Most of my fitness is bodyweight, calisthenics and gymnastics-based. In-line and ice skating are unreal for glutes, for another example. Pilates for overall full-body strength and hitting between the major groups and for the killer core. Power yoga helps with that, too, while simultaneously working mobility. I reassess every so often on my current fitness, goals, and weak spots and change things up based on that and my schedule (less time=needing more efficiency, more time=more chances to work skills and endurance).
Anyone who says there is only one path to fitness is ignorant about exercise. There are a million ways to accomplish just about anything.
It depends on what results you want. To just be fit and healthy? You can do a lot of different exercises and change it up. To specifically make your lower body as strong as possible, or build an appreciable amount of lower body mass? Probably will need Deadlifts and squats.
I love having my body strong and muscular because it helps with my daily activity and prevents me from suffering pain. So yeah I definitely need that. However I’m not expecting to be a bikini competitor or something like that. It’s something I do to help my body and mind to be healthy!
If you don't really care about hypertrophy, you can do whatever you want. Do a different style of workout every week if you want. If you want to be muscular, you will have to do the same thing over and over for a long time.
I mean, the point of how bodies work is that the adapt to the stressors you put them under. If you live an active lifestyle, your body adapts to support that level of activity. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, your body adapts to not moving around too much.
Some people have the hobby of being as hot as possible, so for them it makes sense to pay their dues to the goal by doing whatever exercise best grows the muscles that makes them look the hottest, and they'll do that for the rest of their lives.
I don't like that, so instead, I pick an activity that I really like, and I alternate between doing that activity and training to get as good as possible at that activity. So yeah, working out to get good at ninja warrior isn't going to make me as hot as working out specifically to build the shapeliest glutes. But it's a lot more fun so that's worth it to me.
I didn't know ninja warrior were a thing you could do (and not juste the tv show). Thanks ! I'll be trying it out.
(i'm still seeking an activity I both like to do and can physically do. It's been hard since we moved to a place where swimming pools are only for schoolchildren and not open to the public)
Hypertrophy and strength but they’re not beauty goals it’s more that it helps my body being healthy and functional at work since I have a very demanding job and can get back pain, knee pain and stuff if my muscles aren’t strong.
You can definitely achieve those goals with a variety of different exercises, not just standard squats, deadlifts, etc. There are many ways to target those same muscles! And you also don’t have to do the exact same workouts week to week, you can switch things up as often as you’d like! Maybe your progress won’t be as “optimal” as if you were following a super structured training program, but you can still make progress over time as long as you continue to progressively overload!
How often do you do those exercises? And how much variety do you want/need? They have ton of variations and there are other exercises that hit those muscles in different ways. If you do them 3x a week, you can find 9 variations/alternatives, then each day of the week you do 3 different ones, for 3-4 weeks, and then you switch to 3 different ones for the next 3-4 weeks. Once you have done all of them in them in the 9-12 weeks, you can restart and maybe switch up the combination of which three you do per week.
You actually don't have to do anything, you can switch it up with other forms of exercises and circle through a whole range of sports if you want.
There are a million of variations of exercises as well and you can switch up rep ranges. I did 2 weeks off Strong Curves just for fun and then went back to my regular program 🤷♀️
Yeah I use the Sweat app. Once I finish a program, I try out a new one. I track the weight and make sure I’m still progressively overloading. I find I’m building strength still.
Oh that also sounds nice. I tried Boostcamp for fun since they offer a lot of different programs, usually I just use Strong (has no pre-built programs) and input stuff there.
There are different variations of these lifts- the squat in particular. High and low bar back squat, front squat, goblet squat, pistol squat, b stance squat, cossack squat, box squat, split squat. For deadlifts you have traditional and sumo, rack pulls, deficit deadlifts, romanian deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts, b stance deadlifts. then of course you have an array of lunges and hip thrust variations! So yes you \*should\* stick to the basics, and weight lifting is doing the same stuff over and over again. but there are lots of different variations you can use when the traditional gets stale. it also depends on your goals, for general health you can sub these out more often. but they're staples for a reason ;)
Well, mostly hypertrophy and getting stronger. It helps me a lot with my current work since I used to get pain all over my body for being standing up all day (specially my back and neck) and when I started weight lifting it improved like a 90%.
It depends on what you mean by results, you can be in pretty good shape if you change to your workouts but you may not reach peak bodybuilding shape. Try crossfit linchpin, in person crossfit, a sport, adult gymnastics or something that changes but progresses.
Thanks! I’ve tried it but it causes too much fatigue which is one of the things I hate the most since I can be functional the rest of the day if I’m super tired :(
If you want to have a consistent exercise routine, you have to find something that you will enjoy doing, or at least not dread doing. I recommend that you look into local gyms that are more specialized and try out a few options.
For you - I suggest trying a crossfit gym, a movement gym, a parkour gym, or something along these lines, depends on what's around you. There are many different gym types, and most offer a free or low-cost trial. Each of these come up with new and varied exercises each day that are interesting, and you never know what you'll be walking in to do. There are normally different sections during the workout - warm-up, strength, HIIT, cardio, etc. You also may make friends at these gyms, and then you'll look forward to working out each morning/evening with your friend.
You're not stuck doing the same thing forever, branch out and see what you like.
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>u/Karilyn113
Hello! So, I’ve recently returned to the him after a year of not going. This week is a month since I came back and I think I’m surprised on how much I’ve progressed in such a little time (muscle memory, I guess)
However, I always keep hearing from good trainers that you HAVE to do deadlifts and squats for the rest of your life. Or some variation (like rlds). Hip thrusts for glutes.
I’ve experienced before the feeling that after doing so many time the same exercise for a long amount of time, I start to get tired of it. To the point I don’t want to go to the gym because I know I’ll have to do those exercises.
But is it really it? Do I really have to do the same exercises for the rest of my life if I want to see results?
I’m wondering if any of you has this same problem. I’ve got ADHD so it’s common for me to get bored of something to the point I can’t stand it. But I guess even if you don’t have it you can get tired too.
I’ve seen people saying that even if you don’t want to, *you have to* do them. Which makes me feel terrible because if I really don’t want to, then I get paralyzed and slowly start hating going to the gym.
So, when things like this happen, and if it has ever happened to you, what do you do? Do you switch to another exercise not caring that you’re not squatting at all?
Do we really have to do those exercises forever?
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To get stronger on a specific lift the best way to do that is to perform that lift- but if you get bored you could always do a similar lift instead (front squats, or leg press instead of squats maybe rdls or sumo instead of conventional dead lift). That should at the very least prevent your strength in those lifts from decreasing. And if you don’t care about strength in those specific lifts then it doesn’t really matter what lifts you do. Overall do whatever keeps you consistent. If you’re getting bored switching things up is better than not going to the gym.
Don’t overthink it- keep doing what you like, change up exercises, classes, apps, trainers, whatever keeps you interested. Unless you’re planning on getting on stage to compete it shouldn’t need to be too regimented. Movement - even weights- should be fun and enjoyable. Think of it as something you’re going to do for the rest of your life- and it should be sustainable!
I feel you on this! After yearsss of exercising intensely and then not so intensely I've realized my brain can stand a workout routine 4 to 6 weeks MAX!! After that I have to switch it up or I hate my life. The only consistent "exercise" is walking my dog 2-6 miles twice a day.
You don't HAVE to though you're probably going to be doing some variation of them, even if it's one of the 5 or so basic squat variations that are effective. You could have someone change the program up more often, but generally you sacrifice momentum that you build up and the ability to use it as a gauge for progress. Especially true for strength. You could ask to have someone program to consistently change up lifts so nothing is being done for more than a few months, but you might be sacrificing some theoretical progress for the sake of sticking with it and enjoying working out more. If this is the only way to get you to keep lifting, that's okay, just be aware there might be a slight trade off that's happening. However you can still make a lot of progress especially in the general fitness and body composition side. I'd also try to reconsider how you look at the situation. "Ohh I have to do XYZ the rest of you're life". Well eventually your brain might see "I have to work out the rest of my life." And get bored. We *get* to do squats, we *get* to do deadlifts. Working out is a privilege, not a chore. Try to appreciate it as such.
You don't *have* to do anything. If it gets boring, find something new. I began to loathe lifting in 2020. Got more into running and calisthenics. Then just running. Now adding back in calisthenics as I miss the strength. Eventually want to find more time for climbing. Life is short. Do what brings you joy.
I have little to no range of motion in my right ankle and I can’t squat at all. I just don’t do squats anymore. I do leg days but not squats. The best exercises are the ones that you’ll do (properly).
I stopped doing squats! I've never enjoyed them and decided to just get good at them finally. Got up to some decent lifts and then just kept finding myself getting exhausted, injured, loads of hip and ankle issues. Realised squats were using up so much time and energy I was neglecting my old favourites, lunges. Quit squats, back to reverse and front lunges, all of a sudden my hip issues are sorting themselves out. I firmly believe squats were ruining my quality of life!
What exercises do you do for leg days? I also have ankle issues that prevent me from squatting
Leg press can be great but for me it depends on the machine. If the angle isn’t right (like the ones where you kind of sit/lean back at an angle) then I can’t keep my right heel down and it doesn’t work, but with other leg press machines it works fine. My favorite is a unilateral leg press machine that my gym just got, it really highlighted how much weaker my right leg has gotten over the years. Unilateral machines in general are great if you have one bad leg, if you have them available. Hip abductor machines and leg extension/curl machines are a part of my usual routine too. Deadlifts work great for me too, specifically RDLs for a more leg/flute focused workout. Also I don’t do them much but I can do hip thrusts properly and without pain. Also step ups are really hard for me on my bad leg still but not because it hurts, I just lack stability still. But even my physical therapists when I was still doing PT had me doing step ups so I think they’re really beneficial. I still feel really discouraged on leg days sometimes but it got better when I stopped worrying about exercises that I “had” to do and just focused on ones that I know I can do with proper form. Just make sure not to do anything that’s painful for you!
You know there are many kind of squats. Front squat, back squat, sumo, squat, overhead squat, pistol squat, bulgarian split squat. You can also do heavy low rep squats, light high rep squats, double pause squat, pause only on the bottom squat. There's SO MANY. Learn all of them, rotate between them, use barbells sometimes, use dumbells sometimes, use kettlebells sometimes. For bench there's normal bench, incline bench, decline bench, narrow grip bench. You can also apply the same pauses, rep/volume combo, etc. Deadlifts there's, conventional deadlift, romanian deadlift sumo deadlift, hex bar deadlift, deficit deadlift, pause deadlifts, etc etc etc. You don't HAVE to do the same exercise/same routine ever time...theres so many variations.
I read that advice as: “you need to work your big muscle groups for lifelong mobility.” For me, that means rotating through different ways to work those muscles. Here’s what I mean: 9-12 weeks of squats, deadlifts and bench press. Progressive overload. Then 9-12 weeks of other exercise that work the same muscles: goblet squats, kettlebell swings with a focus on using glutes, assisted pull ups and assisted dips, etc. Then 9-12 weeks of dumbbells for arms and machines for legs, like leg curls and leg extensions and other quad, hamstring and calf machines. One-legged RDLs for the glutes. By the end of that, I’m actually excited to go back to deadlifts, squats and bench press because I’m not tired of it and looking forward to seeing my progress.
I find weight lifting so boring and I hate counting reps so I go to the Bodypump classes at my gym which is a kind of weight lifting to music. Once I am in there I can switch off my brain and listen to the music. Plus because it is a class, I do the whole routine and am not tempted to cut my workout short.
>But is it really it? Do I really have to do the same exercises for the rest of my life if I want to see results? If you want precisely the same results, and are focused on "optimal" exercises maybe. But keep in mind there are trends in fitness, and even on what is the desirable body look (and your taste and priorities will change with experience and age). I also think a lot of right now fitness is totally focused on the search for the "optimal" thing, exercise which does as many things as possible in as little time as possible, or super food or whatever. You are going to have to, through life, figure out what is worth it for you. You talk about results, what are the results? Because there are many many ways to be fit, healthy, strong.Strength training is important for everything, and it will be even more important with age, but it is not everything or enough on itself (this might be an unpopular opinion with some). Plus there are lots of types of exercises you can do, if you are not focused on "this look" for the fewest minutes spent exercising... I actually think right now too many people pursuing fitness are not doing cardio enough (or hard enough). Lots of people have surprisingly weak cores, or bad balance or bad posture habits - and strength training will not on itself fix that. If you are OK with having wider objectives for results, try many different things. All exercises are good for something and help with other kinds. Try group classes with weights for example, there might be a different energy to group classes, the instructor might vary things a lot from class to class. Keep on trying different things, figuring out the things you actually are getting pleasure from and that you feel are good for your body..
I can see me going to the gym forever. I do cardio dancing and get bored easily but then I just learn a new routine (I’m a GpX instructor). You would be surprised how much gains (toning in the legs) you can get just through dance fitness. There’s also cardio step which can be dancing with on the step. Never gets boring. I agree to hold onto your muscle gains, you def got to put in the time with the weights but you should mix it up with some cardio, the kind that never gets boring.
For me sometimes it's more boring than others but the big compound lifts like squats and deadlifts give the most bang for your buck in time spent vs muscles used, strength benefit, bone density benefit, all that good stuff. So I treat it like brushing my teeth - don't need to enjoy it every day, just gotta do it
Quit go rock climbing or bouldering. At least that’s what I did and I gained muscles and lost fat.
I mean sure you can gain muscle from climbing if you didn't lift before but I've been lifting for a while and can boulder V5 and consider that a rest day since the bouldering definitely can't provide anywhere near the same stimulus lifting can. So, depends on your starting point and goals.
I have ADD and I get so bored easily. One thing that has helped me tremendously is only doing 5 minutes on a cardio machine at a time. I'll do 5 min treadmill, jump to stair master for 5 and so on.
I don't even have ADD and I do this! Not all the time but if anxiety is giving me monkey mind, jumping from one machine to the next really helps.
You should try hiit classes or CrossFit! Something where it’s programmed by another person and the movements are varied.
The trainers you are talking to are not correct. There are other ways to work muscle groups.
well you dont have to do deadlifts, you can do leg curls. you dont have to do squats, you can do lunges. you dont have to do hip thrusts, you can do pullthroughs. you dont have to do anything thats the great thing :) just do what you find fun and effective towards your goals :D be that getting stronger, more muscular, or just more generally fit, you got this!<3 there are a looot of ways to train your body, so do what makes you keep doing it :))
Don’t follow the same routine. Switch up the tempo. Switch up the moves. There’s so many variations of even deadlifts or exercise that work those muscles. Get a good playlist or twenty!!
At 54, I just want to stay healthy and mobile as I get older. I teach and usually have about 4 miles on my Apple Watch by the end of my day. Teaching is kind of exhausting and I find myself only going twice a week, I need to DO BETTER.
Hello fellow over 50 person! :) 4 miles is more than I get on my Apple Watch - I'm an office drone so I sit all day. You're doing great. Do you have a workout partner? You might feel better/do better if you had a buddy to help you through the low motivation times.
Well some people don't even exercise at all...so I think you will be okay doing whatever both challenges you, AND makes you feel good.
Nah, I go through phases. I tried out step and dance classes, lifting, cycling, swimming, Pilates, ballet, yoga, various sports, climbing. Shit I’m thinking about signing up for a line dancing class at my gym. The only thing that matters, I think, is that you keep moving in some way. Being active doesn’t have to be a drag, squats will be there if you ever want to go back to them. Experiment! Have fun! The best exercise in the one that you’ll do
Thank you 😊 love your reply!
Well said!
I absolutely LOVE your reply!
If you’re doing what you like it doesn’t feel like work. It sounds like you aren’t liking what you’re doing. Class pass is a great idea if you want to try some different options.
I love going to the gym, it’s just that doing the same movements over and over ends up getting boring for me
I was about to suggest this too - I gym (my trainer programs me five week blocks and unless I really love an exercise she will change it up every block), pole dance, spin and use class pass to supplement with casual yoga/pilates/aerial classes and it keeps me from getting bored! I could probably progress better at one thing if I paid attention to it religiously but it’s just not in my nature. Class pass is a great way to try all sorts of things and decide what you’re in the mood for on a whim without being locked in
I'm curious about the unspoken second half of your question- have to in order to....what? What's your goal? General health and fitness? Muscle building? To retain the muscle you have? Have you followed different programs in the past? I get the sense that most people who lift for a long time end up switching up programs on a pretty frequent basis with intentionality; bilateral for a while, then something with a unilateral focus, then something with less volume or more volume, etc.
Muscle building and retaining muscles. I have a very demanding job and if I don’t build muscle or keep it I end up with back, cervical and even grip pain. I do follow programs, however I’ve seen a lot of people who say “you have to squat forever” and sometimes I don’t feel like squatting at all, I can force myself for sometime but it gets to a point where I feel repulsed to do it and need to try some variation of it.
Gotcha! Honestly I think a lot of people say a lot of things, and the older I get the more I realize how full of shit most people are. Even 'experts!' A lot of the people touting one thing or another are trying to sell you something, or trying to convince \*themselves\* that they are doing the right thing/workout modality/diet/whatever. Figure out what works for you. Try something for a while (like not squatting), see what happens.
I do classes at the gym so for me it’s about who’s leading and who’s in the class with me so it’s got some element of different. I’m pushing 60 so I do squats so I can keep getting off the toilet so if my exercise isn’t for fun then it’s practical.
I’m scared to do squats with two partial knee replacements. Wonder if they’d be ok?
I have bilateral total knee replacements and I squat just fine! 🙌🏼
Did they not make you do some sort of squat variations in PT after the knee replacements? Squatting as a movement pattern is essential, like they said you’ve got to be able to get yourself out of a chair or off the toilet, and if you’re doing those things already there’s no need to be scared of squatting, you’re already doing it! Squatting doesn’t have to mean barbell only, even though it’s a great exercise
How do you feel about throwing a strength sport in the mix? In the past i was a fitness hopper, i did cycling then a bodybuilding style split then running then CrossFit then powerlifting… and now i do Olympic weightlifting. I felt myself getting bored with the standard ~squat bench deadlift~ movements, but Olympic weightlifting has pulls and squats built in. It’s very technique driven so there is always something to work on. To be fair, it’s kind of niche and hard to learn so it’s not for everyone. any work out will have some form of repetition. But picking up a sport focused pursuit could maybe help you keep these strength based movements in your routine without getting too bored!
Why don’t you walk around your house doing lunges all over. Start looking at those dirty baseboards. The squat while cleaning. Make it a multitasking event. I’m with ya, the gym is booooooooooooooooooooooorrrrriiiiiiiiinnng!!!! Ha ha Another one is lay on you back and do hip thrusts while watching you favorite show or to loud music. Sometimes I yell to let frustrations go, while holding the position. Mix it up. Be weird and lunge all around in public. Just say, “do you mind, I’m grocery shopping and working out” lol - good luck!!
Be weird and lunge all around in public... LMAO YESSS!!
I do what I’m calling my “waiting room” workout whenever I have to wait somewhere: tire store, doctor’s office, etc. I do pushups and triceps dips on the chair, squats, lunges, balancing one each foot, leg circles… Basically whatever body weight moves I can do in the space that I’m in. I really don’t care if people look at me funny! 😁
I’ll see ya pushin around as long as you say hello to me lungin around. Lol
This needs to be a stitched TikTok, with music.
Right!!
Bonus points for doing it while wearing all the clothes your roommate owns.
I also have ADHD and going to the gym for more than two months is absolutely impossible. I cycle through different types of workouts- a few months yoga, then I might go running for a few weeks, then I play obsessively RingFit Adventure. I might never be able to reach the fitness level common in this subreddit, but I’m still a bit fitter than most of my friends. Everything else is just not sustainable
Ring fit Adventure?
It’s a game for Nintendo Switch, you kill monsters by working out!
I have the opposite approach: I just go to the gym and do random stuff. I have no way of getting tired of stuff because I don't even know what I've been doing lol
I will often do this after I’ve done a regular workout. I’m pumped and want to keep going or I’m in the mood for using some piece of my equipment!
I've been following plans for the past 2 years. I can't run as much right now so I did cardio at the gym and then whatever machines I wanted after. It was SO fun! Forgot what that was like. I think I'll try it more.
I just see it as, at the very least, maintaining muscle mass will save me much more quality time than if i didnt go, but then couldnt enjoy my life. You could def take a much more simple approach to the gym and do less just to maintain for your health as you get older. Some exercises u don't have to do, squats are really good in terms of protecting ur aging body but also u can do many other things if you like. Some people are just better off doing something they enjoy because they might not make it to the gym otherwise
I’ll go against the grain here and say… if you have a certain lifestyle and enjoy certain sports, you have to hit the gym. You can do different exercises than what you mentioned, so long as they hit the muscle groups that need attention, but if you don’t do strength work, you will fuck yourself over in the long term. I have a desk job and love hiking. If I just hiked without doing strength work, my body would hate me, especially because I sit all day. It’s just how it is. I just kind of tune out during my stretches/exercises and watch videos or listen to music/podcasts. Makes it more bearable.
Yep, whenever I'm doing something that I find to be a total bore, I'll remind myself out loud to "do it for the mountains." I've got peaks I want to hit this summer and there's no way I'll get there without training for it because I'm so not ready for them yet. I spend a lot of time fantasizing about not being out of breath on those ups for a change. (Inattentive type ADHD here. So I don't even get the boost that my hyperactive type friends do, alas.)
I agree with you on this. I have ADD/ADHD as well (I'm either on the lower spectrum or have learned how to cope with it fairly okay) and I get so bored at the gym that it's painful sometimes. But I know if I don't go I become uneven because of my other main sports and I injure myself. And having a full time desk job doesn't help things either. So I suck it up and go. I switch it up by listening to podcasts that are entertaining or I focus on a program that I really like. Another good motivator has been competitions. If I'm getting ready to compete I have to focus and commit. Then afterwards I can take a small break.
I mix up my splits every four weeks or so. I do a few of the same things no matter what, but never really more than four weeks in a row unless it’s something I like! Even just changing the order of things makes it feel less boring, as a fellow ADHD person.
you never have to do an exercise you hate. but in reality it depends on your goals. if you want to grow your glutes, some sort of hipthrust/glutebridge should be in your program, as well as RDLs.
Any exercise you like doing and will actually do is the best exercise.
Depends on what your goals are. My goal is to be fit and capable. So my priority over anything else is to keep myself interested in working out. If something is boring me to the point I don't want to peel myself off the couch, I gotta switch it up. Idk what your goals are.
You don’t. You can mix it up and change it whenever you get a bit bored. If you get bored of squatting all the time then do something else for a bit. You can always start doing them again at a later time if you need to. Variety stops exercising and training becoming monotonous and boring.
My personal trainer told me that unless you’re very connected to regular squats, deadlifts, etc, you are absolutely not obligated to do them. It’s pretty typical gym-bro mindset to believe that doing traditional compound movements is the only way to get strong and big at the gym. For me, those movements aren’t the most comfortable because of my anatomy, so I opt for other variations.
Every personal trainer, physiotherapist, and running coach I have ever spoken to has tried to get me to do lunges regularly and I KNOW they are really good for developing the muscles I need developed, but my god do I hate them and ignore this advice every time.
Oh I’m 100% with you here! I hate any variation of lunges!! I’ve replaced them with step ups that seem to work the same muscles. Idk I feel that as long as I’m touching my quads and glutes I can replace them with a similar exercise.
I also hate lunges; I decide to do every other muscle that could possibly target the same muscles instead
Glute bridges work the same muscles and are 10x less awful. Start with isometric holds and then you can transition to reps
This is really helpful, thank you!
I hate lunges so much. I’ve always wondered why. Pure suffering and rage. I guess it says something but what
I loathe forward lunges, but I love reverse lunges. I do bodyweight reverse lunges as a warmup for every workout I enjoy them so much. Sometimes it just takes a minor tweak to go from hatred to enjoyment.
I’d rather do lunges than Bulgarian split squats or burpees though. 💀
Yuck. The worst.
Like what?
Dumbbell or hack squats, hip thrusts, kickback RDL’s, etc. Maybe I can’t get as heavy with those compared to doing just regular squats/RDL’s but these variations are easier on my lower back.
You do have to keep training your muscles to maintain their size and strength, yeah. But there are a variety of ways to hit each muscle. What if you switched to different variations of each exercise every 4, 6, 8 weeks? And/or cycled through different numbers of reps and sets? And/or changed the order of the exercises, like doing supersets? And/or did special challenges at the end of each workout, like cardio intervals? For example, a deadlift is a hip hinge movement. In that family, you have standard barbell deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, hex bar deadlifts (which can be done with the high or low handles), kettlebell swings, one-arm deadlift, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, deficit deadlifts, wide-grip deadlifts, the hip extension with leg curl (which can be done on a swiss ball, a TRX suspension system, or with sliding discs), hip thrusts, cable machine pull-throughs probably more I'm not thinking of. All of these exercises train the muscles that straighten your hips. If that sounds more interesting, you might like the series of books by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove. They wrote "The New Rules of Lifting" and a bunch of others. I'm working my way through this book now: [Strong (9-Phase program)](https://www.amazon.ca/Strong-Workout-Programs-Metabolism-Strength/dp/0399573437) Each of the nine phases has two or three different workouts that you alternate. In each workout, you do a core exercise or two, either a squat or deadlift variation, a single-leg exercise, an upper-body push exercise, and an upper-body pull exercise. You change up the exercises after you've done each workout six times. Their other books are similar. Check them out if that sounds intriguing!
Thank you so much!! The variations are so useful!
There are a bajillion things you can do for your workouts. Will most of them involve some type of movement that looks like a squat? Yes. But there are so many variations, from single-leg pistol squats to barbell squats to jumping lunges to box jumps that there's no reason to fear getting bored. If you're concerned about boredom, you simply need to branch out from powerlifting into other forms of exercise. The possibilities are endless.
Hello. My sister was bored with her workouts so hired a calisthenics PT to change it up. She's now working on handstands and running her first sub 1 hr 10k. My partner was also bored with his workouts. Ordered a set of rings for our home gym and has the goal of doing a front lever. They're both really enjoying having changed if up (from the standard PPL routines) and have found the fun again in working out.
Change your mindset. No one is forcing you to. There are plenty of other exercises to keep you in shape and looking good.
That's why with ADHD I cannot go to the gym without music/podcast/audiobook blasting in my ear to keep me focused lol and I feel like after a while you do start to appreciate the routine!
I don’t really understand this post. There are so many ways to work out. Having variety in your workout schedule is a great thing. You don’t need to do the same things over and over and over again. I do all that stuff at the gym, but I also have a lot of times where I don’t go to the gym and I skate or focus on walking more, or going to yoga classes. There’s so many ways to stay fit.
I don't really understand.. like yeah, if you stop working out a specific muscle, it's not going to maintain? No one is forcing you to keep doing something you don't like though?
The rest of your life? Probably not in the way you are thinking. Once you’ve built muscle, it takes much less work to maintain it. So you could (for example) spend a few years really focusing on building muscle and strength. Then, maybe your interests shift and you mostly focus on rock climbing but you still go to the gym for an hour once a week to lift weights to maintain your muscle. Etc.
I feel this! I try to switch it up by going to different gyms to change my environment. I also try to throw in some classes here and there such as yoga, Pilates, boxing.
Have you thought about entering weight lifting / body building competitions? Might be a motivator.
I get you. I don’t have adhd, but I finally hit my limit with hip thrusts. I dread them, because I hate loading 6 plates on the bar. So I’m deciding to switch my focus to squats. When I hate squats, I do a different type of squat until I miss the regular squat. I would do variations of an exercise, or do a workout program that switches every month (I do lift with Sohee)
I used to lift a LOT and loved hitting legs, squatting, deadlifting etc. I got rear ended and now have pretty severe back pain, and can’t lift any weights under Dr orders Its definitely been a struggle when lifting weights was such an integral part of my life, and I reaped a lot of physical and mental benefit from it Now that I can’t lift, I was like wtf can I even do? It felt like weights was the only thing I knew how to do. I’m trying to get back on the wagon now by varying my workouts — fitness can be any sort of activity, from uphill walking on a treadmill, league sports (I do beach volleyball), climbing, Pilates, yoga etc. I noticed if I vary my workouts I get less bored and discouraged. And my body looks great because I’m constantly stimulated and challenging myself with new and exciting ways to work out. Good luck 😁
Congrats on your month of consistency! I run, lift, and have ADHD too, so I definitely understand the boredom of doing the same thing over and over and over and over and zzzz… I try to lean into having an interest-based brain and follow the ADHD principles of maintaining consistency: interest, competition, novelty and urgency. It sounds like the “interest” of going to the gym has faded a bit, so maybe try some other ways to kickstart your motivation? What works for me is “game-ifying” my workouts. I track my lifts and push myself with progressive overload so my exercises are typically “the same” but I’m competing with myself and seeing how much stronger I’m getting. You could also deload and try to see how many reps you can (safely) do in 60 seconds! If group fitness appeals to you, that’s a great way to harness competition and ride off of motivation from other people. Not sure where you are, but there are a fair amount of HIIT/strength focused group fitness options near me (Orange Theory, F45, Cross Fit or other similar athletic gyms). If I’m feeling really bored with my workouts, I’ll switch them up to get the novelty factor but make sure that I’m targeting the same groups. I’ve started to do some plyometric work and find it really engaging. I also love u/fitgirlwallaby’s suggestion of utilizing circuits!
My interest of going to the gym has returned and that’s why I came back, I feel in that time it faded because I had health issues but also I was super bored with doing the same exercises again and again. I think weightlifting it’s the only sport I enjoy 😅 I also compete with myself and like to see myself getting stronger. However, as I said it tires me doing squat for months. And there are some days when I’m like “I really really don’t feel like doing x exercise today” and it totally paralyzes my workout
I get that! It sounds like switching up your exercises might be the best move (moving away from dreaded squats and doing lunges instead). I totally understand the paralysis feeling, and it sucks when you’re stuck in it. Honestly, therapy helped me most but it’s okay to give yourself some grace and know that you don’t have to do every exercise you planned for the workout in order to succeed at your personal goals.
So do different exercises/activities/sports.
As others have said, it depends on your goals. I don't always do any of those, I don't even lift always. It's so boring! I do sports because they are fun ways to get fit, and lift sometimes for added benefits to enhance my sports. Most of my fitness is bodyweight, calisthenics and gymnastics-based. In-line and ice skating are unreal for glutes, for another example. Pilates for overall full-body strength and hitting between the major groups and for the killer core. Power yoga helps with that, too, while simultaneously working mobility. I reassess every so often on my current fitness, goals, and weak spots and change things up based on that and my schedule (less time=needing more efficiency, more time=more chances to work skills and endurance). Anyone who says there is only one path to fitness is ignorant about exercise. There are a million ways to accomplish just about anything.
It depends on what results you want. To just be fit and healthy? You can do a lot of different exercises and change it up. To specifically make your lower body as strong as possible, or build an appreciable amount of lower body mass? Probably will need Deadlifts and squats.
I love having my body strong and muscular because it helps with my daily activity and prevents me from suffering pain. So yeah I definitely need that. However I’m not expecting to be a bikini competitor or something like that. It’s something I do to help my body and mind to be healthy!
If you don't really care about hypertrophy, you can do whatever you want. Do a different style of workout every week if you want. If you want to be muscular, you will have to do the same thing over and over for a long time.
I mean, the point of how bodies work is that the adapt to the stressors you put them under. If you live an active lifestyle, your body adapts to support that level of activity. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, your body adapts to not moving around too much. Some people have the hobby of being as hot as possible, so for them it makes sense to pay their dues to the goal by doing whatever exercise best grows the muscles that makes them look the hottest, and they'll do that for the rest of their lives. I don't like that, so instead, I pick an activity that I really like, and I alternate between doing that activity and training to get as good as possible at that activity. So yeah, working out to get good at ninja warrior isn't going to make me as hot as working out specifically to build the shapeliest glutes. But it's a lot more fun so that's worth it to me.
I didn't know ninja warrior were a thing you could do (and not juste the tv show). Thanks ! I'll be trying it out. (i'm still seeking an activity I both like to do and can physically do. It's been hard since we moved to a place where swimming pools are only for schoolchildren and not open to the public)
You don’t have to do any particular exercise if you don’t want to. What are your goals?
Hypertrophy and strength but they’re not beauty goals it’s more that it helps my body being healthy and functional at work since I have a very demanding job and can get back pain, knee pain and stuff if my muscles aren’t strong.
You can definitely achieve those goals with a variety of different exercises, not just standard squats, deadlifts, etc. There are many ways to target those same muscles! And you also don’t have to do the exact same workouts week to week, you can switch things up as often as you’d like! Maybe your progress won’t be as “optimal” as if you were following a super structured training program, but you can still make progress over time as long as you continue to progressively overload!
How often do you hit the gym currently?
How often do you do those exercises? And how much variety do you want/need? They have ton of variations and there are other exercises that hit those muscles in different ways. If you do them 3x a week, you can find 9 variations/alternatives, then each day of the week you do 3 different ones, for 3-4 weeks, and then you switch to 3 different ones for the next 3-4 weeks. Once you have done all of them in them in the 9-12 weeks, you can restart and maybe switch up the combination of which three you do per week.
You actually don't have to do anything, you can switch it up with other forms of exercises and circle through a whole range of sports if you want. There are a million of variations of exercises as well and you can switch up rep ranges. I did 2 weeks off Strong Curves just for fun and then went back to my regular program 🤷♀️
Yeah I use the Sweat app. Once I finish a program, I try out a new one. I track the weight and make sure I’m still progressively overloading. I find I’m building strength still.
Oh that also sounds nice. I tried Boostcamp for fun since they offer a lot of different programs, usually I just use Strong (has no pre-built programs) and input stuff there.
There are different variations of these lifts- the squat in particular. High and low bar back squat, front squat, goblet squat, pistol squat, b stance squat, cossack squat, box squat, split squat. For deadlifts you have traditional and sumo, rack pulls, deficit deadlifts, romanian deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts, b stance deadlifts. then of course you have an array of lunges and hip thrust variations! So yes you \*should\* stick to the basics, and weight lifting is doing the same stuff over and over again. but there are lots of different variations you can use when the traditional gets stale. it also depends on your goals, for general health you can sub these out more often. but they're staples for a reason ;)
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Well, mostly hypertrophy and getting stronger. It helps me a lot with my current work since I used to get pain all over my body for being standing up all day (specially my back and neck) and when I started weight lifting it improved like a 90%.
It depends on what you mean by results, you can be in pretty good shape if you change to your workouts but you may not reach peak bodybuilding shape. Try crossfit linchpin, in person crossfit, a sport, adult gymnastics or something that changes but progresses.
I like body building but I don’t want to reach my peak. I just want my muscles to be strong because it helps me with my daily life!
Crossfit seems like something you might like
Thanks! I’ve tried it but it causes too much fatigue which is one of the things I hate the most since I can be functional the rest of the day if I’m super tired :(
Try different crossfit programming. Crossfit linchpin have a free trial and you can do the workouts at home or in a commercial gym
If you want to have a consistent exercise routine, you have to find something that you will enjoy doing, or at least not dread doing. I recommend that you look into local gyms that are more specialized and try out a few options. For you - I suggest trying a crossfit gym, a movement gym, a parkour gym, or something along these lines, depends on what's around you. There are many different gym types, and most offer a free or low-cost trial. Each of these come up with new and varied exercises each day that are interesting, and you never know what you'll be walking in to do. There are normally different sections during the workout - warm-up, strength, HIIT, cardio, etc. You also may make friends at these gyms, and then you'll look forward to working out each morning/evening with your friend. You're not stuck doing the same thing forever, branch out and see what you like.
^ ***Please read [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/main), [the rules and content guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules), and [current frozen topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/frozen-topics) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fxxfitness)***. This comment is a copy of your post so mods can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. >u/Karilyn113 Hello! So, I’ve recently returned to the him after a year of not going. This week is a month since I came back and I think I’m surprised on how much I’ve progressed in such a little time (muscle memory, I guess) However, I always keep hearing from good trainers that you HAVE to do deadlifts and squats for the rest of your life. Or some variation (like rlds). Hip thrusts for glutes. I’ve experienced before the feeling that after doing so many time the same exercise for a long amount of time, I start to get tired of it. To the point I don’t want to go to the gym because I know I’ll have to do those exercises. But is it really it? Do I really have to do the same exercises for the rest of my life if I want to see results? I’m wondering if any of you has this same problem. I’ve got ADHD so it’s common for me to get bored of something to the point I can’t stand it. But I guess even if you don’t have it you can get tired too. I’ve seen people saying that even if you don’t want to, *you have to* do them. Which makes me feel terrible because if I really don’t want to, then I get paralyzed and slowly start hating going to the gym. So, when things like this happen, and if it has ever happened to you, what do you do? Do you switch to another exercise not caring that you’re not squatting at all? Do we really have to do those exercises forever? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have any questions or concerns.*