“How do you keep training fun?” It’s a question I hear a lot, typically from someone who follows the same workout routine day in and day out. That style of predictable training quickly makes the gym a boring place to be. Plus, the person has more than likely encountered sticking points, meaning little, if any, progress is being made.
My solution: Never do the same workout from week to week.
One of the reasons I enjoy training for and competing in strongman competitions is that the contests include a variety of events and numerous variations of all those events. These same concepts can be true for CrossFit as well, where the events vary and the challenges change from competition to competition (and even from training session to training session).
Powerlifting is another fun sport to train for, although many lifters disagree because you’re training only for squat, bench press, and deadlift. That’s true. However, the best powerlifters have amazing overall strength because they do lots of assistance work that simultaneously helps their main lifts and builds the supporting musculature. Knowing and using the countless variables that you have at your disposal gives you the knowledge to modify your training without repeat workouts.
To make nonstop progress, always try to be creative with your training and, above everything else, enjoy the process.
"FUN” TIPS
FOR LEGS, do back squats for the first week, and the next week do front squats. Continue to alternate squat styles week to week in your training.
FOR CHEST, one week do all flat bench, and then the next week do all inclines. Then change from a barbell to dumbbells from week to week. You can also pre-exhaust with cable crossovers before presses or reduce the rest between sets to get a faster workout.
FOR BACK, do deadlifts from the floor one week, and the next week deadlift off blocks to elevate the bar height. This not only gives your mind a rest but also forces you to break out of plateaus and strengthen your weak spots. Another example is to do pullups one week and pulldowns the next. – FLEX
