Are you playing Ringer-a-ringer o'roses at the gym?
It turns out that I've been going to the gym to play ringer-a-ringer o'roses. 2-3 times a week I'd show up in my gym gear, my music blaring from my head phones, pumped and ready to go. I'd do some cardio and some strength building exercises for about 35 minutes and then kiss my biceps (like all gymnasts do) and head home.
Anyway, recently i realized that i've been doing close to nothing at the gym. I had a one-on-one session with an instructor who chatted with me about my physical training needs, took me on a tour of my gym and made work, work, work (3x). I was certain I would pass out at some point. Apparently, I hadn't been pushing myself as far as I should have. I was giving it my best -the best by my standards, which in serious gym people world is equal to ringer-a-ringer o'roses (I just learnt how to spell this, hehe).
My point is, though, you need to get the most out of your workout experience.
As with everything in life, you should have actual, achievable goals, in this case, fitness goals and build your work-out routine around these. It didn't occur to me that I needed goals until I chatted with this instructor.
Consider performing a fitness evaluation and speaking with a trainer about your needs. Remember to set your fitness goals; realistic, achievable, challenging goals. Also remember to have the right music playing and to get some other soft motivations too like gym crushes and motivation partners (wink).
Disclaimer: Soft motivations are for single people only. If you are in a relationship, bae is your soft motivation. Studies show couples who work out together attain their fitness goals like that...BAM!!!
Have you set your fitness goals? Any soft motivations? Grin.
Workout playlist: Pain, Itch and Etighi
Exercise hurts. If you haven't exercised in a while, it hurts AND it itches!!! This itch is popularly known as runner's itch. No one really knows for certain what causes it; histamine, lactic acid, tight gym clothes (cat-call*). I don't know what it is but i could tell you tales about it, about when I used to run outdoors; tales about dodging behind trees and in public restrooms; tales about odd looks and impromptu modifications of scratch techniques. The thing makes you want to grow wolverine-claws and scratch those thighs off. However, I bring good tidings (as always). According to Scientific American, music distracts us from pain, maybe not itching but definitely pain, so we are able to focus more on achieving our gym/outdoor goals. With a great playlist, you wouldn't even notice. Ok you will, that itch sucks.
Another great thing about music and working out, music makes you go harder, faster and conserves your energy. Counterintuitive but you know science....they always have an explanation for everything. Apparently, music conditions the body to move in such a way that we use just the right amount of oxygen to achieve our workout goals, sometimes it even causes us to use less! To aid this process, it's actually advisable to have your movement synchronized to the beat of your music, of course not to the tee, otherwise, that would be another sport entirely. Most people have the ability to exercise to the beat of a song. If this is true (and it is, I can prove it) and you came into my gym (about to prove it) and you looked around, this is what you'd see:
The girl who I'm sure listens to rock as she sprints, she's so energetic and fiery. She definitely goes harder and faster. She inspires me from a distance. A long distance. Then the other girl who runs about 8 miles (not kidding), she definitely listens to raggae or something, sometimes, it's like she double steps on one leg! Then the hip hop boys with the weights. There's the guy who runs in slow-motion, I don't know what that guy listens to, some Bach maybe. Then me.....you'd see me trying desperately trying not to do Etighi on the tread mill while listening to Iyayan's Away or Yemi Alade's Johnny. It's a very diverse gym as you can tell.
Anyway, here's my work out playlist. How i endure the pain, the itch and my run-dance soundtrack.
My Playlist
Alive- Hillsong Young&Free
At the beginning, I work with length, so I go with a fast-paced Hillsong song. These guys do an average of about 8-9 mins on one song! They are amazing. If you can break through your first 7 minutes with a Hillsong song or two, great!
Speed of light- Owl City (it's hilarious running to the beat of this song, it's almost cartoon-like)
Hall of fame- The Script
Flares- The Script
Burn- Ellie Goulding
Outside- Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding
Watch me - Silentó (this song gets confusing. I literally want to stop running and whip! Who feels this way too?!)
For mid-way endurance, I switch to African music. This would probably be the time you'd walk in on me; dance-running.
Away- Iyayan
Million pound girl- Fuse ODG (this is great for that moment when you are sure you are going to walk off the treadmill without stopping it. That "forget-this, I'm-done!" moment.
Johnny -Yemi Alade
Surulere - Dr. Sid & Don Jazzy
[Gym trick: Put you favorite workout song in the middle of your workout playlist. Or at the end. So you work towards the "goal" of your favorite song. It works! I went from a gym 1.1 mile-r to a 2.2 mile-r!]
What's on your playlist? Do you dance-run? Do people at your gym do the Etighi?