Staying Motivated

So you've started your workout program and stuck to it. How do you stay motivated after the hundredth or so visit to the gym? I know everyone is different, but here is how I keep up the intensity after thirty five-plus years in the gym:

• Think of Someone you Dislike:                                                                                                  Hate can be a fabulous motivator, believe it or not. Also, notice how mean people seem to live longer. How many total pricks do you know that are still around? Every one of them, it seems. They'll outlive everybody, just for spite! This is only true if you have any enemies, or people that have wronged you, and gotten away with it. If you're a "mister nice guy" and have nothing but friends, this will not work for you. The method goes something like this: During the last few repetitions of an exercise, or during the all-out phase of interval training, picture your worst enemy practicing harder somewhere with the express purpose of eventually kicking your ass. Works amazingly well.

• Think of a Love Interest:                                                                                                              Maybe you're trying to win over that little hottie in accounting with your hard-body, or possibly you want to rekindle your marriage by taking a little pride in your appearance. Method: Visualize your subject ogling you as you walk by with that slim body, bulging biceps, or six-pack abs, etc.

• Think of the Health Benefits:                                                                                                    Exercise has a lot of instant and long-term health benefits. Sweating helps detoxify the skin, and gives it a healthy glow. Full oxygenation of the lungs promotes anti-aging and blood flow to the organs. Weight-bearing exercise thickens the bone structure, and prevents osteoporosis. Exercise helps keep you active long past the day when your sedentary counterparts will be unable to care for themselves.

• Set Goals/Track Your Workouts:                                                                                                                                   You should keep a journal of what you did on what day, so you don't repeat certain exercises unnecessarily, and don't leave out any muscle groups either, which can lead to injury later. Also, you can track your progress (or regression!) over time. You can carry the journal with you in the gym and quickly write stats down between exercises, or after completed sets, if you can remember everything you did (not me). What I do is carry an old PDA (personal digital assistant), where I just copy and paste routines from the second to last workout, in a matter of seconds, or whichever workout routine you feel you need to catch up on, and just blank out the old numbers and replace with today's results.

• Vary Your Workouts:                                                                                                                       If you're doing the same exercise to target the shoulders for the 89th time in a row, maybe it's time to switch to a different exercise that targets the shoulders from a different angle or resistance curve. For example, if you're tired of doing dumbbell front raises, switch to the barbell military press for a while.

• Make it Convenient:                                                                                                       Sometimes, it's just the logistics of going the the physical location of the gym that kills your motivation. Perhaps traffic is bad, or it's late, or the gym is closed. Maybe it's too crowded with those pesky 20-somethings, hogging the weights. Try putting your gym in your house. Go to Play It Again Sports to find affordable, used gym equipment. Or, get your local friends to go in on renting gym space right down the street, where everybody gets a key to the place, and shares in the cost of buying the equipment. Put a TV in there too,with cable, and a fridge, and a pool table, and a bar, and a stripper pole, just like that place they used to hangout at on the Sopranos.

• Take a Nap First:                                                                                                            Sometimes, you're just beat from work, or just a long day. Try flopping on the couch for a 30 or 40 minute nap. Then wake up, have a coke or coffee, and go! Works wonders.

There. That's seven that I can think of, but, if I am having a tough time getting motivated to do my best at the gym, one or more of these usually gets me going.

Fitness Link of the Day:Updated Atkins Diet
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Fitness Link II: Men, Get the Bod of a God in 28 Days 
Fitness Link III: Ultimate Upper Body Workout 
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Fitness Link VI: Best Muscle Building Moves of All Time

Jumping Rope

How Does Jumping Rope Increase My Fitness?

Jumping rope is a surprisingly effective way to increase your fitness level. It challenges almost every muscle group in the body and creates a need for muscular coordination. Jumping rope focuses on two very important aspects of boxing: rhythm and timing. You can increase the agility of your footwork while you pump your forearms, wrists, and shoulders (which are critical to good punching power). There are few exercises as inexpensive and effective as jumping rope. 


What length jump rope is right for me?

In general, if you are 5'6" and under - use a 8' rope. If you are 5'7" - 6'2" - use a 9.5' rope. If you are 6'3" and up - use a 10' rope. Many ropes can be adjusted to be shorter than their maximum length.

Which jump rope is right for me?

A jump rope is a simple device but there are plenty of variations for you to choose from. First you have to decide how much abuse you'll be putting it through. If you have kids who will likely play with it outdoors, you might want to choose a classic playground style rope that has thick plastic beads all the way up and down it. These protect the rope itself from friction against tough concrete and gravel. If you are using it in a boxing gym environment where you needn't worry so much about rough terrain and even want to be careful to preserve the floor, you might choose a pliable leather rope.
Also be sure to consider how fast you need the rope to go. If you want to train quick foot movement you'll need a speed oriented rope, but if you are looking to enhance your muscular endurance you might choose something with more weight.

What are ball bearing handles?

Most jump ropes tie the handle portion to the rope portion and simply let the momentum of the swing take the rope around as it rubs against the inside of the handle. However, some of the more advanced ropes feature a ball bearing system which enhances the smoothness of the swing as you perform your jump rope routines. These are an excellent choice for jumpers who do very quick routines and need definite consistency in their equipment. 

Leather rope vs Plastic rope

Leather jump ropes tend to have extremely long life spans, but to get the most out of them you should put a small amount of maintenance into making sure the leather is conditioned and stored properly (not overly dry and not overly humid locations). To condition the rope, you can use something as simple as saddle soap to keep it pliable.
Plastic ropes are constantly improving as new plastics come out and new designs are put into production. You can find a wider variety of rope styles in plastic, although they tend to have a less traditional "feel" that some boxers grow accustomed to.