Working out is hard. There’s a reason why only a select few people in the world are consistent with their fitness lifestyle. But they understand that being consistent requires warm-up exercises.
Why? Because fitness is a lifestyle, not some three-month rule book you follow and throw out after you finally got that six pack you wanted.
It’s a journey. Once you go on this path expect to be on it forever. That doesn’t mean you won’t falter, but as long as you stay on the path you will reap the rewards.
Here are exercises to prepare for an intense workout.
1. Rock Climbing
Rock climbing used to be only for people who live near the mountains, but that’s not the case anymore. There are tons of gyms out there which have installed a climbing facility, and even more, dedicated climbing businesses out there.
As a bonus, these places are equipped with loads of safety gear, so as a result much of the risk has been mitigated. Climbing is a fantastic exercise at that.
It really works your upper body while not neglecting your legs. It strengthens your endurance and helps you build strong gripping muscles.
It is great for both cardio and strength training, and it varies in difficulty, so there’s plenty of room for beginners.
2. Bike Riding
A little wind, the warm sun, and smooth ride taking a bike for a spin are often more accessible than you think. Most cities have bike trails nowadays, which means you don’t have to go off the beaten trail.
It’s great for developing your legs and cardiovascular health, but it doesn’t stop there. Throw in some interval training, and you can turn it into a great HIIT program too.
3. Dancing
It’s not just the lights that make the performers on So You Think You Can Dance sweat. Dancing can be as vigorous or as relaxing as you like.
It all depends on how much effort you put into it. I don’t even have to go into how this one is fun, because that’s the main reason for dancing in the first place.
And the best parts about dancing are, anyone can do it, and you don’t need anything special to get started. Just throw on a tune, cut a rug, and you’ll be in shape in no time.
4. Martial Arts
Any form of martial art is going to have some level of exercise involved, and it’s a whole lot more interesting to learn about self-defense than to count calories.
You might think this would only be for people in good physical condition, but that’s not true.
Martial arts range from high intensity like boxing or Krav Maga, all the way down to the peaceful, almost serene Tai Chi. You just need to find one that fits you.
5. Ultimate Frisbee
It almost sounds like a joke, but the workout you get sure isn’t. Ultimate Frisbee, is just that Frisbee taken to the extreme, or at least to the point where it’s not just standing there tossing it back and forth.
It can be a little tricky finding a good group, but there are usually ones floating around on craigslist or Facebook.
Even if there’s not, start talking with people you know, you’d be surprised just how many of them would say yes to a game like this.
6. Variety Exercises
Pushups, pull-ups, crunches, and squats are some of the few basic body-weight exercises. If you could only do these for the rest of your fitness career what do you think would happen?
You’d probably stop. As this website advocates, you have to think of the bigger picture and try new things. Experiment for a change.
Instead of doing just push-ups, try it with a backpack filled with your old college textbooks, or instead of running on a treadmill, try jump roping, plyometrics or HIIT training.
Alternatives to your exercises will keep things fresh to help maintain a consistent fitness lifestyle.
7. Workout Partners or Trainers
There are times when exercising by yourself has its benefits, but if you’re in a stump; getting out of it yourself isn’t the only option.
Instead of going solo all the time, try inviting your friend, partner or even hiring a personal trainer. What a workout partner brings to the table is an obligation.
It helps bring challenge and responsibility to fitness because it becomes a team effort. If you’re feeling unmotivated, lazy or just bored, an external mind can bring you out of that.
Don’t get me wrong, fitness at its core is a personal journey, but inviting people along the way from time to time will help boost your success and bring consistency to your lifestyle.
8. Get Motivated
As cliche as this sounds, motivation is an amazing tool that can help bring out the better you and start forming habits that eventually forms into discipline. With that said, let’s assume we’re starting from square one.
Motivation in forms such as the vision board, progress pictures, personal trainers, websites, or friends and family can help you take action.
These small doses of motivation will kickstart your gears into a “fitness-mode that’ll bring confidence. There will most certainly be times when you’re unmotivated, lazy, stressed and just not wanting to workout.
This is normal. But finding sparks of motivation will help turn around these faltering moments and help guide you back along the path to success.
9. Take A Hike
Yes, you read that title right. Walking is one of the most underrated workouts out there, but really it should be the first go-to option.
With Spring just arriving and Summer right around the corner, most people want a *get slim quick’ workout routine. Not that there’s anything wrong with high-intensity workouts, but let’s get serious for a minute.
Doing high-intensity workouts all the time just seems super daunting. That’s where walking comes in.
Start Your Warm-up Exercises
After the warm-up exercises, make sure you have a proper cool-down. Start your cool-down by decreasing the pace or lightening the load. Move from running to walking or decrease your RPMs, for example.
Do some static stretches that relieve muscle tension, increase flexibility, and reduce recovery time. Popular static stretches include shoulder flexion, hamstring stretch, and spinal twist.
Finally, refuel with lots of fluids and easily digestible foods.
