Day 39 of 103in365: Make it fun!

Hey There!

One of the things that is keeping me motivated and moving around, is finding things that are interesting and fun to do.

One example of what I am doing, is using my speed and heavy bags. The speedbag in particular is becoming one of my favorite things (in the fitness and moving around realm.) It is relaxing even though I am hitting a bag very quickly. (This may sound weird that something fast and a bit violent can be relaxing, but it works for me and millions of boxers ... so there!) I have watched multiple speedbag videos on YouTube and have thought about attaching one of me doing a short round to a blog one of these days. Maybe I will, and maybe I will.

Another example is that I am starting to practice martial arts again. I have not actively been practicing for many years. I have spent many years studying and practicing different styles and concepts since high school, and it is feels great to be getting back into it. At this time, a good friend and I are getting into scheduled and reoccurring sessions of getting together and practicing techniques as well as supporting each others fitness goals. We are just getting started on this, but already it is becoming a time that I am really looking forward to.

This might sound small, but another way I have been keeping my thoughts on exercise and fitness is  by buying a set of old school hand grip trainers. You know the ones. They have the tension "spring" at the top and you squeeze the two handles together. (I picture that Rocky had a pair of these that he kept lying around to work on his grip and forearms during some down time)

Funny Story. I went to the sporting goods store to buy them, and the guy said "Try this one". He opened a package and handed me a new fangled, all plastic version of a grip trainer. He adjusted it to make it a bit tougher after seeing it was too easy for me (apparently this is the selling point for this particular model). He then handed it back to me and on my second "grip" ... the thing snaps and breaks. He looks at it, and then at me. I looked at it, and then at him. I then handed it back to him and with a straight face I said "I don't like this one." He kind of chuckled and agreed with me and I reached for the old 70s workhorse model with metal construction.

(That is a more than I ever thought I would write about a hand grip trainer. Funny.)

You have got to find fun ways to enjoy the process and journey of attaining your goals. If you don't, you are way more likely to get bored and quit. This might take some effort on your part, but you need to find methods of getting closer to your goal that you look forward to doing and makes you want to share how cool they are with someone else. (That is a measure for me on how much I enjoy or like something. Do I want to tell someone else about how cool it is or not.)

Some people like to run. (I don't like to run and that is OK because I am good enough, and I am smart enough, and gosh darn it ... people like me.) I do like to ride my recumbent bike (although it has been in storage all year, which is stupid and has made it much harder to ride.) I like hiking, even though I have not done it for some time now. (I plan to do more soon.) Some people love joining city league team sports they enjoy and may have played before when they were younger. (I played on a city league volleyball team relatively recently and it was a blast) I also like just walking with my family or even just with my pooch.

Hopefully there is physical activity you like to do. If not, good luck reaching any weight loss or fitness goals Spock! Probably not going to happen. You need to want to do what is getting you active and moving around, so find somethings you like to do and belly up to them on a regular basis.

Make it fun and you will do it more. Make it fun and make it be helpful for attaining your goals, and you will do it more and you will be successful! 

Scuba