One of the keys to making gains physically and mentally in the summer is consistency. It can be tough, however, to stay motivated week after week and month after month. One way to keep training fresh and inspiring is by making it fun! At ELITEAM, we believe in hard work, but we also believe in the power of fun! Below are 5 ways to inject some fun and entertainment into your training this summer.
Try a New Sport
Mix it up by trying something new! There are so many sports and activities out there, take a moment and think of something you’ve never tried before and go for it! Not only is attempting a new sport fun, but it’s beneficial to both your body and brain. As an athlete, learning new movements and movement patterns is an excellent way to expand your “library of moves”, as well as a great way to challenge your brain. Learning a new skill requires focus and determination, not to mention the benefit of stepping outside your comfort zone, which is one of the best ways to build confidence. So… we challenge you to try a new sport this month! Here are some ideas to get you going- inline skating, unicycling, archery, mountain biking, bouldering, bowling, golfing, stand up paddle boarding, tai chi, fencing or boxing. Get outside and try something new, or simply google a “class” on youtube that you can do right in your living room!
Workout with a Buddy
Workouts are always better with a buddy! Grab your friend, sister/brother, neighbor, or teammate and sweat it out together! Having a workout buddy is a great way to boost your motivation and smiles. Friendly competitions can elevate performance and a friendly face can make the effort a whole lot more fun! Having a workout buddy also provides an excellent opportunity to mix up your training with partner exercises, “You Go, I Go” workouts, and allows for fun activities between sets like kicking a soccer ball around or throwing a frisbee. When none of your buddies are available, try a “Rock Buddy” workout instead!
Test Yourself
Physical testing can actually be a lot of fun. Really! When is the last time you tested your Broad jump or Vertical jump? How long can you hold a plank? How many box jumps can you do in 20 seconds? How fast can you sprint 100m? Try a balance or agility test. Record your times/scores and retry the tests every 4-6 weeks.
Add Weird & Wacky Challenges
In the Dig Deep program we added one or two weird and wacky challenges to each workout. It helps break up the intensity of the workout by providing a brief mental and/or physical break in between exercises. Not only can these challenges provide a much needed pause in the workout, but can also be a great opportunity to work on your coordination, balance, flexibility and/or focus. All you need to do is get creative and add a little “silliness” into the mix! Some ideas to get you started- Add a “tumbling line” to your workout … 3 cartwheels to a forward roll to a back scratcher jump; throw up your water bottle and do a 360 (or 720) and try to catch your bottle; balance a pole on one finger or on your chin or your toes; hop on a slackline with a full glass of water and try not to spill a drop; do a water balloon toss with your workout buddy; juggle on one foot, try a coordination challenge like tapping your head with your right hand while rubbing your belly with your left. Whatever you do, get creative and have fun… anything goes!
Time Yourself
At ELITEAM, we’ve found that every time we bring out the stop watch, athletes get excited! A clock takes any challenge to a new level. Whether you’re running an obstacle course, doing 20 burpees, or going on a hike, challenge yourself to do it as fast as possible. Make it a race- a race against the clock or a race against a buddy. Either way, adding the element of time brings about a certain excitement and focus that suddenly makes things much more interesting!
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