Ever wondered how to make strength training fun?

Here are 7 trainer tips to kick you out of your weight-lifting slog.

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Experts in This Article

certified personal trainer and run coach based in Washington.

woman sweating in the gym

certified personal trainer and run coach based in Washington.

Amina Barnes, NASM, CPT is a personal trainer and wellness expert.

founding trainer atBarrys Bootcampand director of curriculum at Barrys UAE.

certified personal trainer who runs atraining businesswith her husband, Jason.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

certified personal trainer and senior coach at Body Space Fitness in New York City.

Its natural toget bored with workouts, even ones less repetitive than lifting weights.

7 strategies to make strength training fun

1.

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

The rightmusic can put you in the mood to enjoy some movementand the feeling of strength in your body.

But giving yourself ameaningful challengeto conquer can make your workouts feel more like playtime.

Maybe youwant to do a pull-up, ordeadlift your own body weight, orhold a handstand.

Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

certified personal trainer and run coach based in Washington.

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Mix things up in any way that appeals to you.

Your body needs that stimulus to continue improving, but also to create emotional buy-in, Vacharasanee says.

Being continually challenged this way helpsfocus our attentionto get usin the zone;otherwise well mentally check out.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

Add variety

Sometimes, novelty beats out consistencyespecially if it helps get you moving.

Allow yourself enough novelty to stay engaged.

Take this to heart if youre feeling sluggish in your routine or if youre lacking motivation.

Maybe youre a little burnt out on weight trainingthats okay.

Mix it up with Pilates or barre to target your smaller muscle groups and build overall strength.

Maybe you sign up for a group class or make a date with an accountability buddy.

Find the exercises you enjoy

There are multiple ways to achieve the same goals.

Especially for beginners, Pak suggests asking yourself what exercises you actually enjoy doing.

It doesnt have to be the perfect thing that everybody says is the perfect exercise, she says.

Find the thing that you really do enjoy and get consistent with that thing.

And then you realize,Ooh, I actually like how that feels.And it just snowballs.

Its much easier to stick to your fitness goals if you enjoy the work youre doing, agrees Caillouet.

If you dont love a particular workout, ask yourself: Was it the trainer?

The jot down of exercises?

The style of the workout?

Get specific, and fine-tune from there.

Treat it like an experiment until it clicks, and the workout feels more joyful and energizing.

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