The Wall Street Journal recently tweeted an amusing article definitely worth checking out titled “The 27 Rules of Conquering the Gym”. Although the author wrote the article to be funny, he also made a number of keen observations to why people fail at their local bodybuilding club. Here are a few of the rules that I thought were particularly spot on:
No Excuses
#4 – “No one in the history of gyms has ever lost a pound while reading “The New Yorker” and slowly pedaling a recumbent bicycle. No one.”
There are so many distractions at a typical bodybuilding club today that it’s easy to forget the real reason that people go in the first place. Maybe the goal is to get fit, perhaps it’s to lose weight or to build muscle, but all require at least some sweat equity. You are simply not going to be able to obtain your workout goals if you’re lazily browsing your ipad or watching TV during a 10 minute walk on the treadmill. Try to remember why you’re there in the first place – you need to be in that mindset to push yourself to workout harder.
#14. “You can take 10 Minute Abs, 20 Minute Abs, and 30 Minute Abs. There is also Stop Eating Pizza and Eating Sheet Cake Abs—but that’s super tough!”
There are so many different programs out there designed to get you the chiseled abs of your dreams – I even pitch a handful of the better ones on my blog here. But let’s be truthful, working out your abs is only half of the equation. Unless a sensible diet plan is in place, you will simply not see the results you’re seeking. The bottom line is not to waste your money on an ab plan unless you’re ready to commit to eating healthy.
#19. “If a gym class is going to be effective, it’s hard. If you’re relaxed and enjoying yourself, you’re at brunch.”
My bodybuilding club hosts regular spin classes and I’ve seen two types of people who participate. There are those who keep the resistance at the easiest setting and pedal at their own pace, and then there are the warriors who crank it up and race along at breakneck speeds to keep to the beat. The warriors are the ones who leave the room flushed and sweating, but they’re also the ones who are making the most productive use of their time at their bodybuilding club.
The bottom line is that working out is hard. There are no magic shortcuts. It takes commitment to keep to a regular schedule, to keep the intensity up, and to have the willpower to eat right to make it all come together. However, the payoff is worth it – obtaining your fitness goals. Here’s to wishing you the best workout success in 2012!
