Best workouts if you hate working out

[Anonymous]

I have never been a big fan of working out and simply don’t do it since I work long hours and then spend my limited free time with my young kids. But I need to start for health reasons (developed high blood pressure).

While my weight is fine, I have zero muscle tone at all so building some muscle or just strengthening my core would be nice.

What are the best and easiest workouts for someone to stick to if you really dread working out? Not really into spinning or running. Thinking maybe something I can stream that is no more than 30 mins?

[Anonymous]

What do you dread about working out specifically? Streaming workouts are hard to make stick because it’s so easy to just skip them IME.

[Anonymous]

I find the FitnessBlender.com workouts to be the least annoying. No music (you can play your own) and they are not screamy or overly cheerful. Lots of variety too.

Most of the content is free.

[Anonymous]

If you need muscle I wouldn’t focus on cardio first (as much as I love cardio and think it’s important). I would go to a gym and have an employee show you how to use the machines and do machines while you are listening to a podcast or music that you like. If you don’t want in-person, get some weights (light, like 3-5 lbs) and look at arm, core, back, and leg exercises online. Focus on form and don’t do anything that hurts.

When you get a little stronger I would do barre classes or Pilates classes. You can stream them (and they do have beginner level classes online, just fo a YouTube search for them), but I think most people have success doing it in-person.

For your blood pressure, I assume you know that diet makes a massive difference. I would also walk. Everybody loves high-intensity workouts these days, but a focus on that, for any fitness level, won’t get you your maximum level of fitness for a variety of reasons. Take your Max heart rate (subtract your age from 220 for a good estimate) and then see what it feels like to get your heart rate up to fifty percent of your max. Chances are you will feel like it’s easy but that is in the cardiovascular zone! This way you can work out longer, with less injury, your body will learn how to burn more fat when exercising, and you can do fun things while you are exercising. High and moderate intensity is important too but the best athletes still spend a good amount of time with low intensity training.

It takes so much time to see results but you’ll enjoy the payoff for years to come. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Short workouts (30 minutes and under). Makes it easier to hit the play button if I know I’ll wrap it up in the same time as a sitcom.

I like fitnessblender, hasfit, and the body project on YouTube for free variety. I also have mini bands and gliders for cheap, effective, space-saving strength options.

Also, spending time with kids and being active/working out are not mutually exclusive. I run with my 8 year old at the track. I take the kids on short hikes. We scramble on rocks in the creek. During the bad days of the lockdown last year, with schools and playgrounds closed, I started streaming kids workouts on YouTube (also free) and we’d do them together. My kids also love the lady who tells stories through yoga. I know which playgrounds have walking tracks circling the playground so I can walk or jog while I watch them play.

Every little bit helps.

[Anonymous]

Do a sport or a hobby like bike riding.

[Anonymous]

This is a 20-minute routine. You do three sets of the following;

https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/:

20 Bodyweight squats.
10 Push-ups.
10 Walking lunges (each leg).
10 Dumbbell rows (use a milk jug or other weight).
15 Second Plank.
30 Jumping jacks

The website has scaling for the movements (for instance, easier versions for the push-ups.).

Biking/hiking/rock climbing are more fun. But they may be harder to fit into your schedule. There's also a real value to building a routine/habit, where the first times will likely be the hardest but it may get easier to stick to.

[Anonymous]

Eminem Til I Collapse

[Anonymous]

Barre3 classes

[Anonymous]

Sign up for a CrossFit class.

The community is great and even if a class is 60 minutes, the workout part is usually under 20. and its way better than anything you can do at home

and go in open minded. People think they know what crossfit is from social media and tv. it's not. in the suburbs, its just people trying to get their workout in

[Anonymous]

Elliptical while watching TV. Classes are really hard and 30 minutes means 45 with driving and waiting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Elliptical while watching TV. Classes are really hard and 30 minutes means 45 with driving and waiting.

But also, classes are never less than 45 minutes, most of them are 60.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Elliptical while watching TV. Classes are really hard and 30 minutes means 45 with driving and waiting.

This is a recipe for failure.

For someone that hates working out, the elliptical in front of the TV holds no accountability. Way too easy to skip. Way too easy to cut the workout short. And way to easy to half-ass the effort.

Sign up for a class. You'll be accountable to your pocketbook (since you already paid), to the instructor (who will ask 'where were you?' if you skip), and to your new friends (who you may actually end up looking forward to seeing and chatting with pre & post class).

Honestly, you either want to get fit or you don't. But don't pretend that a single piece of equipment in the corner of your family room is going to get you the results you want

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sign up for a CrossFit class.

The community is great and even if a class is 60 minutes, the workout part is usually under 20. and its way better than anything you can do at home

and go in open minded. People think they know what crossfit is from social media and tv. it's not. in the suburbs, its just people trying to get their workout in

Isn't it like $250 a month!!!!!

[Anonymous]

I love Caroline Girvan's workouts on Youtube. Most require dumbbells, but some are just bodyweight. And they're free!