Don't Stone Me, but....

[Tugger31]

I'm becoming really disenchanted with working out to videos. Over Thanksgiving I went to a circuit/metabolic/body weight (not sure what to call it!) class at my sister's gym out of town. I had a GREAT, sweat fest workout!! I have never had that great a workout with ANY of my dvd workouts. I was exhilarated after the workout but now bummed. I've had an extra 10-15 lbs of weight hanging around forever and I kept thinking how the weight would melt off if I could do workouts like this more consistently! I however work weird hours, cant afford a gym membership (her gym was a local, non commercial place) and dont live near a gym.

How do I get out of this "what's the point of working out to these videos" rut?? Are there paper workouts, other things I can do at home that might give me that same pumped up, exhausted, sweat drenched workout high at home???

[Dobby]

What workouts do you usually do?

Pam

[CatInTheHat]

I'm new here, so not sure if you've reported this previously - if you have, please forgive me. But any chance the extreme workouts would be enticing? P90X and company?

I just came off a 20 year run of being a gym rat. I remember that feeling of taking my first step class in 1993 - I truly loved it. I've found classes at various gyms over the years that I've loved like that - where you love it so much you get giddy just thinking about it. Variety is the spice of life, and if the feeling you get from a group class in a gym is good, I say go for it. See if you can buy a class-pass, where you purchase 10 visits or something. This way you don't sign up and lock in then find out you don't like it.

I live in downtown DC, and gyms here are just exorbitantly expensive, so I finally quit last year. With so many videos $7-$10, for me it was a no-brainer. But I totally get what you mean. It re-invigorates you doesn't it?

[FirmDeb]

Hey, Tugger, I kinda understand what you're saying. I've realized recently what I've been going through is a rut with my workouts. It's what was blocking me from being consistent. A few months ago I tried a yoga class at work, it was good and while I decided that I didn't want to take yoga classes it opened up a whole new world to me. A few weeks ago I signed up for Pilates classes at work for once a week and I love it! Love it so much that I feel reengerized with my workouts at home. I've moved away from cardio dvds and hopped on my treadmill and I've been using Oxygen magazine to help design my own toning workouts and I'm alternating Cathe, Firm, Physique 57 and my own workouts weekly so it's always changing. I just got a new dvd, Fusion Fitness Dream Body, which by it's preview is completely different from all my other dvd workouts. You may consider taking a class once a week for a period of time. I'm really enjoying the "night out" but I'm so not giving up the convenience of working out at home all together.

[paideiamom]

I have decided to rejoin the gym for this reason. I can't seem to make myself do any of the DVDs I am getting from Swap or that I have already in the basement. I have rearranged them a number of times, taken over yet another area for my workouts and I still can't get the love back.

I am pushing WAY outside my comfort zone and I AM going to take a live class. If not now, when.

I have had one 30-minute intro to spinning class and that is it for live classes.

I am in the process of looking at gyms, but I will probably fall back on the Y.

So I say if you can, look for gyms in your area, try them out and see if the continues.

[Terry]

Originally Posted by Tugger31

I have never had that great a workout with ANY of my dvd workouts.

Are there paper workouts, other things I can do at home that might give me that same pumped up, exhausted, sweat drenched workout high at home???

There are Advanced Workouts on DVD that can pump you up, wipe you out, and turn you into a sweat-drenched piece of toast with body parts feeling as if they have turned into jello. DVDs can't goad you into not taking anything easy because people are looking, you might have less Class Energy Bonus, and you might have less fun because there is no sharing.

There is no gym near you but there might be a Boot Camp that is conducted in a park, in a public school, etc. Maybe you could find one near enough to you, cheap enough, and in a time slot that works.

[CatInTheHat]

Originally Posted by Terry

There is no gym near you but there might be a Boot Camp that is conducted in a park, in a public school, etc. Maybe you could find one near enough to you, cheap enough, and in a time slot that works.

Good point. My neighbor found a supercheap bootcamp class on Groupon of all places. Sign up for Groupon/Tippr/Living Social and any other discount sites in your area and see if one comes up.

[Lucky Star]

Funny this topic should come up. I recently signed up for a bootcamp class, took my 1st class on Friday and only stopped feeling the pain today. Today I took my 2nd class and this is what I posted on my check-in:

OMG bootcamp class was hard! At first I thought I'd liken the classes to Jillian Michaels, because of the circuits which are repeated 2x. Also, every single circuit has super tough ab exercises, often more than one. But watching video clips I'd say it's overall closer to Mike Donavanik's style, especially in its length (45 mins), intensity, weights used, and lack of choreography. Here's the thing, though, I never particularly wanted to do Mike D's workouts and yet here I am, grunting and trying to keep up with similar classes. And my friends in the class? Every single one of them - even the much older ones - can do all the advanced moves: full toe pushups, weighted plyos and all. It's true they've been going for quite a while but I am nevertheless utterly humbled.

I guess it's true we tend to push ourselves much harder during live classes than we do at home. I know if I had workouts like this at home I'd dread them and never do 'em.

[Lizzo]

I think you will find you are not the only one who feels this way. It is all very cyclical, especially for exercise enthusiasts. I remember in late 2009 wanting to join a gym, which I did, but got burned out on that a year later and was anxious to get back solely to my DVDs.

Recently, I have the itch again to sign up at a gym for classes or maybe just sign up for some classes as I am starting to feel less motivated by my DVD collection, minus maybe Jillian Michaels. I have a feeling come a few months, I will be too tempted by a new product or system that I will forgo wanting a gym membership again.

[zraipel]

I have to admit that it can be harder to push myself as hard when working out at home than around other people, but I've found a trick that works for me is channeling my old boxing trainer. Whenever I don't want to do something because it's "hard", I just ask myself how I would perform if he were standing there next to me, along with the other pros that used to train at the same time I did. I never wanted to slack off, even a little bit, when all of these literal heavyweights were around. So I use that to push myself and it really does usually work. My schedule is so crazy that working out at home is much more convenient and it's actually easier for me to stay consistent because I don't have to plan around making the trip to the gym, showering, etc. I wish I could go back to my training schedule, but it just isn't feasible now. Luckily, I have way too many dvd's to EVER get bored