Fit Villains: Selfish, Shameless, Sassy, Fitness.

Here are a few tips that can help you stay motivated before, during and after your workout! They’ll help save you time, help you get a more effective sweat on and prevent oh-so-horrible burnout. :)

1. On The Warmup: Swap The Jump Rope For Squats & Pushups

Instead of jumping rope, jogging or other typical warm up activities, focus more on the muscle groups you’re planning on using during THAT workout. That means if you’ve planned pushups later on, do a few modified versions in your warm up. Body weight squats, lunges, kicks, punches etc. Warm up and target the specific muscle groups you’re about to kill.

Sometimes, especially if I’m doing a circuit, I’ll do an easy version of it during my warmup: modified pushups, burpees, body weight squats etc. In addition to raising my heart rate, it also pumps blood into those muscle groups.

Switching it up in this fashion can mean you’re able to do more reps, burn more calories, and put more intensity into the moves during your workout. Just one rule: conserve your energy. Don’t go full out! Do just a few reps &/or modified versions.

2. On Excuses: Shhhhh, Enough!

We’re all busy, sore, tired, lazy etc… The list of reasons NOT to exercise will always be longer than the list of reasons TO exercise.

If we only worked out when we felt amazing, most of us would hardly workout at all! We also all have cycles of feeling lazy, less enthusiastic etc. The real work comes into play when we push past those points.

Double check your excuse: if you’re procrastinating, feeling lazy or otherwise putting it off, call yourself on your own bullshizz. The best tough love comes from ourselves!

Tip: Commit to 5-10 minutes and see how you feel. Work on getting your head in the game and have FUN with it. Remember that while you might not feel like exercising right NOW, that can change after a good 10 minutes of moving.

3. On Long Workouts: All Or Nothing? Nah…

You don’t have to pack your workout into just one time slot and it doesn’t need to be a full hour to be effective.The more intense your workout, the shorter it can be. So add short sprints of high intensity, do intervals, or split up your workout into 2 mini-sessions if you can’t do everything all at once.

You also don’t have to do an intense workout each and every time you hit the gym! 20 minutes of something is better than nothing, and can certainly help you reach your goal faster. If nothing else, it’ll feel oh so good. :)

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Oh the gym. Some people are addicts, and for others the thought of going is unbearable. You couldn’t PAY some people to get their ass to the gym.

I’m not a gym person: I go when needed for the equipment, but I prefer to get my workouts done at home, outside or in studio. But the gym is an awesome place to start if you’re a newbie or don’t have the luxury of working out at home.

I know it can be intimidating: but it doesn’t have to be. There are a few things to keep in mind that can help you get over your fears and closer to your goals.

1. Believe it or not, no one’s watching you. They’re not. The gym is full of people in their own worlds. Thinking they’re watching or judging is in your head. Get some good earphones, great music and tune out the world.

2. Get someone to show you the ropes: some people simply don’t know what to do, making the gym scarier than it needs to be. Take advantage of trainers to show you the ropes and take a tour. Almost all gyms will offer a personal training session: take it. It’s valuable, and even if you feel it makes you look inexperienced, it’s the ONLY way to feel confident in what you’re doing.

3. Everyone was a newbie once! You’re not alone.

Here are some other tips from Tina Haupert to help you get your ass to the gym!

How to Feel Great, Get Fit, and Be Comfortable at the Gym

Set up an orientation
Most gyms offer new-member orientations when a trainer shows you around, teaching you how to use the equipment. This service is usually free, so be sure to take advantage of it. You’ll feel much more comfortable during your workouts.

Remember, the gym isn’t just for “fit” people
It’s for everyone—no matter what your fitness level, shape, size, age, etc. You’re one of the many different people who use the gym, and you’re all there with the goal to become healthier—and that’s most important.

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You really, really don’t.

The video below is called 24 hour Ghetto Workout, based on the premise that ANYTHING can be used as a workout tool. And you know what? They’re right.

They created a workout where they go to new places and workout with their surroundings. “We’re getting it in. We’re getting it in”.

From garbage cans to bus stops, these guys use anything to get ripped. And they are ripped. RIPPED.

Thought the video was cool, wanted to share it with you. Form is NOT discussed in this video, but you can use your judgement. The point I’m trying to make is that there are tools EVERYWHERE at your disposal. All you need is the will. The way is all around you.

Pennies add up. So do workouts. Here are some additional ideas to sneak in a little fitness with your surroundings…

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