How to force yourself to exercise if you hate sports

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

If you hate doing exercise, that doesn't mean you are lazy. To exercise regularly, you need to choose the right exercises and "activate" the habit. We'll show you how to get started regardless of how much you hate sports.

There is scientific evidence that genes may be responsible for the enjoyment of sports. A recent study published in, found that it is possible to breed mice predisposed to exercise.

After crossing the selected individuals, a study of the brain activity of the subjects showed that one group of mice found exercise useful and engaged more often, while the other did not show such activity.

Of course, humans are very different from mice, and there are many reasons why exercise might seem boring and hateful to you. Still, one should not deny the fact that genetics plays a certain role in this.

So, if you are unlucky and hate exercise, it will be harder for you to get yourself started. But the good news is that you can exercise regularly without having a fiery passion for it.

And one more thing: hating exercise is not your personal failure. After all, the treadmill was originally designed as a torture device, you shouldn't blame yourself if that's how you perceive it.

Yes, there is nothing you can do about your feelings and preferences, but you can take responsibility for your actions. As a rule, the laziness that keeps a person from playing sports is born in the head, not in the body. People seek alternative explanations for their reluctance instead of admitting the problem; pity themselves instead of devising a plan to overcome laziness.

If you still want to start practicing, stop feeling sorry for yourself and coming up with explanations, tune in to the right wave and follow the plan.

Choose the right activities to achieve your goals

Many people believe that running is the cure for all illnesses and problems with the figure. "I need to lose weight … I'll run a marathon!" “I want to become more flexible and get rid of back problems. I'll take part in the marathon! " “My rash does not go away. I need to buy a treadmill.”

Running is so popular not only because it practically does not require investments, is simple and natural for a person, but also because it is already associated with the beginning of sports, with overcoming oneself: "Just do it", "Start, it’s that simple" …

In fact, running is not for everyone. Most people who decide to play sports do it in order to lose weight. Needless to say, how difficult it will be for a fat person to run? This can forever alienate him from the sport, and in small quantities, it will give almost no results.

This does not mean that you should not choose a run. Run if you really love it or if you want to pump up your stamina. If you start exercising to lose weight and hate running, choose other exercises.

For example, those who are overweight and lead a sedentary lifestyle can replace running with walking, take time to strength training in the gym, or work out at home, doing exercises with their body weight - push-ups, twists, and so on.

Find your achievement to create a habit

The very best apps force users to create a habit and use them every day. One good way to do this is through the concept of activation, the magic “aha,” after which the person starts using the product all the time.

For example, activating Facebook is adding seven friends in ten days, while for Dropbox it is uploading your first file. The same approach can be applied to exercise.

When you've chosen an activity for yourself, whether it's yoga, running, strength training, boxing, or whatever, find the one achievement that appeals to you the most. If you opted for strength training, it could be the ability to do more push-ups in one set, or do your favorite exercise, such as the shoulder dumbbell press, better. If you want to progress in running, it could be the best 10km run or the best sprint time.

If you find it difficult to measure your achievement, try to rate the effort made on a scale of one to ten. For example, if you start walking more, keep track of the time you walk at a brisk pace until you feel fatigue about seven on a ten-point scale.

The activation concept explains why many group courses are ineffective when it comes to regular attendance. When practicing in a group, it is difficult to find personal activation. Moreover, in a group, you are forced to adhere to a set pace of development, and not your own.

Whatever you choose to activate, remember: first you need to set the minimum achievements - add a few push-ups in the usual way, win a few seconds on a run.

While the gains will be small at first, activation is of the utmost importance because it makes exercise regular. After all, a sense of accomplishment after class is not enough to exercise regularly. At first it helps, but then it fades away, especially for those who hate sports.

Don't be fooled into thinking that one day you will love sports and you won't have to force yourself. This may not happen.

Activate and upgrade

Once you've identified your activation achievement, measure your baseline capabilities: find out how many push-ups you can do in one set now, or how long it takes you to run 10 kilometers. Just don't overexert yourself.

Next, find verified information about the beginner program. The programs written by the trainers are much better than the ones you can create yourself. Just make sure the program you choose includes your activation exercises. Or even better, first select a program for beginners, and then find your achievement in it to activate.

After a week of class, compare your starting metrics with those you intended to activate. You will see improvement for sure.

This will be your little victory: you have become a better person, and it did not take many months - only one week has passed! Celebrate it and then keep getting better week after week.