Strength training is boring!
Joining a new gym sparks excitement, offering a fresh beginning and a different environment that ignites motivation, crucial for gaining momentum in the early stages of your program. However, the less-discussed reality is that strength training can become boring for several reasons.
Firstly, it often involves repetitive movements and routines, which can become monotonous over time. In the beginning, this isn’t as noticeable because learning new skills is fun and exciting. But once you progress past the beginner phase, it becomes apparent that strength training is about mastering the basics, meaning you’ll be performing similar exercises each week, again and again. But this is important, it helps to build skill and confidence which in turn helps you to train at higher intensities and therefore develop higher levels of fitness.
Secondly, some people find it challenging to maintain focus during strength training sessions. There is a high degree of risk, and therefore skill that is required to perform strength workouts at high intensities. It demands that you are very present, aware, and have optimal arousal, in order to be able to perform at your best. This can be difficult if you are training by yourself.
Finally, the results of strength training may not be immediately apparent, which can make it feel tedious for those seeking instant gratification. But in our opinion, anything worth having takes time and effort, so if you’re looking for instant gratification, you’re not living in the real world.
However, it is important to note that if you’re coming from a low base of fitness, and you’re just starting your strength training journey, then you’ll notice progress and strength gains very fast. This is called “newbie gains” and usually takes place in the first 6 months of a new program. But talk to anyone that’s trained consistently for about 2 or more years, and they’ll tell you that those gains become harder and harder to come by, with progress happening very slowly. That’s why you need to have a strong “why” behind training, and you need to be willing to go on a journey.
In conclusion, although strength training can be fun, more often than not it can be boring too. Here in lies the importance of learning to love the journey. That’s why we’ve created such an infectious community at SLM HQ. One full of positivity, good banter, and hard work. We’re on this journey together, to unleash the athlete within!
