I’m not a big weight room guy. In high school, I got called “Bird Legs,” and in college, I picked up the nickname “Stretch.” I tried to bulk up, but every time I tried, say, bench press, it just felt like too much work and not much fun.
But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that lifting weights is probably the only way I can keep doing the things I love. In my 20s, I stayed in shape by having fun — hiking, rock climbing and kayaking. Now, in my 40s, I work out every day so I can occasionally have fun without injuring myself.
So, over the past few years I’ve come up with a strength routine that I actually enjoy. And the secret is obvious, now that I know it: I do what I like to do, and I prioritize showing up over following a specific routine.
No professional trainer in her right mind would recommend this program as an efficient way to build strength or muscle mass. But nevertheless, a few experts I spoke to said I might be onto something.
Focus on what you enjoy.
Each morning, I warm up on a stationary bike. Then I give myself permission to do whatever I’m in the mood for. Hamstring curls? Nah. Flies? Meh. I think today is a battle ropes day.
There are certain exercises I know I have to do somewhat regularly to stay strong and avoid injury — even though I hate them. For me, those are squats and planks. I think of them as the broccoli in my fitness diet.
I focus the rest of my time on moves that are more like honey chicken: good for me, but also fun. This includes boxing, kettlebell swings and (to my own surprise) the bench press. My mornings are about 20 percent broccoli and 80 percent honey chicken.
And that’s the key. Studies suggest that gym-goers are far more likely to do the exercises they enjoy than the ones they believe are the most important.
“Who cares if it’s efficient?” Wendy Wood, a professor emerita of psychology at the University of Southern California, said of my meandering fitness plan. “And who cares if it’s exactly what a trainer would prescribe?”
The point is I do it every day, and I like it. Without realizing it, I’ve stumbled into several effective techniques for establishing a habit.
Find your cue.
First, I always exercise at the same time: 6 a.m. on the dot. That’s “me” time: no kids, work or chores.
But it’s not always the time on the clock that’s important, said Phillippa Lally, an expert in habit-building at the University of Surrey. Dedicating a specific block of the day to exercising is a good idea, but plenty of people will blow through a set time, eventually breaking their habit. Instead, try thinking about the cue that tells you it’s time to move.
“Habits are associations between cues and actions,” she said. A cue could be a daily event, like a lunch or your kid’s band practice. For me, it’s waking up. If you have trouble making your 5:30 p.m. workout time every day, plan to do it right whenever you finish work. The time may change, but the cue shouldn’t.
Seek immediate gratification.
Ask most people why they exercise, and you’ll hear about long-term goals, Dr. Wood told me. They want to lose weight or move more easily.
But, it turns out, future rewards are generally weak incentives for building a habit. My health in 20 years won’t get me out of bed today. But watching Netflix will.
Dr. Wood said rewards are less motivating if they come afterward, like a burger or a trip to the sauna. You have to add something you like during the workout — until the workout itself becomes a reward. Experts call this strategy “instrumental learning.” Think of a rat learning to push a lever for a treat. It turns out this works just as well in people, Dr. Wood said.
Guilty pleasures are most effective for building a habit, she said. I’ve trained myself to exercise by putting on “Severance” or “Stranger Things” as soon as I sit on the bike.
Choose your own adventure.
I aim for four exercises in 40 minutes, trying to hit my legs, arms and core over the course of the week.
Following my whims might also give me extra motivation. Accomplishing something on your own, and developing some proficiency, can be its own reward. (Behaviorists call this self determination.)
For instance, if a coach told me to do three sets of bench presses followed by 10 minutes of battle ropes, it would feel like a chore to me. But, studies suggest, if I find the same routine on my own, the feeling of autonomy and competence gives me a little emotional boost.
Embrace compromise.
When I first started my haphazard workouts, I just searched for exercises I enjoyed, like back extensions and pull-ups. But over time, I noticed that the more valuable, full-body exercises were often the ones I liked least. So I’ve found ways to hide the broccoli between fun exercises.
Jeremiah Wright, a personal trainer in Des Moines, sees similar patterns with his clients who would rather avoid useful exercises like wall sits or Bulgarian split squats. Often, he just gets them out of the way first.
But you can also combine them, he said. For example, I hate squats but I like curls. So, if I did a squat, curl, press, I could hit more muscle groups at once. If that doesn’t work, he said I might try a sled pull or farmer’s carry, which hit similar muscles but are more active and perhaps more fun.
He also gently suggested that my workout could be a little harder. He recommended tracking my exercises and focusing on progressively overloading my muscles once a week to build strength.
I don’t plan to give up my rudderless, wandering workout anytime soon. But next time I go to the gym, I might give that sled pull a try.
