Rocky didn't use a heart rate monitor!

irishpacker

If you are a regular gym goer, or train most days of the week then I am sure you can appreciate how boring training can be sometimes. No matter how motivated you are, doing the same stuff day in day out, can be very monotonous.

For this reason, I like to doing something weird yet productive once a week, usually on a Sunday. I may pick a few crazy exercises from a Rocky movie and do them for myself! I live right beside a mountain and have alot of grassy space to use, so conditions are ideal for such antics! For example, I may find a large log and put it on my shoulders and go for a run! Or, like last sunday, I found a few old tires so I tied a rope to them and dragged them up a steep incline about 50 times. And trust me, I was working up a hell of a sweat!

In my opinion, doing something like this not only motivates you because its fun and different, but also really helps your training. I find you get a much better "overall" and productive session if you do things that the human body is meant to be doing. When you are in a gym, you are isolating muscle groups, which is fine, but I feel you hit everything evenly and create "real" strenght if you do Rocky-esque traing the odd time.

Do you guys do stuff like this? Or am I just nuts?

tribulus

irishpacker wrote: »

If you are a regular gym goer, or train most days of the week then I am sure you can appreciate how boring training can be sometimes. No matter how motivated you are, doing the same stuff day in day out, can be very monotonous.

For this reason, I like to doing something weird yet productive once a week, usually on a Sunday. I may pick a few crazy exercises from a Rocky movie and do them for myself! I live right beside a mountain and have alot of grassy space to use, so conditions are ideal for such antics! For example, I may find a large log and put it on my shoulders and go for a run! Or, like last sunday, I found a few old tires so I tied a rope to them and dragged them up a steep incline about 50 times. And trust me, I was working up a hell of a sweat!

In my opinion, doing something like this not only motivates you because its fun and different, but also really helps your training. I find you get a much better "overall" and productive session if you do things that the human body is meant to be doing. When you are in a gym, you are isolating muscle groups, which is fine, but I feel you hit everything evenly and create "real" strenght if you do Rocky-esque traing the odd time.

Do you guys do stuff like this? Or am I just nuts?

Good ideas, don't see any harm in it. I can't say I've done much of it myself, I prefer a more regimented way of training, I quite like knowing what's ahead but I can see how it would be good to break up any monotony.

RacoonQueen

I think I'd feel a bit self-conscious, especially if I was on my own.

puntosporting

We used to a good few years ago now go on cross country rambles!
A lot of up hill sprints jumping over fences/bushes etc running through streams and thick heavy mud etc etc!
Was seriously hardwork but at the same time great fun and my god we were extremely fit from it aftera couple of weeks!
At the time i was involved in athletics and was a long jumper i put a half a foot onto my pb after about 2 months of this training!

celestial

irishpacker wrote: »

If you are a regular gym goer, or train most days of the week then I am sure you can appreciate how boring training can be sometimes. No matter how motivated you are, doing the same stuff day in day out, can be very monotonous.

For this reason, I like to doing something weird yet productive once a week, usually on a Sunday. I may pick a few crazy exercises from a Rocky movie and do them for myself! I live right beside a mountain and have alot of grassy space to use, so conditions are ideal for such antics! For example, I may find a large log and put it on my shoulders and go for a run! Or, like last sunday, I found a few old tires so I tied a rope to them and dragged them up a steep incline about 50 times. And trust me, I was working up a hell of a sweat!

In my opinion, doing something like this not only motivates you because its fun and different, but also really helps your training. I find you get a much better "overall" and productive session if you do things that the human body is meant to be doing. When you are in a gym, you are isolating muscle groups, which is fine, but I feel you hit everything evenly and create "real" strenght if you do Rocky-esque traing the odd time.

Do you guys do stuff like this? Or am I just nuts?

Missed this post. Wow. That's actually pretty impressive! Fair play to you. Functional training at its best!

gabgab

Yeh I reckon its a good idea, sure something small like going for a run in a forest or something can make a huge difference and make it more enjoyable,

Hail 2 Da Chimp

irishpacker wrote: »

Or, like last sunday, I found a few old tires so I tied a rope to them and dragged them up a steep incline about 50 times.

Thats a great idea, we do someting similar in MMA where someone holds onto you and you try to sprint away from them, while they drag you back. Great craic and very practical too.

Khannie

irishpacker wrote: »

Do you guys do stuff like this? Or am I just nuts?

Slightly different, but been doing crossfit with a friend for the last few weeks. The different exercises really stop you getting bored.

Coileach dearg

Here's one I do every now and again (Inspired by Rocky too!):

Jog on the spot and start throwing punches with a 5KG dumbbell in each hand. Do this until you are fit to drop, you'll never sweat as much in your life!

Roper

Unfortunately the Irish summer has curtailed it to the point of non-existance this year, but I occasionally take the guys I train outdoors and to a park. Medicine ball throws down a pitch, resistance sprints, goal post pull ups etc. etc. It's a bit of craic to break the tedium of hard training but really hard work too.

Hopefully the weather will clear up and allow us to get out a bit more often before the summer is out.