The first of the year is widely considered a time for beginnings, especially at the gym. 50% of people who make New Year’s Resolutions include fitness in those resolutions. And while they might start hopeful about those resolutions, many resolution-makers abandon them right around Valentine’s day.
One of the most reported reasons why people abandon their fitness resolutions? They get tired of the routine.
It’s no surprise. Doing the same thing over and over – even if it’s good for health– can wear on a person. Core exercises are one of those routines that can become boring without extra effort. That’s why those pursuing fitness goals need to enjoy what they are doing, so they’re more likely to stick with it. Here are six ways anyone can make core routines more fun in 2022 and beyond.
Get A Good Core Workout App
Workout apps can be lifesavers regarding accountability and motivation for core workout goals. Apps like the PurePlank companion app offer easy-to-follow daily challenges made by pro athletes and trainers. The activities on these apps are designed to be fun and engaging, and apps like PurePlank also track personal performance to show how far you have come.
Since staying motivated without seeing immediate results can be challenging, apps with tracking abilities are a game-changer. You get to see positive changes in your core workout routines even if you don’t see a noticeable improvement in your body, which is both exciting and motivating.
Find A Core Workout Buddy
Accountability is a big part of keeping resolutions, and finding a buddy to keep track of you (and for you to keep track of them) can make a difference when it comes to sticking with a core training routine. But one of the other perks of having a buddy is that it makes planking and core training fun!
Workout buddies are there to help you find the lighter side of working out. They laugh with you, share in your experience, and help you think outside the box. As well as being there for you while you do more solitary core workout routines, like a 3-minute plank on PurePlank, they are also partners in ab-workout games. Tug of war, for instance, is a great core-strengthening exercise done with a partner that breaks up the monotony of doing just planks.
Include Yoga In Your Week
Yoga is sometimes thought of as a relaxing physical activity. It can be relaxing and gentle, depending on the type of yoga that you do. However, there are many poses and vinyasas that engage the core, just like traditional planking. Many yoga flows even include planks. Yoga has many of the same benefits as planking alone. It can lower stress, increase flexibility, and lessen chronic pain. Yoga is a wonderfully energizing core workout option when included in everyday core strengthening practices alongside traditional planking.
Challenge Yourself
Humans thrive when given challenges that speak to them. Core routines and planks don’t have to be the same daily routines. Exercise routines are meant to be mixed up. Not only does that ensure you are working out different core muscles and not focusing on the same ones, but it ensures you’re consistently enjoying what you do. Setting up challenges that work you toward a particular fitness goal is one effective and fun way to do this.
Setting plank exercise challenges can be complex for beginners, as core exercises are new to you. That’s why having a trainer, or an app, set specific challenges can be a good option. Challenges should be fun and engaging, but they should also have a purpose. Apps like the PurePlank app help you set up attainable goals that don’t exceed your limits but still allow you to feel that you’ve made progress.
Plank With Your Entertainment
We’ve all heard it before, and some of us have even said it ourselves: There’s no time in the day to exercise like we want to. Often, this is because exercising means cutting out wind-down time.
Wind-down time is indeed essential for mental health. Going hard all day at work and the gym and then going straight to bed wears you down. So if you find it hard to motivate yourself to plank because it isn’t as relaxing as unwinding in front of the television or a good book, you’re not alone. Luckily, planking is one of those exercises that mix well with traditionally sedentary activities like reading a book, talking on the phone, or binge-watching your favorite show.
To get into a planking routine, try doing it in front of a book or TV show you like. Set small goals for yourself as you watch your show or listen to your podcast, like holding a plank for three sets of 30 seconds. You can use the playback tool on your streaming device to time yourself and set your limits. For those who enjoy these sorts of activities, this can be a great way to get some core training love worked into your routine without sacrificing your weekly wind-down time. It even makes your planking seem to go by faster!
Reward Your Hard Work
It is also essential to reward yourself when you meet activity goals, especially for beginners. It can be hard to reward yourself healthily when focusing on fitness, e.g., without food motivation. However, it just requires looking outside the box a little bit. When you set a fitness goal, write out a list of potential rewards you can use to keep your motivation high. Motivation is key to enjoying an activity, so this list should keep you going even when you feel like quitting.
Some simple ideas when you hit a fitness milestone? See that movie you’ve wanted to see in theaters. Sleep in an extra half-hour. Spend some time laying out in the sun and doing nothing. Do that woodworking craft you’ve wanted to do. Anything that brings you joy can be used to help you obtain fitness success.
If you’re interested in working on your core, PurePlank can help. Check out our revolutionary plank board to see where you can take your core workout plan this year.