3 Reasons Why I’m Enjoying the Gym Again

I used to LOVE going to the gym.

When I first got into working out seriously, I was working for my best friend’s dad, who owned a tree service company. They’d go out, cut trees down, take them away, and then sell the firewood on the back end.

That’s where I was stationed—bagging, bundling, and delivering firewood by the 50lb sack.

In other words, it was very physical work.

And guess what I was insanely excited to do when I got off the clock?

Go and hit the gym, following the Arnold Schwarzenegger "Blueprint to Mass" workout plan.

(For those unfamiliar with that exquisite plan from bodybuilding.com, it was a super high-volume, 6-day-per-week plan.)

Arnold Schwarzenegger "Blueprint to Mass" workout plan.

And that went on for years—into college and even after.

If I’m being honest, it’s what led me to become an online coach—my love for the gym.

But more recently, over the last 3-4 years, the gym has felt more like a chore than anything else.

I don’t get excited to lift.

I don’t get those sick pumps.

I’m not seeing as many results as I would like (probably because I’m dragging myself into the gym).

But for the last 4 weeks or so, I’ve really been enjoying working out again. After thinking about why, I came up with the following:

1 - I’m Working Out First Thing in the Morning

Okay, not first thing, but after I get up, get dressed, and read with some coffee for 30-ish minutes, I’m then hitting the gym.

Before, I would wake up, start working immediately, and be antsy all day, not really being able to focus and continually getting distracted.

But now that I get up and get my workout done first thing, I’m way more focused during work, and I don’t have to worry about trying to fit in my workout later.

2 - I’m Focusing on the Quality of Movement, NOT Lifting the Most Amount of Weight

As a recovering gym bro, I’m used to trying to go all out every single set.

Lifting the most weight for the most reps, while keeping good-ish form.

And it always seemed like so much effort.

But lately, I’ve shifted my focus back to quality movement.

What do I mean by “quality movement”?

Performing reps with the best form possible
Focusing on the mind-muscle connection
Feeling the target muscle contract

This has led to much more enjoyment during my sessions, which in turn, has led to better sessions.

3 - I’ve Been Making the Workouts Enjoyable

This part is twofold.

On one hand, I’ve been selecting exercises, rep ranges, rests, etc., based not only on my goals but also on how I like to train.

Previously, I’d try to optimize my time in the gym, squeezing as much out of each session as possible.

This led to supersets, circuits, and short rest periods.

But I always felt sort of anxious during these workouts, like I’m up against the clock and I have to get it done.

Now, the other aspect in which I’ve been making my workouts more enjoyable is just the atmosphere.

Although I don’t have access to all the fancy gym equipment I’d ideally like, I’m fortunate enough to work out in my garage.

My humble Iron Paradise

This means:

I don’t have to wear shoes or a shirt if I don’t want to.
I can listen to what I want on a speaker.

I’ve recently been slowly getting into golf, and since I’m not doing these crazy supersets or any of the stuff I used to be doing, I’m working on my swing between sets or cleaning out the grooves of my irons.

And since I’m working out in the mornings, I’ve really enjoyed a cup of coffee and listening to podcasts while lifting.

I’ve really been enjoying Chris Williamson’s Modern Wisdompodcast.

Here are a few of my favorites:

It’s been a huge game changer for my workouts, and guess what?

I’m starting to look a lot more jacked too. (At least, that’s what my girlfriend keeps telling me—but I’ll take it!)

So, moral of the story—stop optimizing for optimization and start optimizing for enjoyment.

After all, what’s the point otherwise?