We all have exercises we don’t love. You all know how I feel about planks, for instance. But how many of those exercises are our least favourite just because we suck at them?
After all, if you’re bad at something, that just means you’re not good at it yet. I used to hate running hills, but then I learned how to run them effectively. Once I didn’t dread hill training, I started to do a lot of hill training. And whaddaya know, I’m good at hills now.
Sometimes getting better at an exercise is a matter of technique. If I wanted to be good at the snatch, I’d have to spend a lot of time with a coach. But other times, all you need is a hack or two, or a shift in perspective. Maybe there’s a mental trick that could help me keep from getting bored and discouraged in the middle of a plank—or, for that matter, a treadmill run.
We’ve tackled a few challenging exercises here on Lifehacker already. I still swear by this workout for people looking to get their first pull-up. (Update: I can do seven in a row now!) And we’ve shown you a path to doing box jumps without freaking out, no matter what level you’re starting at. So tell us what else you’re terrible at, and why.
Do you need mental training, physical workouts, or a mix? And if you’ve overcome a dreaded exercise and turned it into your favourite, tell us how!
Comments
2 responses to “What Exercise Are You Terrible At?”
I suck at anything core or cardio related, and kinda particularly suck at HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).
I’m reasonably fit, try to go to the gym 3-5 times a week, and am comfortable with most techniques, but just don’t have the stamina. I can’t even hold a plank position for over 10 seconds.
Even my HIIT routine is 20 seconds on, 20 seconds off (which is about 10 seconds too much on the off period), with a liberal gap between exercises, and only 3 sets, yet I’m always struggling, and I’ve been doing it for a while now too! 😀
I have a restrictive airways disease and I ride a bicycle on level ground and low wind, I do ok at gym but hate aerobic exercises like running. I have various instructors but one particular guy has me on aerobic excercises and I spend the next 45 minutes out of breath.