I started writing this post after revisiting one of my much earlier newsletters. And I hope that you’ll take a look at it too, in part because Artfully Exercising has grown significantly since then (thank you!) and it’s likely that my new subscribers have missed these posts; but also because I wrote about something that’s consistently been on my mind as I train myself and others. That thing is the concept of gamifying exercise. The prior post I mentioned is called Cardio in a Cartridge, and while I hope you have some time to read the whole piece, one particular paragraph is worth quoting here:
“A major draw to playing video games is that they enable us to transcend from reality for a period of time. But World Class Track Meet embodies both the virtual/fantasy world in its simulation of an Olympic-like competition, and the reality of cardio interval training through tangible exercise circuits. You not only compete against an opponent (whether they are computer or peer controlled), but you compete against yourself. “You versus you” is a term that a lot of trainers use to motivate their clients to grow and take on challenges. It certainly applies to the fitness game genre. Yes, we are striving to win the gold medal in each event, but ultimately, we are tracking our personal bests in time and distance. These quantitative elements show how we’ve leveled up in real life.”
Gamification is a twenty-first century term, but it’s a concept that’s been around for centuries. It’s essentially a development of play-based learning, which has proliferated since Friedrich Fröbel’s contribution to the modern kindergarten system in the early nineteenth-century (1837).
The simple reason why play is a staple of primary education, is that it works. Play is obviously first and foremost fun, but it prepares us for serious undertakings by teaching us life skills and traits such as controlling motor skills, empathetic socialization and emotional regulation. The balance between physical and emotional responses to stimuli during play helps us build confidence and resilience, while imploring on us the concepts of cooperation and ethics. Teachers and principals love this methodology because it’s a major reason for student retention. When students know that they’re going to be engaged in compelling activities during school time, they’re far more likely to view school and learning at large as a beneficial endeavor rather than an obligation (which compulsory education can certainly feel like).
In fitness training, gamifying exercise has similar benefits on the individual, especially in terms of retention. Burnout is a common factor for why many people stop working out. The reasons behind burnout are varied, but typically are due to the perception of exercise as a compulsory task. A lot of apps, gyms and personal trainers utilize gamifying elements, such as awarding clients with accolades and rewards for their milestones and benchmarks. Another common practice is hosting challenges and events that allow for a level of competition, while also building community.
Here are some convenient ways to gamify fitness training:
EMOM:
How it works: EMOM means “Every Minute On the Minute.” You choose an exercise or set of exercises and do a predetermined number of reps for said exercise(s) at the start of each minute, leaving any remaining time in the minute used for rest. One of my favorite EMOM workouts is a quick, but effective ten minute session, where each minute I do five pull ups and ten push ups. This couplet leaves me with roughly twenty seconds of rest, which is far less time than I’d typically take for anaerobic/strength training workouts. Therefore it’s increasing the difficulty of executing these exercises, and building muscular endurance.
You could choose to do couplets/supersets like I’ve described, or perform one exercise per interval session. An example of this is a twenty minute EMOM of the following movements:
Minute one: twenty kettlebell swings
Minute two: fifteen kettlebell goblet squats
Minute three: ten burpees over the kettlebell
Minute four: thirsty kettlebell ballistic rows
Minute five: twenty seated leg raises over kettlebell
In total you’re performing four sets of each exercise, which is an ideal amount of volume for typical training sessions, just with a bit less rest.
Why it’s a fun challenge: EMOM makes you work hard in order to earn your rest. The faster you finish the allotted number of reps, the more time you have to cool down and catch your breath before going on the clock once more. In this regard, there’s a bit of strategy needed to get through the session without burning out. Set yourself up for success by choosing exercises and rep ranges that are challenging yet feasible. With EMOM, it’s absolutely OK to edit. You’re racing against the clock so you have less time to think about proper form, but form should almost never be substituted for volume, even in this case. As you do these kinds of workouts, you will develop a rhythmic method for pacing yourself. You can also do a trial run warm up. Go through each exercise in the circuit and see what’s realistic. How many reps can you manage at a high Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) in thirty or forty seconds? That number should be your target when designing an EMOM workout.
AMRAP:
How it works: AMRAP means “As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible.” You set a timer (i.e. twenty minutes), choose an exercise or set of exercises (I recommend keeping it simple with a maximum of two to three movements) and complete as many rounds or repetitions of said exercise(s) as possible within that time limit.
Why it’s a fun challenge: AMRAP is a great test of endurance, whether muscular, cardiovascular or both. It requires a different type of pacing than EMOM, because you’re working within a countdown scenario, rather than an interval time frame. With AMRAP, it’s more of a marathon than a sprint. Don’t be overzealous, take your time and ensure that your form is sound and that you’re sustainably balancing work and rest. Ideally you’ll find a rhythm that enables you to do a high volume of reps with a set amount of rest in between. This rhythmic pace should remain consistent throughout the workout.
Progressive overload:
How it works: You don’t come back to a video or board game if it’s too monotonous. In order to ensure that a game has staying power, game designers make the gameplay progressively more difficult as you advance in the game. Progressive overload is the workout equivalent of leveling up in a video game. You gradually increase the intensity (i.e. amount of weight lifted), volume (i.e. amount of reps) or duration of your workouts over time.
Why it’s a fun challenge: This method is a great way to achieve a specific goal. Similar to how video games keep score, you can track your progress and create a leaderboard with your weekly, monthly and annual results. You can collaborate with a friend by sharing goals and results, while holding one another accountable for your respective progress. It’s even more rewarding when you get to revel in the glory of leveling up with someone you like!
Friendly competition:
We’re social animals, so it makes sense that some of us enjoy the camaraderie of working out in pairs or groups. If you have one or more people in your life that you enjoy exercising with, try to incorporate some friendly fitness challenges into your relationship. An example is seeing who can do the most reps of an exercise like squats, push ups or pull ups over the course of a week.
With each of these workouts, the rewarding factor of feeling good and accomplished is built in due to the endorphin release and muscular pump. However, if you want to further incentivize exercising, treat yourself to something you look forward to doing afterwards. Or if you’re competing against a friend, the winner buys dinner or something.
Do you have a particular method for gamifying your workouts? Let me know!
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