Swedish Musical Stairs Prove Exercise + Fun = Motivation

Musical Stairs Prove Exercise Can be Fun

According to this post on Facebook, 97% of people who were given the option rode the escalator instead of taking the healthy climb up the stairs. It didn’t matter that both options landed them in the same spot on the level above. Then Volkswagen decided to make a change.

VW brought in a group of engineers and turned the stairs into an actual music-playing piano. What they captured what happened on film where it made its way to YouTube. The end results were that 66% more people than normal chose the stairs over the escalator after music entered the picture.

Putting More Fun into Working Out

Okay, you likely already know the benefits of a regular workout. Along with keeping you physically healthy, regular exercise can boost your mental outlook as well. Unfortunately, one of the biggest reasons that people hate to work out is repetition and boredom.

According to this list, “Top 10 List of Reasons Why People Don’t Exercise,” along with apathy and being too busy, boredom ranks among the top 10. And the American Fitness Professional Association’s article, “Fitness Trainer: Boredom Busters,” starts out by acknowledging, “One of the biggest obstacles to staying on track for fitness is losing motivation.” That is why it is important to build your exercise routine around activities you enjoy.

While there are a lot of ideas on how to build more fun into your exercise plan, only you will know what works best for you. This article, “15 ways to make exercise more fun,” has some great suggestions such as urban rebounding, playing Frisbee and playing kickball. Here are some other ideas:

• Add audio and/or visual stimulation. That means turn up the music, slip in a DVD or find some other way to focus your mind rather than focusing on the workout routine itself. However, keep safety in mind when choosing what you do.
• Vary your routine. One of the fastest ways to get bored is to do the same exercises over and over. So instead of running everyday, consider running a couple times a week along with a cardio workout, weight training and/or another physical activity.
• Find something you enjoy doing. If you love to dance, put on the music and dance around the house for an hour. If you love the outdoors take a long bike ride around the neighborhood, go for a hike or take up a group sport. You might even consider walking to a nearby grocery store for the evening meal. Or if you’re going to drive, park as far away from the door as possible.
• Work out with a partner. One of the best ways to keep your eyes on the prize is to work out in pairs. If you don’t have a friend or significant other available, consider walking a dog. If you don’t have a dog, borrow the neighbor’s.

The whole idea behind the Swedish musical stairs is to show that exercise doesn’t have to be torture. Add a little fun into what you do and you’ll see that you can get your daily work out while having a good time.