It’s time to embrace movements and workouts that, first and foremost, bring you joy.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with plenty of high-performers at Equinox, most of whom share one common priority when it comes to training: optimization.
They want to get as much work done as efficiently as possible as they pursue their goals. And while we take our training seriously, I always ask these members — what do you want to get out of these workouts that isn’t about looking a specific way or achieving a specific performance metric? What can we do that’s simply, well, fun?
This element of play tends to be missing from members’ routines, a shift that occurs once the recess days of childhood come to an end. But intentionally building experimental movements that bring joy to your workouts is what's going to keep you healthy and active for the long haul. It turns movement into something that you want to do, not just something you have to do.
And science backs this up: A 2022 study found that enjoying exercise was positively linked with how frequently people worked out and their intention to continue doing so. Performing novel exercises has also been found to create a “flow” state — in which you’re fully absorbed and deeply engaged in the task at hand and suppress irrelevant feelings and thoughts — particularly when there’s little pressure placed on the outcome. This flow experience can curb boredom and make you more likely to want to try the activity again and again.
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This approach will make you physically stronger, too. A lot of the muscles that you target to “look good” are usually trained in one plane of motion (the sagittal plane, involving forward and backward movement), but your body is designed to move in three planes of motion (including the frontal, involving side-to-side movement, and the transverse, involving rotational movement, planes). Neglecting to move your muscles and joints in those other two planes can make you more vulnerable to injury down the road.
Play reduces the stress of training — exercise is a physical stressor on the body, after all. But it also minimizes the mental load. Say you’re always thinking: “I have to get this workout done. I have to do X amount of reps and X amount of time.” If you aren't able to stick to it because you’re tired or run-down, it takes a toll on your mental health. You can feel defeated, and that doesn’t help your ability to stick with your routine, either.
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Ultimately, play gives you a creative outlet. It improves your ability to perform without the pressure — without the idea of, “I have to have to do this,” or, “I have to score this point.”
Nothing’s off-limits. Sign up for an Equinox basketball or pickleball league. Take an Animal Flow class and treat your body to unfamiliar movement patterns. Go rock climbing, try martial arts, or do an obstacle course. Build up to performing a handstand or a pull-up just because it’s a cool party trick. It’s all about finding ways to gamify your workouts, forgetting about reps or weights or exertion level and focusing instead on whatever brings a grin across your face.
Josh Espinoza is a COACH+, PT educator, and MNR manager at Equinox Miracle Mile in Los Angeles. He has been at Equinox for more than eight years and has a master’s degree in exercise sciences and human performance, as well as business administration. He holds certifications from Precision Nutrition and StrongFirst and in ViPR and pre-/post-natal training, among others.