The Best Workout Is the One That Excites You Most

We’ve all been there—starting a workout plan because it’s trending, seems effective, or is something your friends are hyped about, only to abandon it a few weeks later. Why does this happen? Because the truth is, the best workout isn’t what everyone else is doing—it’s the one that gets you genuinely excited. Feeling excited about exercising isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the fuel that keeps you consistent, engaged, and ultimately successful in reaching your fitness goals.

If you’re tired of feeling stuck in uninspiring routines or you’re eager to breathe new life into your fitness, this guide is for you. Here, you’ll discover actionable tips to find excitement in your workouts, ways to spark and sustain motivation, and examples to illustrate how diverse and personal workout excitement can be.

Why Excitement Is the Secret to Fitness Success

Exercise isn’t just about physical health—it’s deeply tied to mental and emotional well-being, too. Research shows that people who enjoy their workouts are significantly more likely to stick with an exercise routine over the long haul. When you’re excited about what you’re doing, it stops feeling like a chore and starts to feel like a treat you’re gifting yourself.

Excitement also pushes you to show up more consistently, try harder, and stay curious. Whether it’s the thrill of hitting a personal record, the joy of dancing in sync to high-energy music, or simply exploring the outdoors, excitement keeps you coming back for more.

Actionable Tips to Find and Sustain Workout Excitement

Workout excitement isn’t something you simply stumble upon—it’s something you create, nurture, and evolve. Here are practical ways to discover or reignite excitement in your fitness routine:

1. Try New Activities Regularly

Doing the same thing repeatedly can lead to burnout or boredom. Shake things up by sampling new fitness classes, trying a sport, or exploring a fresh environment. For instance, swap your treadmill for a trail run or replace a weightlifting session with a rock climbing outing.

2. Set a Mix of Goals

Don’t pigeonhole yourself into chasing just one type of goal, like weight loss or muscle gain. Mix internal and external motivations by combining goals like learning a new skill (e.g., doing a pull-up) or achieving something playful (e.g., mastering a TikTok dance routine).

3. Discover What Fits Your Personality

Quiet reflection, high-energy competition, or rhythmic connection—what excites you depends on your personality. Align your workouts with your unique traits to make movement more meaningful.

4. Focus on Mini-Excitements

Big goals take time, so create mini milestones and celebrate micro-successes along the way. It could be as simple as beating your previous plank time or nailing a yoga pose you’ve struggled with.

5. Shift Your Mindset

If getting excited about workouts doesn’t come easily, reframe exercise from a “must” to a “get to.” Gratitude for what your body can do is powerful—and reminding yourself that movement is freedom can be a perspective game-changer.

10 Examples of Finding Fitness Excitement

Because no two people are the same, excitement in fitness looks different for everyone. Here’s a roundup of fictional characters and their unique fitness inspirations to show how varied and personal workout joy can be:

1. Meet Maya, the Adventurer

Maya’s happiest on the move—literally. She found her spark in outdoor-based workouts like kayaking, hiking, and cycling. For Maya, the changing landscapes and a sense of exploration keep her workouts thrilling.

Your Takeaway: If you love exploring, look for workouts that take you outside your usual surroundings. Nature is a great motivator.

2. Jake, the Competitor

Jake thrives on challenge, so joining a local basketball league and setting CrossFit personal bests made sense for him. Competing against others encourages his consistency and commitment.

Your Takeaway: If you’re driven by competition, team sports or goal-oriented classes like CrossFit might be for you.

3. Sophia, the Spirited Social Butterfly

Sophia used to hate working out alone but discovered she loves group classes like spin and dance aerobics. The upbeat vibe and camaraderie keep her energized and engaged.

Your Takeaway: If you’re extroverted, find group-based workouts that feed off collective energy—whether it’s an in-studio class or virtual meet-ups.

4. Ryan, the Progress Tracker

For Ryan, excitement lies in numbers. Fitness trackers, step counts, and PRs fuel his obsession for improvement. He loves seeing his metrics soar in running or weightlifting.

Your Takeaway: If you love data, tracking your fitness milestones can create exciting mini-goals to aim for.

5. Nia, the Music Enthusiast

Nia discovered excitement in rhythm-based workouts like Zumba and pilates to curated playlists. The combination of movement and music makes her sessions feel less like work and more like a dance party.

Your Takeaway: Music can make or break your workout energy. If it excites you, make playlists or join rhythm-driven classes.

6. Oliver, the Escape Artist

Oliver’s fitness passion comes from yoga and meditation-based movement. He views workouts as a form of escape and healing, where he can focus inward and recharge.

Your Takeaway: If working out feels like too much stimulation, slower, mindful forms of exercise may give you exactly what you need.

7. Zoe, the Innovator

Zoe thrives on novelty and refuses to repeat workouts. One week it’s a boxing class, the next it’s aerial yoga. The variety is what keeps her coming back.

Your Takeaway: Sampling everything stops boredom from creeping in. Be unapologetically experimental!

8. Liam, the Goal-Getter

Liam loves the thrill of working toward a tangible goal. Last year, it was finishing a half-marathon, and now he’s focused on gaining strength with weightlifting.

Your Takeaway: If large, long-term goals keep you engaged, consider fitness challenges or milestones like races or competitions.

9. Aisha, the Recovering Burnout

After years of overtraining, Aisha craves gentler movement. Stretching sessions, slow walks with friends, and water aerobics bring her a newfound sense of joy and sustainability in fitness.

Your Takeaway: Listen to where you are in life. Sometimes excitement is found in slowing down!

10. Max, the Hobbyist

Max uses fitness as a way to pursue hobbies he loves. He’s taken up archery for focus and swimming for technique. Connecting movement to skill-building fuels his passion.

Your Takeaway: Tie exercise to a hobby and watch how quickly workout time becomes your favorite part of the day.

Call to Action

Now that you’ve explored how different people find excitement in their fitness journeys, it’s time to turn inward. This week, challenge yourself to identify three things that excite you about your workouts. It could be a new activity to try, a mini-goal to crush, or a mindset shift to focus on.

Make fitness about YOU—and watch the sparks fly. Get moving, get curious, and above all, get excited!