You Might Actually Look Forward To Your Next Workout If You Take Ashley Graham's Approach

For many people (myself included), cardio is the kind of exercise that requires you to get a bit creative in how you do it — at least, you know, if you want the workout to be remotely enjoyable. Maybe you use a carefully curated playlist to make treadmill runs less dull, or perhaps you're someone who switches things up with a fitness class from time to time. If you're looking for a really simple way to make your next aerobic workout a little more fun, look no further than Ashley Graham's cardio workout on Instagram, my friends.

On Feb. 13, the 31-year-old model posted a video of herself and her trainer, Kira Stokes, running around a workout studio, tossing large medicine balls back and forth, giggling and smiling the whole way through. It seemed, IMO, like a total blast.

Graham admitted in her Instagram post that cardio isn't exactly her favorite type of exercise to do, but explained that that's exactly why she and Stokes were doing this particular workout in the first place: to make the whole thing more fun. Graham wrote in the post,

You guys already know.. cardio is the part of my workouts that I HATE doing. Finding a way to make it fun and trick myself into having fun is the only way to get through it on a Wednesday 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 Cardio with @kirastokesfit

Luckily, Graham's trainer seems pretty good at creating dynamic workouts for her clients, not to mention motivating them like a total boss. Stokes posted the same video of her workout with Graham on her own social media page, adding a little more detail to shed light on what the two were doing together at the gym:

Cardiovascular conditioning drills CAN be equal parts fun and effective. Allow yourself time away from the treadmill, bike, rower, etc. Get creative, get those endorphins flowing, let your inner child shine and insert laughter = bonus ab work 😅 .We’re using 10lb med balls.

Part of the reason why Stokes likes to get creative with Graham's workouts, the trainer recently told Shape, is because of how busy the model's schedule tends to be. Basically, Stokes explained to the outlet, it's all about creating a routine for Graham that won't take up a ton of time, but will still be both effective and enjoyable. The trainer told Shape,

[Graham] wants to feel strong, build some definition, and strengthen her core. She's a freaking athlete and wants to be trained like one too. She has incredible body awareness. And most of all, she wants to be her best self.

It seems like Graham and Stokes really know how to keep things lighthearted and, dare I say, genuinely fun when it comes to exercise. "People need to remember what we all did as kids," Stokes told Shape. "We played. There is no rule that you can't continue to do that your whole life." Hell. Yes. The trainer added,

At the end of the day, your heart is a muscle and you need to condition it like any other muscle in your body. Finding ways to make that fun though, is the best way to do it.

For you, maybe whipping out an old school item like a jump rope or a hula hoop would make your next cardio workout more enjoyable. Or maybe you want to take a cue from Graham and Stokes and pass giant medicine balls back and forth with someone who makes you smile. Whatever it is, do it because it makes you happy.