It’s no secret that I prefer to exercise outdoors. I’ve always felt rather trapped in gyms – I know some people love the gym experience, but it’s just not for me. There are some moments, of course, when I must exercise inside. Last night was a perfect example – I was traveling in an unfamiliar city, it was dark out, and it was pouring. So to the gym I went!
Here are seven ways to make gym cardio a bit more bearable. Most of these techniques are simply Jedi mind tricks, but others will actually help you work new muscles in different ways. Win, win!
Trick #1: Towel over screen. The primary reason I hate cardio equipment is because I have to stare at a little clock that mockingly tells me how much longer I have to be there. Ugh. Cover it with a towel, and your workout will go by much, much faster.
Trick #2: Listen to Podcasts. I love to run outdoors to music, but for some reason, music doesn’t have the same effect when I’m on cardio equipment. Listening to a PodCast (I like This American Life) or a book on tape is great. I get lost in the story and pay less attention to my boring surroundings.
Trick #3: Change machines every 10 minutes. It’s really hard for me to stay on one piece of equipment for a full 30 minutes, so sometimes, I bounce between the treadmill, elliptical, the rower, or the stationary bike.
Trick #4: Write down a workout. If I am going to stay on the treadmill the entire time, I usually bring a Post-It with a planned workout. Constantly changing up the speed or hill according to the directions is distracting and fun. One of my favorites is this Rolling Intervals Treadmill Workout.
Trick #5: On that note, vary speed and intensity. Even if you don’t have a planned workout or aren’t on the treadmill, doing speedwork (occasional sprints) helps bust boredom. Sometimes, I do the pre-planned elliptical workouts so the machine will change the settings automatically for me.
Trick #6: Go backwards. When in doubt, change direction. Yes, I am that person who walks (very carefully and slowly) backwards on the treadmill up an incline. I also elliptical backwards. You engage different muscles and challenge your coordination and balance. A trainer once told me that it’s very important not to hang onto the side rails while walking backwards because it compromises posture, so I just hover my hands over the rails so I can catch myself if necessary. It’s fun, too! Just go slow and be careful.
Trick #7: Carry weights. If I’m not in the mood to run on the treadmill, or am doing walk/run intervals, I’ll grab two barbells and do bicep curls, punch the air, or mini overhead presses while I walk. It’s important you don’t let you mind wander too much while doing this because proper form, of course, is of the utmost importance.
How do you beat gym cardio boredom?
Oooh yes I totally agree with these tips! For me, I like to beat boredom by switching up my machines frequently, listening to music with a fast beat (I’ve never tried podcasts but am wondering if I’d enjoy those for a change – thanks for the tip!) varying speed/intensity, and of course, writing my workouts down. If it’s written, it gets done, but if not…. well… that’s when I start slacking!