Cardio boredom

[Matt Rogers]

I read more and more about the health benefits of cardio: keeps depression at bay, oxygenates the body, boosts sexual function, reduces the risk of diabetes and heart problems and so much more.

But somehow I cannot motivate myself to do it and even when I get myself on a treadmill, an exercise bike or go on a jog I get so bored out of my mind I cannot be bothered. So I end up skipping workouts.

With weights it is a different matter. I enjoy it and time seems to fly by.

Music doesn't really help. So I was wondering how you guys do it week in and week out?

 

[PhatE1vis]

The key to sticking with cardio for me has been to set goals just like I would for any other part of my workout.

What do you think about training for a 5K? It's a minimal investment in time, won't detract too much from your lifting, and gives you something to work for that may combat the boredom.

Perfect timing too - there are tons of Turkey Trots coming up in the next few weeks.

 

[Cry For Love]

HIIT is more fun than regular cardio in my experience, perhaps you should give it a try if you haven't already.

Also, cruising around the roads on a real bike is very fun.

 

[KontrollerX]

Try playing videogames while you do cardio on the exercise bike.

It works for me.

That or you could build yourself up to do high intensity interval training type of cardio on the bike and at most that takes up only 16 minutes of your day during a three day period during a week.

 

[bukowski_merit]

i really enjoy watching MMA when i'm doing cardio... any other sport - bores me to watch while doing cardio... but i've found that to help me get through it... often on cardio days - i'll hit up tvguide.com or something and look for a time that some mma is playing on TV and do it then...

i don't like music either... but i like listening to seminars and pick up stuff in my headphones while i'm doing cardio... or just good old sports talk... something that can kind of give you a feeling that you're somewhere else... like if i'm listening to a lecture - i'll be walking, or peddling, but in my mind - i'm sitting down at the lecture watching this guy talk... and with sports talk - i'll picture myself at a table at a bar with some guy friends... this is all unnecesary for most people.... but i too find cardio to be 10 times more boring than weight training... so i've just found some ways...

when i'm watching tv... something i do is - walk during one part, and do a real lite jog during another part.... like - if i'm watching a show - i'll walk during the show, and jog during the commercials... or if (i have to) watch a football game or something - walk when it's commercials or when the homes team has the ball - jog when the away team has the ball... sometimes i'll say - i have to do 5 extra minutes of cardio for every touchdown i see in this game - so if i'm 30 minutes into it, and there's a touchdown - i add 5 minutes to my time =( ... or if i'm watching MMA... i'll go in and say "ok i'm doing 50 minutes of cardio" and on each fight - i'll bet up to 5 minutes with myself... so i'll pick a fighter and bet 5 minutes with myself... if that fighter loses - i'm going to do 55 minutes of cardio now =( if he wins - it's reduced to 45 minutes =)

just have to create ways to amuse yourself...

 

[Throttle]

think creatively... you don't need to bike or jog to make it cardio.

ever rowed? dragged a sled? both of those are killer...

 

[wolf116]

Surf, skate, mountain climbing, hiking, canoe, bmx, boxing, mma,
pick one