Boredom During Cardio

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Replies

  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    I listen to music. Without that, it would be way too boring for me.
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    audio books is a fantastic idea
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Get of the machines and into nature if you can... Most of us spend too many hours staring at 4 walls or electronic devices... I love hitting the road and running or hiking...

    AOL
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Get off the machines and into nature if you can... Most of us spend too many hours staring at 4 walls or electronic devices... I love hitting the road and running or hiking...

    There's a reason you're getting bored on the elliptical............get outside and run or ride etc Way more fun!

    I don't think of it as an either/or. If you do cardio 6 days a week, there is plenty of opportunity to use different machines, run/walk, bike, take a cardio class, and try out an exercise DVD, all in the same week.
  • Midnight1210
    Midnight1210 Posts: 134 Member
    Get of the machines and into nature if you can... Most of us spend too many hours staring at 4 walls or electronic devices... I love hitting the road and running or hiking...

    I just have to say it - 190 lbs. lost - that's AWESOME! Congratulations!! :drinker:

    And you are right, a lot of us do need to get outside and away from electronics.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    How on earth do people read while working out? LOL

    I reckon if you can still read (my head wobbles all over the place) your METS aren't high enough! Why not just work out harder, finish earlier, and relax afterwards with the kindle???

    Anyway... back on topic... I get bored with steady state cardio so I do intervals. That way something is changing within the next minute anyway.

    I was thinking this ...no way I could read while running..
  • kheekis
    kheekis Posts: 2
    I'm just starting. If I didn't have a youngin telling me to slow down, I'm sure I could ride a lot more :) Shin splints suck, hence the elliptical. Charles ****ens, 'The Life of David Copperfield' + elliptical = a good 45 minutes. I still did intervals, in fact I maintained my target heart rate for more of the time than I usually do. A few times I stayed 5 beats more than :) For me, movies are for relaxing and going to sleep so that would be a very bad idea, lol.
  • Aeramis13
    Aeramis13 Posts: 135 Member
    IF you find you're mentally stuck by a thing, find a way to un-stuck yourself. end of story :)
  • RickNeedzToGetShreaded
    RickNeedzToGetShreaded Posts: 293 Member
    Do something you enjoy? Like I enjoy running, Football etc, I can't stand machines and treadmills...
  • leakewh
    leakewh Posts: 91 Member
    I agree...On average I burn about 700 calories walking/running on the treadmill an hour....I raked leaves onto a tarp and loaded them into a trailer the other day for 3 hours and burned 1800 calories...average of 600 calories per hour. Not only did i get my cardio in for the day, it was a change a pace, and my yard looks great. I know some would say you should log calories for activities such as this, but Ive been using "yardwork" for months and it works for me...

    I can only stare at "hot" women for so long to pass the time on the treadmill...well who am I kidding...anyway...
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    Get of the machines and into nature if you can... Most of us spend too many hours staring at 4 walls or electronic devices... I love hitting the road and running or hiking...

    This...you can walk or run outside in any weather, just dress for it!
  • Jenny775
    Jenny775 Posts: 108 Member
    I often listen to music (either turn my computer way up, or Pandora on my phone) while on the treadmill, but sometimes it isn't quite enough to undo the boredom.

    For times like those, I just watch some of my favorite YouTube channels. It's hard to believe how time can fly if you're laughing at something half the time.


    YouTube! - great idea, think I'll try it :smile:
    I too get bored on the elliptical and it's becoming problematic because It's no longer challenging enough for me - and music isn't keeping me going on it! I love outdoor workouts but time and weather don't always cooperate.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    I have tried the treadmill and elliptical and I just.. can't do it. Even with music, tv, etc I will be bored to tears about 5 minutes in. Last time I was on the treadmill a few weeks ago I just forced myself through it. I hated it though.

    I have also tried workout cardio DVD programs (P90X, Zumba, Insanity, 10 Minute Trainer, etc) and while the routines are varied and intense, I still get bored doing repetitive moves.

    So I took a break from cardio and did weight lifting exclusively. It's better, but I feel like a healthy mix of both is necessary.

    So... I dusted off my PS2 console, bought some dance pads for an old school game called Dance Dance Revolution, and now I have trouble STOPPING my cardio!

    Workout video games are great. I can only speak for DDR but the fast paced songs have me literally dripping sweat by the time my hour is up. Sometimes I will go 90+ minutes without realizing it. There's different modes of play (including Workout Mode, but I think the calories it estimates are too high so I only log around 60-70% of what the game tells me I burned), many varieties of songs, and the game has been out so long it's relatively inexpensive to get started.

    Warning: Not for people who aren't into dorky electronic music from the early 2000's sprinkled with Jpop. Also not for people who are self conscious about their spasmy T-Rex arms flailing everywhere. But it IS for this kid:

    http://youtu.be/6JzcqALklRs

    ^^^ this (although my choice of what cardio doesn't bore me half to death is different)

    For cardio, you just have to move and keep moving and get out of breath, and keep it up for a while. You don't *have to* do machines, they're just a convenient way to get exercise for most people because they don't take up much space. If you hate them, don't do them, do some other kinds of cardio instead. Like skating, rollerblading, walking, hiking, swimming, playing team sports, playing individual sports (tennis etc), cycling, barn dancing (or square dancing if you're from the USA, or whatever other kind of dancing you're into, stair running, video games like describe above that work the whole body, exercise DVDs (you can get quite a few on you tube if you get bored doing the same ones over and over)......... just do whatever you enjoy and will stick to.

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