Aren't you sick and tired of jogging for 45 to 60 minutes every day? Doesn't it get boring on that elliptical machine after a while? Spinning and cycling can become quite stale if you never change things up, right?
Instead of being bored with your cardio workouts, it's time to kick the intensity/fun factor up a notch! Here are a few ways you can make your treadmill workout A LOT more enjoyable -- not to mention more effective:
- Mix It Up
Don't do the same HIIT run every day, but change things up. Follow a tough workout with a low-intensity training session, but hit it hard the next day for some serious cardio. Mix up your cardio workouts to not only avoid overtraining, but also growing bored with the same workout day after day. - Add Intensity or Incline
Instead of always following the same run, it's time to change it up. Don't just raise the speed to a stately five miles per hour, but push yourself to sprint at eight to ten miles per hour. Add some incline to change up the angle of the treadmill workout. Bonus: Walking backwards on the elliptical machine changes the angle of the muscle-burn, and standing up on your stationary bike will throw in a solid leg workout with your cardio. Change the intensity or incline to give yourself a challenge! - Speed It Up
If you want to burn more fat, the best way to do so is to increase your speed. The faster you run, the more calories your body burns for energy -- meaning you burn more calories of fat. If you are doing your cardio AFTER a weightlifting session, you'll ONLY have fat to burn! - Tackle Hills
When running hills in the gym, you NEVER need to run down (no strain on your knees!). Simply increase the incline on the treadmill to a solid five to 8 percent, and feel the burn in no time. After just a few minutes of tackling hills, your legs will be burning (along with your fat)! - Do Cardio at Work
Instead of making cardio a part of your gym routine, fit it into your work day by setting up a workstation in your office. Any time you are making phone calls, checking emails, or doing menial tasks, you can walk to burn more calories and get that cardio workout in! - Add Hills to a Run
If you were running out in nature, you'd be going up and down hills. Instead of keeping treadmill workouts at the same incline and speed, add inclines and declines to the workout. Simulating an outdoor environment can help you to push yourself harder, and will make your run a lot more challenging. - Try This Warmup:
- Set the incline between three and 5 percent
- Walk normally for 60 seconds
- Walk backward for 60 seconds
- Walk laterally for 45 seconds per side
- Repeat once more
The last thing you want with your cardio workouts is to settle into a routine, as that's when you stop making progress. Keep pushing yourself harder and changing it up and you'll never get bored!
Some people get lucky and are born with fit, toned bodies. Andy Peloquin is not one of those people... Fitness has come hard for him, and he's had to work for it. His trials have led him to becoming a martial artist, an NFPT-certified fitness trainer, and a man passionate about exercise, diet and healthy living. He loves to exercise -- he does so six days a week -- and loves to share his passion for fitness and health with others.
