One day, I decided to change my settings, going up and down with my speed and incline and the results were amazing. Instead of watching the clock, my workouts seemed to fly by and I learned more about my body by letting it tell me when I needed to speed up or slow down.
Over the years, I've used Cardio Coach, which offers similar workouts set to music, but I still create new workouts just to keep things interesting. My latest favorite is this Treadmill Boredom Buster Workout. This 55-minute workout is perfect for advanced exercisers, but it isn't a workout that allows you to zone out. You're constantly changing your settings, so you have to pay attention to the clock the entire time. This does have some advantages, however. First, it forces you to pay attention to how you're feeling so you can choose the right settings to match the suggested perceived exertion. Second, by focusing on one segment at a time, the workout moves quickly, something you definitely want with indoor workouts.
If you're not a fan of frequent changes, you may not like this workout. If you want a challenge, give it a try and let me know what you think about it.
Not quite the same, I do HIIT (high intensity interval training), a 15 min work-out that consists of alternating a 1-minute comfortable pace run with a 30-second sprint. At my gym we aren’t supposed to use the treadmill for more than 15 minutes at peak hours so this workout is ideal for those in similar gyms. Plus running for more than 40 minutes isn’t very good for ‘Guy’ health or so they say.
I would like to reduce my fat from belly.I am strict vegetarian.No fat,no fried food etc..that I consume….I do yoga and weights and some tummy reducing excersise.
You can do the same thing on an elliptical. Change intensity and incline. I crank it up when I have tons of energy. On days that I can barely bring myself to get on the machine, I just program and go. I cannot bear the changing energy needs or concentration needed. Resentment builds exponentially those days. One thing, sometimes I bargain with myself on days I am feeling pissy about exercise. Like if I can crank out “x” amount in number of strides in a certain amount of time (meaning more than usual in less time than usual) I can get off the machine early. It gets me to pump up the volume and I get a little treat at the end. Sometimes I make it, sometimes not, but I always go for it with gusto.
I use my stationary cycle a lot, and it also gets boring at times. However, I came to realize that the goal is cardio exercise for a set period of time…why must it all be cycling (or running)? After 10-12 min, I get off and do some other cardio, such as jumping jacks for 1 min. Then I get back on the bike. Rather than looking for the end of 1 hour, I’m just looking to the next interval and thinking about what I want to do during that 1 minute.
On a stationary bike you can also use a couple of light dumbells for additional cardio and a little variety. You’d be amazed at how much more effort it will take! The nice thing about stationary bikes is that you can totally “zone out” and pay attention to your body’s responses rather than that dog or kid in the road!
I’m very interested in this claim that “running for more than 40 minutes isn’t very good for ‘Guy’ health”. Is this rooted in the belief that excess cardio can offset attempts to increase lean muscle? Just curious…
I typically only do 30-35 minutes of cardio because it’s about all my middle-aged butt can tolerate after an hour or two of strength training.
Put a TV with a remote in front of your treadmill and watch it while you run.
I found the easiest way to beat the boredom on a treadmill is to use a treadmill desk. It lets me walk and work all through the day. My favorite treadmill desk is the TrekDesk. It has a number of accessories and is big enough to handle my multitasking personality.