4 Tips To Make Cardio More Fun
By All American Fitness
Image Credit: Centerra
We discussed before how important cardio is for heart health. Unfortunately, many people still struggle to do cardio because mindlessly plodding along on a treadmill is so boring and unpleasant. No surprise, as doing the same thing every day becomes mentally exhausting even for the most dedicated of us. You can make cardio more enjoyable by trying these fun tips.
EXERCISE WITH A FRIEND
According to a 2016 study from the University of Aberdeen, exercising with a companion increases the amount of time that people spend exercising. Having a running buddy helps you to do more cardio in a few ways. First of all, your friend can help to distract and entertain you while you run. Secondly, a running buddy can provide valuable encouragement and get you to exercise even when you are not in the mood. For the more competitive, the running buddy also offers a challenge to keep you at the top of your game.
GO OUTSIDE
Treadmills are nice, but running in place around the same scenery for half an hour to an hour becoming boring pretty quick. Many studies have found that just being in green spaces naturally boosts your mood so that you can feel relaxed and happy after your run. Instead of running on the treadmill, consider finding a nature trail or a running path to the gym that you can jog or bike on. Another benefit when you run on nature trails is that it is more challenging to navigate all the random small changes in elevation that the treadmill can’t quite replicate.
TRY UNCONVENTIONAL CARDIO
Running is not for everyone, so you may want to look into another cardio method if you dislike running so much that keep procrastinating on your exercise. Even ellipticals and stair steppers get old after awhile, so consider some alternative cardio ideas. Swimming is a great way to raise your heart rate without inflicting damage on your joints, or if you do not mind a bit of a challenge dancing is also great to increase the heart rate. Find something that gets the blood pumping and that you can sustain for enough time to get a good heart workout in.
LISTEN TO SOMETHING INTERESTING
Almost every gym has music playing, and for a good reason. Most people find that their cardio goes much more smoothly when they try to take their mind off the cardio. As long as you have a smartphone and some headphones, it is easy to find something to distract you. Music is the standard go to, but there are hundreds of smartphone apps that turn your run into something new. College students can get some study time in with an audiobook, or if you like games there are plenty of apps that use the pedometer in your phone to run from monsters, construct castles, simulate marathons, and countless more.
These four tips can all be excellent ways to have more fun while doing cardio. When you are having fun and enjoying yourself, you are more likely to keep to a regular cardio schedule. Dedication is important, but there is nothing wrong with having fun while you work out. Hopefully, these tips will help guide you to healthier cardio habits and will lead you to a stronger routine.
Resources:
https://www.runnersworld.com/wearable-tech/best-running-apps
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/06/how-walking-in-nature-prevents-depression/397172/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161004081548.htm