If you are anything like us then you dread cardio time. Nothing is more spirit killing than spending 30 minutes running or biking in place. But we must do it; cardio is a necessary component of any successful fitness program. That doesn’t mean that we have to make it boring though.
There is a lot of money to be made by making fitness more fun. Go back a decade or so and you might remember all of those commercials for DVD sets of fitness videos (go back even further for cheesier versions on VHS cassettes). Routines like P90X and Insanity effectively blended bodybuilding and cardio principles to mimic the effects of HIIT. They showed that running in place is not the best or most fun way to get in shape.
Building upon this “make it fun” principle we have officially entered the next level. Do you think Cross-Fit would be as popular if it wasn’t fun and competitive? Would Peloton (and all of its copycats) be worth over 8 billion if it wasn’t a more engaging way to bike in place? There are even fitness games for virtual reality headsets, but you can still make cardio more fun without the significant investment that these technological advancements require.
We have discussed the effectiveness of HIIT in the past (mentioned here), but it worth stating that it is a scientifically better workout than steady-state cardio, and this makes it easier to step up your cardio game. Skip the steady-and do intervals, you could…
- Do 30 minutes of varying intensity on a bike or treadmill if you absolutely cannot say goodbye to your favorite cardio machine. Make it a game, keep score and try to beat your last effort (like Cross-Fit).
- Maybe ditch the treadmill altogether and pick up a barbell and do a barbell complex (Deadlift, Bent-over Row, Hang Clean, Push Press, Back Squat; see the details on this “finisher” here).
- If your gym has sports courts or you are near a park, pick up a ball and get going. My old gym had racquetball and basketball courts and I would get an intense workout by playing a solo game. (Don’t worry about the looks you will get playing like a madman by yourself, because you will get looks)
- Mix up the methods, do some sprint sandwiches (sprints followed by an Abs routine followed with some sprints), use different machines, keep it fresh.
Cardio is a staple for a reason, it is beneficial to both health and fitness, but it is soul crushing to watch television or stare at a wall while you run in place. This is a major reason why people end up skipping cardio (that and laziness), but you don’t have to. There are so many ways to make cardio more fun and engaging; be creative. You want to get that heart pumping and those lungs working, and however you get there while having fun is the best way to do it.
Bonus*** Do you have a way to make cardio more fun? Share your cardio story and a video with us in the comments section below (you can use Facebook too!) and get a discount on your next order from our website (extra points for an intense solo racquetball session).