The treadmill is fast becoming the most popular pieces of exercise equipment in the gym. Unfortunately, as effective as the treadmill is, if you don’t mix it up every once in a while, you can get stuck in a rut and become bored. Becoming bored with your workout routine is one of the most common reasons people stop going to the gym altogether, so it’s a more serious issue than you might imagine.
Of course, the most common ways people try to beat boredom while treadmill training is to watch television or listen to an MP3 player. This is great, but there is a ton of other ways to stay engaged while training. Begin by setting a goal for yourself and sticking to it. Set a specific number of minutes of miles, and try adding variety to your routine by changing up the speed, or incline. Working out with a friend is also a great way to fight boredom, as well as the added benefit of giving and getting encouragement from someone whose company you enjoy.
Anything you end up doing for an extended period of time is going to get old. Allow yourself to take a break between sets and try a different piece of equipment. This doesn’t meant staying on the treadmill for five minutes and then jumping in the pool, however. You need to keep up your heart rate, so your sessions on the treadmill should be at least 30 minutes long, and followed up by an elliptical or another piece of equipment that will keep your heart pumping.
Another excellent way to beat boredom is to have a certain workout in mind before you even hit the gym. Below is a week’s worth of effective, fun workouts that you can plan for in order to make your time at the gym more rewarding.
- Monday – Power walking or jog for 30 minutes, followed by 20 minutes of strength training.
- Tuesday – Start off with a light walk followed by a brisk walk or light jog for 3 minutes, then a power walk for 2 minutes, and finally a full run for the last two. Repeat two times, and afterwards do a slow cool down for 5 minutes.
- Wednesday – Start with an easy walk for 5 minutes, and afterwards to 12 reps of any strength training technique. After that powerwalk for 3 minutes, possibly at a higher incline and interchange this with strength training and power walks 6 times. Cool down for 5 minutes.
- Thursday – Follow Tuesday’s routine, but replace the easy walking in the beginning with power walking, and the brisk jog with running.
- Friday – Follow Monday’s routine, but add an additional 2 minutes of power walking and running.
- Saturday – Follow Wednesday’s routine, but add 5 minutes of running.
- Sunday – Use this day to rest. Your body will need a day to recover. This helps to build muscles as well.
There is no reason to let boredom ruin your exercise routine. Keep it fun by mixing it up, and making changes as necessary. The best part of treadmill training is that there is so much room for improvisation, which is the most important tool you can use to eliminate boredom and have fun with fitness!