Ways To Keep Your Cardio Workout From Becoming Stale

Is your cardio workout starting to feel like yesterday’s news? If you do the same workout for too long, it becomes stale. That makes it harder to make training gains. Not only does your body adapt to doing the same thing over and over, you either lose your enthusiasm or you put your workout on autopilot by simply going through the motions. Neither will help you reach your fitness goals. The question is how can you keep your cardio workouts fresh and avoid the stale workout syndrome?

If you usually jump on the treadmill or elliptical machine and do 40 minutes at a steady pace, throw in some short, hard intervals. Pick up the speed for 30 seconds to 2 minutes at an intensity where you’re unable to spit out more than a few words. Slow down and recover for 1 to 3 minutes, and do it again. You can do intervals on any cardio machine to take you off of cardio autopilot. Plus, it’s a great way to break out of a fat loss plateau.

Take your cardio outside one day a week to add variety. If you normally run on the treadmill, do an outdoor run, and challenge yourself to a few hills for variety and additional training benefits. Doing a cardio workout outdoors is more stimulating mentally since there’s more to see. Throw in some fast intervals by picking a distant tree and sprinting to it before recovering.

Switch between cardio machines. If you’re an elliptical enthusiast who’s suddenly grown bored, give the treadmill, best recumbent exercise bike or stationary a try. To make it more interesting, cycle between all 3 machines during the same workout or grab a jump rope between machines and skip rope for 2 minutes in between. Check out some of the machines that most people ignore at the gym such as the stair mill or rowing machine to get variety.

One day a week, increase your heart rate by doing a series of plyometric moves and body weight exercises with minimal rest between exercises. Do 10 squat jumps, 20 pushups, 10 burpees, 10 jump lunges and 10 mountain climbers to complete one cycle. Repeat the sequence as many times as you can. You don’t need to spend long periods of time running or working out on a machine to get a cardiovascular workout. This type of cross-training workout builds strength and power and gives you a good after-burn that boosts your metabolism for hours after you’ve finished.

Get a different perspective by using a different cardio DVD every week to work out. Try a kickboxing DVD or a cardio boot camp workout to work your body in a different way and prevent boredom.

Do you always do your workout at the same time of day? Change your workout time. If you typically do cardio after work, set your alarm a little earlier, and do it first thing in the morning. You might discover you enjoy working out in the morning and that it gives you more energy for the rest of the day.

Music can have an impact on your workout performance. Research shows that listening to fast-paced music helps you push harder and reduces the perceived exertion of a workout. Change your music playlist to some fresh songs, and choose ones with a lively, fast-paced beat. No dirges or lullabies. Use the beat of the music to motivate you to work harder. When the tempo picks up, pick your speed up too. Make it a habit to change your playlist at least once a week.

Most people find cardio to be boring, but it doesn’t have to be. Don’t let a stale cardio workout keep you from working your hardest – and getting results. Here are more life fitness bike.