Four Ways To Make Aerobic Training (Cardio) Less Boring

The nature of how people usually perform aerobic training – think walking/jogging on a treadmill or pedalling on an exercise bike – can be boring and act as a major deterrent for engaging in it.

Aerobic training is an essential part of your health and fitness routine, so it’s helpful to have ways of performing your aerobic training that aren’t as monotonous and can keep you more engaged.

Here are four ways that are more engaging and can offer additional benefits:

1. The Usual Way (with a slight spin)

Aerobic training is usually performed on one of the many cardio machines found in a gym (or at your home).

This involves sitting/standing on/at the machine and performing the required movement for 30+ minutes. This isn’t a bad way to perform aerobic training (it actually makes it very easy to stay at a particular heart rate), so if you enjoy the repetitive nature or use it as an opportunity to watch, read or listen to something then go for it!

If you find it boring however, here’s an easy strategy to keep you more mentally engaged:

Choose a few different cardio machines (whether it’s two, three or four – whatever you have available) and move between them. You can set a period of time you’d like to perform at each machine or simply hop between them when you start getting bored with the movement. To make it even more engaging, you can alter the intensity you work at with each machine. The only rule would be to keep your heart rate in the 120-150bpm range.

What would this look like?

‍

For example, if you have a rowing machine, an elliptical and a stationary bike in the ‘cardio area’ at your gym, you could perform 5 minutes with one at a heart rate of around 130bpm. Once 5 minutes is up, you move to the next and go for 5 minutes at a heart rate of 135-140bpm, and so on. Repeat this for 30 minutes or more and you’ll experience a more engaging aerobic training session.

2. ‘Playing’

Aerobic training can also be achieved through play!

I’ve discussed the benefits of play before and how it can be a potent stimulator of positivity (which further enhances your health and fitness – (Want To Train More Consistently? The Role of Positive Emotions (And Play)). To get these benefits alongside your aerobic training you could just engage in different physical games, sports, hobbies etc.

An additional benefit is that with many games/sports and other physical hobbies, other physical qualities like balance and coordination are also challenged and consequently improved (which are important for your health – especially as you age!).

How do you know whether you’ll be in the right heart-rate zone for the aerobic training benefits?  

If you’re playing a game with your friends (or by yourself) the last thing you’d want to be focused on is your phone or watch to make sure you’re in the right heart-rate zone. This is where the ‘talk test’ would be a better way of gauging where your intensity is at.

Using the ‘talk test’: To be at a low-moderate or moderate intensity (for effective aerobic training), you should still be able to hold a conversation but there should also be a little bit of challenge or difficulty. If you can’t hold a conversation anymore, back off a little bit so that you can return to an appropriate intensity. If you feel like you could sing a song, ramp it up a little bit.

What would this look like?

You could shoot some hoops, kick a ball, play a racquet sport or work on some activities that are new and challenging (like skipping). You could jump between activities or immerse yourself in one, just use the talk test to know what intensity you’re at and perform it for more 30 minutes or more without completely resting.

3. Strength Training Circuit

If you enjoy your strength training sessions more than the monotonous nature of aerobic training, there are ways to incorporate aerobic training into a strength training workout!

You don’t want to do anything too heavy (I know it sounds counterintuitive for strength training) because it increases your blood pressure and this can detract from the goal of aerobic training.

So, a great way of organising your circuit is to choose ‘easy’ bodyweight movements, use very light kettlebells, bands etc.

The benefits: Aside from the fact that this kind of session will be more engaging, another benefit of this style of aerobic training is that it gives you a chance to perform movement patterns that you may be neglecting in your usual training routine and can also be a great opportunity to work on technique and prehab/rehab movements if there’s an injury you’re managing.

What would this look like?

‍

Because this method makes it a little harder to gauge the right intensity, a heart rate monitor of your choosing may be helpful. Keeping your heart rate between 120-150bpm, choose as many movements as you like and perform them in a circuit fashion with no rest in between (unless your heart rate gets too high) for 30 minutes plus. As mentioned above, you want to choose movements/resistance that are light! Here are some examples of those kind of movements:

‍

4. Hikes And Walking Trails

Going on hikes and different walking trails (that are difficult enough to get your heart rate up) is another great way to perform your aerobic training. It also ticks a lot of ‘health and wellness’ boxes.

You get the benefit of sunlight, nature and social interaction:

Being out in nature in various natural settings helps lower physical and mental stress. There’s a reduction in your ‘fight or flight’ state and an increase in your ‘rest and digest’ state, and negative psychological states (like anger and anxiety) are lessened while your positive ones (like vigor, comfort and feeling refreshed) are increased (1).

So if you’re stressed (both body and mind) and/or you’re stuck in a negative headspace, why not tick a few boxes and get your aerobic training alongside some nature exposure.

Another potential benefit is getting some sunlight! I have written at length about the benefits of sunlight and light exposure throughout the day which you can read here (How to Feel Great From a Light Adjustment) and here (Sunlight – The Health and Fitness Enhancer) – in summary, there are many great benefits.

To make things even better, if you’ve got someone who will accompany you and that you enjoy being around, you get those important social benefits too.

Being able to perform your aerobic training along with some sunlight, nature exposure and positive social interactions will be of benefit to many aspects of your health and fitness and you’re going to feel pretty good!

What does this look like?

‍

Use the same rules as the other methods (120-150bpm for 30 minutes plus). To monitor your intensity use the ‘talk test’ or a heart rate monitor. Enjoy!

The Takeaway

There are more engaging ways of performing aerobic training (cardio) than being in a gym and sitting on an exercise bike or running on a treadmill. If you prefer doing that, you can add a slight spin on the usual method or alternatively you can achieve aerobic training through ‘play’, a light strength training circuit or getting out in nature for some hikes. The added benefit to the alternative methods is that not only are they more engaging but you’re carrying-out other beneficial health- and fitness-related behaviours simultaneously!

‍

‍

‍

References

1) Meredith, Genevive R et al. “Minimum Time Dose in Nature to Positively Impact the Mental Health of College-Aged Students, and How to Measure It: A Scoping Review.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 10 2942. 14 Jan. 2020, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02942

‍

‍