Does anyone else around here feel an intense hatred for cardio? I sure do. Actually, I guess I should rephrase. I hate the idea of getting on a treadmill/elliptical/bike and just endlessly plodding along and watching Oprah (or whatever the *@#%*@#%*@#%*@#% else my gym has on TV). On the other hand, I love the lifting and strength training portion of my workout. My aversion to this utter boredom affects my workouts because I wind up just NOT DOING any cardio at all. I'm really not getting the results that I want and I really need to ad a cardio workout. So does anyone else feel the same way? My gym is building two indoor Olympic swimming pools. I can't wait until they're completed so I can try swimming.
Hatred of Cardio
- Thread starter PrISM
- Start date
You know, there was a time when I couldn't BEAR having to run on a treadmill, and I admit it still isn't my favorite way to enjoy a run, so why not try outdoors? It is a whole other world, and you can listen to your favorite tunes
I live in a very scenic area so running outside is enjoyable, much more so than the treadmill anyway......
if you don't want to say bike and watch a movie, do something else like turbo jam.
Sprinting.
LOL, You're awful......
No doubt, the gym is an awful way to do cardio, and, unfortunately, I am restricted to it for the next three weeks.
Do you have a bike? Road or mountain biking is much more interesting than the monotony of a stationary bike. Also, have you tried a spinning class? While you are still indoors and constrained, there is a certain ambience of a spinning class that makes it more competitive and definitely not tedious. Then there's always running outdoors.
Do you have a bike? Road or mountain biking is much more interesting than the monotony of a stationary bike. Also, have you tried a spinning class? While you are still indoors and constrained, there is a certain ambience of a spinning class that makes it more competitive and definitely not tedious. Then there's always running outdoors.
I do cardio, but never in the gym.
My cardio is commuting (running; in the past bicycling) or sports. I.e. either getting useful work out of it (and not really using much additional time since it mostly replaces commuting time) or doing something that I like doing anyway. That's a lot better than uselessly doing cardio on a machine at a gym.
If you go to the gym, try running or bicycling to the gym. Your journey there will function as a warmup before you hit the weights in the gym. Then on the way home, you can mix in sprints for HIIT, or take a longer way home for an endurance workout.
My cardio is commuting (running; in the past bicycling) or sports. I.e. either getting useful work out of it (and not really using much additional time since it mostly replaces commuting time) or doing something that I like doing anyway. That's a lot better than uselessly doing cardio on a machine at a gym.
If you go to the gym, try running or bicycling to the gym. Your journey there will function as a warmup before you hit the weights in the gym. Then on the way home, you can mix in sprints for HIIT, or take a longer way home for an endurance workout.
Prism,
Dude.....you gotta find your groove and develop your Happy-Place. Cardio in & of itself is boring. I can churn the elliptical, walk the treadmill and do whatever in front of a tv for a while, but it's just passing time and not something I look forward to.
Here is what I do enjoy & why....
My most favorite cardio is Spin-Class. I NEVER thought I'd like it, but OMG it's great.....BUT...you need to find 2 things: a class full of woman or friends and even more importantly: a kick-ass instructor who brings the most excellent musical program to the class!!!
I have to admit, the best instructor is a guy named Tracey...he is MASTERFUL at his selection & presentation of music. He generally starts out with the lights off and some kind of warm-up music...but then he brings it up with an amazing assortment of songs, mash-ups, tunes and stuff that just makes the whole experience like a mix between a party, concert & workout. There's a couple of powerful songs where everybody gets moving to the same tempo and when you look-out across the room and see everyone cranking away....there's just an energy & magic to it. Seriously, I look forward to each class. On the flipside, a weak instructor with lame-ass music....and there goes the whole fun!
Mountain biking. Ah...the great outdoors! Get some tunes in your ears, find some nice long grinding trails and discovery the inner nirvana of sweat, pain and the accomplishment of reaching the end of your trail. It's also magical and heaven-like.
The pool...well that can be tough. The pool can be kinda dull & quiet, but if you drop a few bucks on a waterproof ipod case and some headphones, and get some good tunes...and you put together a nice routine with various strokes, it's also kinda fun.
But just being by yourself on a machine in the middle of the gym watching tv or something....nahhh, boring!
Try the spin-class. What I do is take a spin class and then do the swim thing...I call it my Spin/Swim program....it's awesome; you get the lower body AND the upperbody cardio...and you come out of the gym feeling great!
My whole motivation is to "do" a triathlon...so I'm training with all the components. I always wear my HR-Monitor so I can see my heart-rate and count the calories. Just develop a whole program and see if you don't get into it.
Dude.....you gotta find your groove and develop your Happy-Place. Cardio in & of itself is boring. I can churn the elliptical, walk the treadmill and do whatever in front of a tv for a while, but it's just passing time and not something I look forward to.
Here is what I do enjoy & why....
My most favorite cardio is Spin-Class. I NEVER thought I'd like it, but OMG it's great.....BUT...you need to find 2 things: a class full of woman or friends and even more importantly: a kick-ass instructor who brings the most excellent musical program to the class!!!
I have to admit, the best instructor is a guy named Tracey...he is MASTERFUL at his selection & presentation of music. He generally starts out with the lights off and some kind of warm-up music...but then he brings it up with an amazing assortment of songs, mash-ups, tunes and stuff that just makes the whole experience like a mix between a party, concert & workout. There's a couple of powerful songs where everybody gets moving to the same tempo and when you look-out across the room and see everyone cranking away....there's just an energy & magic to it. Seriously, I look forward to each class. On the flipside, a weak instructor with lame-ass music....and there goes the whole fun!
Mountain biking. Ah...the great outdoors! Get some tunes in your ears, find some nice long grinding trails and discovery the inner nirvana of sweat, pain and the accomplishment of reaching the end of your trail. It's also magical and heaven-like.
The pool...well that can be tough. The pool can be kinda dull & quiet, but if you drop a few bucks on a waterproof ipod case and some headphones, and get some good tunes...and you put together a nice routine with various strokes, it's also kinda fun.
But just being by yourself on a machine in the middle of the gym watching tv or something....nahhh, boring!
Try the spin-class. What I do is take a spin class and then do the swim thing...I call it my Spin/Swim program....it's awesome; you get the lower body AND the upperbody cardio...and you come out of the gym feeling great!
My whole motivation is to "do" a triathlon...so I'm training with all the components. I always wear my HR-Monitor so I can see my heart-rate and count the calories. Just develop a whole program and see if you don't get into it.
Hmm... I don't have any problems running on the treadmill or elliptical. I seem to be a rare exception since I'm usually on it for 30 minutes going 3+ miles. I suppose everyone is a bit different. I've been itching to go outside and run for the past week. I think I will do that this weekend or at least attempt to swim in the water.
I hate cardio as well, except if it's outside, and being from WI, I don't get too many opporunities to do so without my lungs freezing, but I try to imporvise. I've recently invested in an agility ladder that keeps movements varied and reduces boredom. Then there are my stairs that always bring out a cardio challenge, especially if I have my weighted vest on.
Biking is my pinnacle when it's outside. Biking on the trails, roads, over little kids. It's a lot better than biking next to a sweaty steaming pile of unhealthy at the gym.
Biking is my pinnacle when it's outside. Biking on the trails, roads, over little kids. It's a lot better than biking next to a sweaty steaming pile of unhealthy at the gym.
I used to hate cardio when i first started too, but now i rather enjoy it.
I just came back from a 10K up in the mountains. After about 3-4 miles you get this really good feeling, like everything is going perfect. It doesn't really feel like your running anymore, and you aren't panting for breath. It's hard to describe, its like your floating and you can't even feel your legs getting tired and your just taking in the beauty around you.
I guess that is what is called a runners high? Shame it takes almost 4 miles for me to achieve it.
I hate the treadmill. If your going to run, run outside.
I just came back from a 10K up in the mountains. After about 3-4 miles you get this really good feeling, like everything is going perfect. It doesn't really feel like your running anymore, and you aren't panting for breath. It's hard to describe, its like your floating and you can't even feel your legs getting tired and your just taking in the beauty around you.
I guess that is what is called a runners high? Shame it takes almost 4 miles for me to achieve it.
I hate the treadmill. If your going to run, run outside.
Hi everyone
my name is Luis Alberto, it does not sounds like but I'm from Belgium. I'm a bodybuilder working out since 28 years without having a break beside 1 day break a week of course.
I have a 2 questions regarding cardio training.
I do cardio 3-4 times a week in the gym using bicycle.
This is the way I do it.
It takes between 15 and 20 min.
I do 1 min on very low resistance level, then every second minute I push the button to the max resistance for 1 min, then back to low 1 min, then back to high for a min and etc etc...
My heart pulses are going to 168/min even sometimes 170-171, but never goes down than 158 in this type of cardio.
So here comes the questions :
- is it according you a good cardio workout ?
- and considering my age (44) is it healthy knowing that my pulse goes that high ?
I need your opinion
Thanks !
my name is Luis Alberto, it does not sounds like but I'm from Belgium. I'm a bodybuilder working out since 28 years without having a break beside 1 day break a week of course.
I have a 2 questions regarding cardio training.
I do cardio 3-4 times a week in the gym using bicycle.
This is the way I do it.
It takes between 15 and 20 min.
I do 1 min on very low resistance level, then every second minute I push the button to the max resistance for 1 min, then back to low 1 min, then back to high for a min and etc etc...
My heart pulses are going to 168/min even sometimes 170-171, but never goes down than 158 in this type of cardio.
So here comes the questions :
- is it according you a good cardio workout ?
- and considering my age (44) is it healthy knowing that my pulse goes that high ?
I need your opinion
Thanks !
Hey try throwing some circuit training into your mix - it is still weight lifting just a bit faster. maybe have a week of nothing but circuit training and another week of heavy weights. do some jumping jacks, mountain climbers skipping rope in between to keep your heart rate up. best of both worlds.
I think the definition of "cardio" is misunderstood. There are many ways to do "cardio" (whatever that means nowadays) besides some boring old hamster wheel of a machine. First of all (in my definition of fitness) if you are going to go the more traditional route then it has to be done outdoors. Fitness is also about getting out in nature (even if you live in the city). Sunshine, fresh (such as it is) air, contact with the earth. Being one with the outdoors was one of the main backbones of the original French "paracourse programs."
I like to jog/run outdoors (but x country skiing, cycling, swimming) are all great too. That's more traditional cardio though. I get great "cardio" going using bodyweight exercises for example. A program with dumbells or kettlebells can be like weight training for the heart! So...I guess my point is define what the definition of cardio in your own mind and ask your self the critical athlete/fitness/training questions. What is the purpose of this? Why am I doing it? What is my goal? That can help make it all more clear in our own minds.
Robert
I like to jog/run outdoors (but x country skiing, cycling, swimming) are all great too. That's more traditional cardio though. I get great "cardio" going using bodyweight exercises for example. A program with dumbells or kettlebells can be like weight training for the heart! So...I guess my point is define what the definition of cardio in your own mind and ask your self the critical athlete/fitness/training questions. What is the purpose of this? Why am I doing it? What is my goal? That can help make it all more clear in our own minds.
Robert
thanks you