Dan Petkovsek
Cardio and I have had a love/hate relationship over the years. Previously as an aerobics instructor I LOVED my cardio. I would be teaching step 6-10 times per week, running 5-15Km every other day, doing box jumps, jump squats and burpees in every workout. Eventually, I realized that my body was pretty broken.. My knees were in constant pain, I had to take the stairs sideways and my low back ached 24/7.
When I got into weight training my cardio went out the window. Those aches and pains left, my hunger decreased and overall I felt lighter and better. But I knew I still needed a bit of cardio to keep my heart healthy and my mental state satisfied (there is certainly something calming about a good cardio session).
Anyways, over the years, I have found a few ways to make cardio more enjoyable. Below are a bunch of tips to keep you craving cardio.. Yes, ‘craving’ it. Hahah!
- Get a good audio book. Every time you do cardio, listen to that book. Make sure it’s a good one, otherwise this tip does NOT work. Make sure it’s a book that keeps you on edge and wanting more. (Download the ‘Audible’ app for a huge selection of books.)
- Find a good podcast. The beauty of podcasts is that they are FREE and there are sooooooo many topics out there. #ohyeah Same thing as above, listen to that podcast every time you do cardio. You can basically learn something new while doing cardio! It’s the best self-improvement 2-for-1. 🙂
- Watch Netflix! Download the Netflix app and get yourself into a good show. Make sure it’s a dramatic juicy one that you can get ridiculously addicted to. Only let yourself watch it during your cardio session. Bike, step or walk on the treadmill to that juicy fake drama. You’ll literally start loving your cardio sessions.
- Do something you enjoy. Cardio doesn’t have to be mindlessly running on a treadmill or step mill. Go for a swim, play tennis with a friend, go to a hot yoga class (PowerYoga is a killer every time) or attend our bootcamp classes – had to put a shameless plug in here somewhere lol. You’re guaranteed to get a good sweat going with one of our trainers kicking your butt…
- Do circuits with a friend. You can do them together OR you can coach each other through them. If you pick a 10 minute circuit, get one person to do it while the other person cheers for them and paces them through the workout. Once done, switch roles. It will only take 20 minutes total and it’s like having a free personal trainer. OR if you’re both competitive, make little competitions. Say ‘OK 1 minute on the clock, let’s see who can do the most wall balls. OK, now burpees. Now thrusters. And now rowing.’
- Get a dog! This might be a big one, but if you’re thinking about it, just do it. It was one of the best choices we made. The dog FORCES you to walk, every single day. Multiple times. Sure it’s a pain to get started, but once you’re out walking, you feel so good and how awesome is it to see your dog happy and running around. You WON’T regret it.
Good luck! Feel free to comment if any of these strategies worked for you!
Katy