Fun Cardio Workouts

Loving cardio workouts? Does that sound like a joke? Do you know why most people never attain high fitness levels, or lose it once they've managed to get there? They don't love the process, the lifestyle. They just do the cardio to get it over with, viewing it as necessary evil. They eek by with as little as possible and dread it.

So, here's a question for you: Can you keep doing something you despise for the rest of your life? Would you even want to? I know I wouldn't.

See, the expletive in this article should be "FUN."

The old adage still holds true; find something you love to do, or it'll never stick. When you can do that, it ceases to be a battle of willpower. It will not be a struggle. Do you have to force yourself to hang out with your friends? Of course not, because you love to do it. What about surfing on the internet or winning some cash? Would that be drudgery to you? If you love something, you naturally gravitate towards it. It easily becomes integrated into your life. AND YOU LIKE IT. Isn't that what we want for exercise program? To love it for life?

I struggled for years with weight fluctuation. I'd pound out the cardio, just swallowing it down only for the results. Inevitably, I'd tire of it, and quit. And the pounds would come right back on. It wasn't until I, quite accidentally, stumbled upon an activity that wooed me, that I effectively wove fitness into my life. Permanently.

For me, it's running. For my husband, it's baseball. For you, it may be biking, or gymnastics, or chasing chickens on the farm. It doesn't matter. But, when you find something you love, you'll know it by the incredible momentum you have with your routine. You'll wake up charging like a rhino to do your cardio workouts. In fact, it'll take force to STOP you from doing your cardio.

Okay, now let's assume we all have our favorite activity that we get in at least 3-5 times a week. Just because of the nature of humans, we can tend to get lazy or stuck in a rut. Boredom is a common enemy to progress and we all have to be prepared for battle. Plus, if you don't spice things up, the flame of desire for your choice cardio will be endangered. Here are some ways I've used to make cardio workouts fun and to take it the next level.

Add Power
Regardless of your cardio flavor, there's always room for power to boost your fitness results. For example, if I run moderately for 4 miles, I can add a short spirit in between each one. Or, I could stop after each song ends, and do a few pushups or plyometrics. Or, I could run faster than normal for the entire run. Adding power takes little time and keeps you growing.

Love Your Enemy
Even though you love your cardio workouts, there will likely be an aspect of them that your not very fond of. If you're a biker, you may hate big hills. If you love racquetball, maybe you don't like all the backwards maneuverings. So, how to solve this? Tackle it head on. Find your weak area, and become determined to make it a strong point. Spend portions of your cardio workout doing nothing but biking up hills or running backwards. You'll surprise yourself at how empowered you'll feel.

Do it Differently
Find a way to change a variable in your cardio workouts to breathe new life into it. You could change the setting (like swim in open water instead of your normal pool swim, or mountain bike instead of road bike.) You could change the company you're with (ask a new friend to come with you, or join a club.) You can even change the whole style of your cardio (try track sprints instead of long runs.) You'll become a better athlete and stay on top of your game.

Add an Element
Add something totally new to your cardio routine. How about a different music style? A new trainer? I added a weighted vest during some of my runs. A friend of mine added swimming to her bikes and runs to try triathlon. Don't be afraid to branch out. You just might find another sport that floats your boat.

Enter a Challenge
Find a specific challenge that'll force you to focus your efforts and add accountability. A race, a competition, a personal record challenge - anything that has a deadline and pushes you to excel. Because really, what's life without the ebb and flow of facing new challenges and continually pushing through your boundaries, reaching new heights of success?

Fun cardio is not an oxymoron. Unless you embrace exercise as a natural part of life, just like eating, sleeping, and brushing your teeth; wholeness and health will elude you. and that awesome physique won't last long. let's put a stop to human homeostatis and take part in conscious evolvement, for better bodies and better lives.

   

Coming soon

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