FitSugar

6 Ways to Beat Boredom on the Track

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 04:22:56 PDT

Now that school is officially out, the track at your local middle or high school is probably available for your running pleasure. Whether running around a track is new to you or a place you've always worked out, the monotony can be very calming and meditative, but it can also be extremely boring. I know it's not the most exciting place to get your run on, but since it's also not the most popular place, you can try these creative ways to beat boredom without worrying about other people giving you strange looks.

Do interval training without having to think by sprinting the straights and walking the curves.
Work on becoming a faster runner with speed training. Do this by timing yourself while running three laps. Each lap you run, try to beat your previous time.
Practice negative splits. Run a mile by running the first two laps at a slower than normal pace and then speed it up for the last two laps by running slightly faster than your normal pace.
Strength train on the move. Do walking forward lunges on the straights and walking side squats on the curves. Be sure to switch directions on the curves so you're leading with the left foot first and the right foot the second time around the curve.
Time your mile. See how fast you can run around the track four times and use this as a point of reference. Repeat every month or so, trying to shave off a few seconds every time.
Vary your steps. Since the terrain of a track is flat and predictable, you can safely practice varying your steps while running to prevent repetitive stress injuries. Here are some ideas: take baby steps, lengthen your stride and take giant steps, lift your knees high up to your chest with each step, zigzag, run sideways, or run backward.

10 Ways to Pass the Time on Cardio Machines

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:52:00 PDT

If you can't get outside for a run or bike ride, using a cardio machine is a wonderful alternative. Since the weather is always perfect indoors, you never have an excuse not to work out. It can be agonizingly boring though, so here are some suggestions from FitSugar readers to help beat the boredom and make your cardio machine time more enjoyable.

Kimpossible and laellavita suggest doing interval training. Switch between moderate running and sprinting to keep your mind busy. This is also my favorite way to work out on a cardio machine.
You can also do intervals with the incline, as suggested by syako. Pump up the incline for a few minutes, then lower it for a few minutes.
FitSugar reader tangentlines suggests reading big novels to pass the time, but if you don't like flipping pages, shiningeyes suggests listening to audiobooks.

To hear the other great ideas,

Listen to music on iPods or MP3 players. If you like more of a mix, there's a Pandora application on the iPhone that kyui707 recommends. It creates a music station for you based on music you like, and since you never know what's coming next, it's a great way to get you moving.
If you're bored with music, KMattes recommends listening to podcasts. You can download them from iTunes on just about any topic from wedding planning to cooking to fitness.
If you like watching TV, littlekaren suggests hitting the gym during times when your favorite shows are on. If you have a machine at home, kris0bot says to DVR TV shows and save them for when you exercise.
If there's a shelf on your machine, kakyke recommends watching TV episodes, like Grey's Anatomy or Lost, online on your laptop. Or you can watch movies.
If you're working hard and really pushing yourself, misskacie says it doesn't allow her the comfort to get bored. So pump up the intensity level.
Work out with a friend - mek123 says talking makes the time go by quickly.
Many readers such as darc5204 recommend daydreaming or deep thinking while on a cardio machine. You can distract yourself by working through a problem or making plans.

Source

Your Top 10 Ways to Exercise

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:50:00 PDT

A few weeks ago I asked you guys to tell me what your favorite ways to exercise are, and you all gave me some great responses - I'm even motivated to do a little more dancing and dust off the old Rollerblades.

After tallying up all the votes, I've narrowed down the most popular activities. So for the most desirable ways to exercise, just

Here are your top ways to get moving:

Running tied with swimming
Walking tied with yoga
Dancing
Weightlifting
Hiking
Pilates tied with biking
Elliptical tied with kickboxing
Inline skating tied with Wii Fit
Tennis tied with rock climbing
Golf

Agree with the top 10? Does your favorite fall on the list? Share your thoughts below.

Source

Beat Treadmill Boredom: Compete With Yourself

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 17:45:00 PDT

A lot of people tell me that they just cannot run on the treadmill because it's just too dang boring - plain old running at 6.0 mph for 40 minutes. To that I say, no kidding. I couldn't agree more.

This is why you need to try and beat the boredom by switching it up. My current favorite way to keep motivated is by competing with myself on the days when I feel like I could not possibly run over ten minutes on the treadmill.

I'll tell myself in the beginning, "OK, I'm going to run for 20 minutes." When 20 minutes comes along, I say, "OK, I bet you can't go five more minutes." When just five more minutes passes, I say, "You are going to be so proud of yourself if you go just five more minutes." Then I'll say, "OK, run as fast as you can for five more minutes and you'll feel amazing."

Breaking it up mentally really helps me make it through and I am always proud of myself for making it way past 20 minutes. So find ways to compete with yourself. If you have any suggestions for everyone, share the ways you compete with yourself in the comments section below.

Source

10 Places to Meet Your Future Geeky Boyfriend

GeekSugar — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:02:36 PDT

Here's a question every geeky gal wants answered: "Where can I meet a single geek?" For all the single ladies out there, here are 10 possible places to uncover scores of single geeks.

By the way, leave your other tech-related questions on our Facebook page, in the comments, or in our Ask a Geek Girl group.

Neighborhood coffee shops - Bring a book or your laptop and hang out at an independent coffee shop several times a week. You're more likely to see regulars (aka good-looking geeks) at local joints than you would at a chain. For an easy opener, ask if you can share the table, then spark up a conversation.
Night classes - Whether it's a dance lesson, coding class, or novel-writing seminar, classes are a great place to meet a future brainy mate. Pounce on the opportunity to partner up with the cute geek in the room, whether it's to complete a project, study, or edit each other's work.

See the rest of the list when you read more.

Make Your Workout Count: 5 Ways to Feel the Burn

Leta Shy — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:01:58 PDT

Pushing yourself during a workout can help you see results faster as well as make you that much stronger. Make sure your muscles feel the burn while you exercise with these tips.

Fuel up correctly: If you are prepping for an intense workout, make sure you fuel up properly beforehand. Eating too much or too little (or the wrong things) can lead to feeling sluggish and crampy before you're even halfway through your workout. Instead of setting yourself up for an abbreviated gym session, read these tips on finding the right pre-workout foods to help set yourself up for a good workout.

Up the intensity: At least some of your workouts should include high-intensity training - not only does it help you burn calories faster, but it also challenges your body to perform better in the long run. If you need some inspiration, try this tabata video workout or these intense cardio ideas for those who hate the treadmill.

Keep reading for more ways to feel the burn.

Olympic Hopeful Jessica Hardy Shares Her Tips to Beat Workout Boredom

espnW — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 04:06:56 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Jessica Hardy

Jessica Hardy knew she wanted to be an Olympic swimmer at age 5, when her mom started taking her to the neighborhood pool in Long Beach, Calif. Now, more than 20 years later, she's a three-time world champion and a world record holder in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. Her next goal? Olympic gold in London.

Jessica will be blogging for espnW in the lead-up to this summer's London Olympics. Follow her journey on espnW.com and read her full blog entry here.

How I Fend Off Workout Boredom

1. Hit Instant Replay. When I need motivation at practice, I just picture my competitors inching past me from the side of my goggles. That mental image is enough to drive me.

A Bright Idea

2. Sing It, Sister. The last song I hear on the radio in my car before heading into practice always gets stuck in my head. I end up singing it the whole time, and you know what, it keeps me entertained - though my teammates don't always feel the same way.

Playing Hard Ball

3. Go into Detail. During a tough part of practice, I focus on technique with each stroke rather than when on earth the set is going to end. That little trick helps me get through it.

Keep reading for more boredom-busting tips.

Stay Nimble Like Katniss Everdeen With This Combat and Agility Workout

Susi May — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:12:15 PDT

Train to survive anything life throws your way with this workout inspired by Katniss Everdeen's skills in The Hunger Games. This obstacle course works your body like circuit training, but is much, much more exciting. Aside from beating workout boredom, working the agility ladder and hurdles will teach you to be agile and catlike, and honing your archery skills will just make you feel badass.

Don't Hate Running: 7 Ways to Beat Boredom

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:30:45 PDT

You have a love/hate relationship with running, but lately it's more on the hate side - repetition is breeding some serious ennui. If boredom is standing between you and a good run, here are some ways to spice up the affair so you're psyched to lace up your sneaks.

Save your beloved tunes: You know how pumped you get when listening to a new song or your favorite CD? That's the kind of excitement you want on your runs, so have a list of favorite tunes or new ones that you reserve strictly for running playlists. The only way you can listen to them is if your feet are a-runnin'.
Run a new route each time: If you're an outdoorsy runner, finding the perfect three-mile loop can be tough, so when you do, it's tempting to stick to it. Looking at the same houses and trees all the time is boring? Mix up your routes each time you run, or run your route backwards.
Download an audiobook: Keep your attention with a captivating plot or saucy characters by listening to a novel while pounding the pavement. You'll be so distracted with who's zooming who, you won't want to stop running.

Keep reading for more tips on how to beat boredom when running.

4 Reasons to Cross Train, and How to Do It

Leta Shy — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:21:17 PST

Maybe you love to swim but hate lifting weights, or maybe you'd never step foot in one of your gym's fitness classes because you'd rather be on the treadmill. We all have our favorite ways to exercise, but sticking to the same workout can lead to unwanted consequences, especially overuse injuries. Here are four reasons to cross train and what type of cross training you should be doing.

You'll learn a new skill: You'll never know how good you are at something else until you try it out. You may find that you're a fan of Zumba or finally understand why everyone loves yoga once you expand your horizons.
You'll beat boredom: As much as you love your sport of choice, workouts can get tedious if you rarely do anything else. Instead of sticking to your normal five-days-a-week run, add a few strength-training or stretching moves to keep your workout routine full of variety.
You'll balance out your body: One of the most important reasons to vary your workouts is to ensure that you give all your muscles the attention they need so that your body stays balanced. An overdeveloped set of muscles can lead to injury since the stronger parts of your body will be overcompensating for the weaker parts.
You'll have more endurance and speed: Making your body stronger overall is a good way to ensure that you'll perform better at your first exercise love. Not only will your body be balanced, but you'll be strengthening your muscles overall as well.

Ready to add some variety to your workout? Read on for some cross-training ideas for runners, swimmers, and cyclists.