You put on your workout clothes, head to the WoodPEC, finally make it up the mountain of stairs, and turn to the cardio machines. It looks all too familiar: the skinny hallway with the endless line of ellipticals on one side and the daunting treadmills on the other. You think to yourself about today’s plan: 40-minutes on the elliptical or the 2.5-mile run on the treadmill? In reality you have done both so many times you are about ready to give up on the gym all together.
Here is a better option for you: mix up your cardio! This will keep your workouts exciting and make you more likely to hit the gym. Here are a few ways how.
Do Intervals on the Treadmill:
Warm up by walking for 3 minutes, sprint for 2 minutes, jog for 1 minute, and then walk for 2-3 minutes. Repeat this as many times as you like. You can work harder by adjusting the incline, and trust me it makes a huge difference. Try this workout for about 40 minutes worth of intervals. It might start out not feeling too hard, but by the end you will work up an amazing sweat. Plus, you burn even more calories after you run when you do intervals, so this is a great option for quick weight loss!
Change up Machines:
Run for 5 minutes on the treadmill, go on the elliptical for 5 minutes, and then use the stationary bike for 5 minutes. Repeat 3-4 times. This workout prevents you from getting bored with any one machine and forces you to really push yourself at each one because you know you are only there for 5 minutes.
Work the Elliptical:
Instead of staying in a small incline range for your entire workout, change it up. Go for 3 minutes at a low incline, 3 minutes at a medium incline, and then for 3 minutes at an extremely high incline. At the low incline move really fast, and then at the higher inclines go slower and really focus on your muscle movement. Do this for 30-45 minutes and it will definitely amp up your normal elliptical workout.
Add a Run to the End of your Elliptical Workout:
Instead of just going on the elliptical and leaving, run your heart out for 5 minutes after. Seriously, don’t underestimate the power of a 5-minute full-blown sprint. It leaves you incredibly sweaty, but feeling like you got a great workout. You also end up burning up almost 100 more calories!
Run Outside:
Lullwater is a beautiful park that is basically on Emory’s campus, so you might as well take advantage of it. The fresh air and scenery leaves you feeling relaxed and can be a great way to clear your head. Outdoor runs are great after a night out when the thought of pounding treadmills only makes your head spin more. Try running at a more relaxed pace, but for a longer time then you would at the gym.
Try a Spin Class:
Emory offers a ton of spin classes throughout the week that are just waiting for you to go to them. They are an amazing way to get an hour of cardio in, and they go by so fast you will not believe you just worked out for a whole 60 minutes when you’re finished. For one thing, you are listening to someone else’s play list, which is great for when you are completely over your own. Also, the mixture of hills and sprints keeps you focused on your own rhythm and less on the time.
Feeling motivated much? Grab your sneakers and hit the gym; it’s a whole new expereince when you mix up your moves. Happy sweating!