Cross Training To Prevent Boredom
The author at the top of the Mouse Branch Trail, looking down onto Lake Fontana. Tsali Recreation Area - Bryson City, North Carolina.
Are you getting bored with your current workout routine? There are various ways you can change out your workout routine to help prevent boredom. Try varying the length of your workout, or the time of day you normally workout. Doing the same workout over and over again, can eventually lead to boredom. And your body won’t be challenged if you keep doing the same workout.
Cross Train for Fun
My husband and I try to cross train to prevent boredom from taking over with all the cycling we do. Lifting weights, taking a class at the gym or participating in a sport you’ve never tried before, are all ways to cross train and keep your workout routines interesting.
Spinning Class
Just about every Tuesday night, my husband and I participate in a spinning class at a local gym. It gives us a chance to workout together, we get to see new faces in every class and it is a fantastic workout. A few months ago I started lifting weights to increase my upper body strength. Bikers are notorious for having whimpy bodies, and now that I have started running, I’m really afraid I’ll end up with a chicken bone upper body.
Weight Lifting
Two years ago, my husband purchased a set of adjustable weight dumbbells at Christmas. Each dumbbell can be adjusted from between 5 and 50 pounds. Don’t ask me which end of the weight range I’m at, because I will lie. Unlike my husband, and 17 year old son, I’m not trying to bulk up. I would just like my upper arms to be less jiggly. It must be working since more than a few of my friends have commented on how great my arms are looking. I still think my triceps are a bit jiggly, but have been known to show off my “guns”, AKA biceps, in public on more than one occasion.
Having a strong upper body is helpful in cycling, especially when riding up steep hills, when you have to get out of the saddle to really push yourself over the hill. Okay, I live in south Florida, we don’t have any hills, but we do have some KILLER drawbridges.
Walking and Talking
Walking is another terrific way to get in a workout and prevent boredom. Walking is much kinder to my old knees than running, but I can’t imagine trying to walk a full marathon, so I’ll continue to do a bit of running too. Walking is also a great exercise to do with your children and dogs. My dogs can happily walk the perimeter of our neighborhood, which is around 1 mile in length. The few times I tried to jog with them, they practically passed out before we even got to the end of the first street.
And walking is also great if you are working out with a friend and want to be able to talk to them. I have exercise induced asthma, so at times I sound like Darth Vader’s wife when I go running. But I am actually able to hold a conversation, without too much heavy breathing, while I walk.
Hiking in the Mountains
I used to love to go hiking when I lived in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. We purchased land in western North Carolina a few years ago. At some point we would like to build a house on the land, which is at 3,500 feet, and move to North Carolina. I love hiking in and around the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains whenever we go visit the land. Hiking is not as much fun in Florida.
A smile from the author, and her husband, while mountain biking. This was taken in the parking lot, before I pushed my bike 9 miles along the Mouse Branch Trail.
Hike a Bike
Before I became a hardcore road biker, I used to be a mountain biker. I was never a very good mountain biker. I seemed to spend more time walking the trails, than I did riding them. I’m not very coordinated, so trying to bike while rock jumping and log hopping was just about impossible. I called my attempts at mountain biking hike-a-bike or mountain WALKING. But it sure was a good, if not too relaxing workout.
The picture at the top of this post was taken two years ago. My husband and I were riding the Mouse Branch Trail at Tsali Recreation Area in Bryson City, North Carolina. It sure was pretty, but I spent most of the time walking, and cursing under my breath. Guess I’ll stick to road biking.
Swimming Anyone?
We have a swimming pool at our house. I suppose most people would use the pool to go swimming, another great cross training exercise routine. But I have no delusions of competing in the Hawaiian Ironman, so I will leave swimming to all the triathletes out there.
Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva
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