Half hour on the stationary bike today, hope this gets easier
So, I recently positioned my stationary bike in front of the TV so I can watch the news and stuff while i exercise. It wasn't too bad for the first 15 minutes, but after that I found myself bored.
Anybody else have that problem? That's pretty much why I have a hard time doing well at the gym, I get bored. It's like every minute takes an hour.
I hated my stationary bike. It bored the heck out of me too. I started walking instead. If I had a friend, or music, it was fun. There was scenery and my mind would wander. I used to walk past these college people's house, and every monday I'd try to guess what weird stuff from their latest party I'd find in the front yard before I got there.
If you HAVE to ride your stationary bike, try watching game shows. Those always made the time go by faster for me. But really, if the exercise you're doing is boring you, find something different.
Last edited by oodlesofnoodles; 06-03-2010 at 10:37 PM.
I would agree that riding the stationary bike can get boring, but I wouldn't discourage its use. There is no impact and lots of convenience, and it will contribute greatly to your fitness.
I personally have a television with DVD player available and watch action movies while riding it. Have also listened to music, but that is not as effective a distraction.
I personally like taking the classes at the gym I attend. Because I just like you get bored. Ive been working out for the past year. Im sure most of the reason I havent stopped going to the gym is because I love group workouts.
I agree with Matilda. Try a spin class at the gym. Find a popular one if you can which means it's a good instructor.
I wouldn't last 2 minutes on a regular stationary bike, but absolutely love the classes - huge, huge difference, for some reason.
Yes, when I'm on the stationary bike, I feel like I'm doing time as punishment for something. That said, I get a really good workout from it.
It doesn't get a lot of respect at the gym -- it's just a warmup station for many. My main issue with it is that it's not as wonderfully adjustable as a spin bike. For the stationary bikes I've used, you can make the seat go up & down but that's about it. And the proper fit on a bike makes a big difference in how long you can comfortably peddle on it.
It's worked well for me when I've had a foot injury & have not been able to put my full body weight on my feet, as you have to do even for an elliptical or arc trainer -- though those are said to be easier on your knees, they're not easier on your feet.
It also helps if I'm in a particular state of mind, if I'm really tense & preoccupied & have a lot to think about & a lot of tension to work off. And also it's absolutely necessary for me to have excellent music plugged into my ears. And if there's a screen with moving images on it. I don't need to follow a program but the visual stimulation of pictures flickering by helps. (I find that I shut my eyes or look down for long periods so I'm not really following them anyway.)
thanks for all the input. I'm starting with the bike at home to just get in the habit of daily exercise.
It's not that the bike itself is what has bored me in the past, its exercise in general, I think it's because of all the other stuff i could/should be doing, my mind races.
That being said, I'll try putting on a movie and see how it goes. I imagine that when i start to see positive results I'll be more motivated and it won't be such a struggle.
When I first started exercising, I would get anxious and panicky after about 30 seconds, and couldn't go more than five minutes at a time: I have no idea why. I do know it got much, much better over time as I slowly (VERY slowly, but steadily) increased my time. I'm up to 90-120 minutes a day now, and it feels like less of a burden than those 5 minute bursts did then.
Just do what you can and keep doing it. If you are so bored you can't stand it, get off, wander around, do something, and then come back and finish. It's better to do it all in one piece, but it's still good to do it at all, and your mental space will improve with time.
I really like podcasts and books on my iPod to make time pass. I don't concentrate as well on TV shows for some reason, but someone reading to me or telling me a story (I love This American Life, and it's a free podcast) works well for me.
Good tunes are also nice for when I run. Keep at it. Persistence and consistency are key in this stage, and eventually you'll get cranky if you don't exercise. Good Luck!
Half hour on the stationary bike today, hope this gets easier
