Should I Switch Cardio Machines for Outdoor Cardio

by Christian Duque

Boredom has a sneaky way of creeping into even the best of workout plans. Once you start feeling bored or obligated to work out, your passion has become your ball & chain. Typically, weight training is seldom the issue; cardio, on the other hand, is less glamorous, more intense, & generally can get pretty stagnant quick.

The big follow-up question to this article’s title is this – are we talking about a competitor or someone looking to stay healthy. If we’re talking about the latter, then then the focus is on feeling good, keeping it interesting, and discovering new & fun ways to burn calories. The gym-goer that trains for leisure doesn’t even need to have the gym. There’s plenty of places around town that make for great options. Some rivers have workout stations along pedestrian & bike paths. Some folks may run at the beach and a get a daily swim. There is no better full-body workout than swimming – think about it. However, when we’re talking about competitive athletes – whether physique-based or not – cardio machines provide statistical information that the modern athlete requires. Gyms have made a movement out of bringing in more than just old magazines to peruse. Many clubs have lines of mounted televisions, art on the walls, and creative color schemes to even make the walls and the floor look anything but normal. The reality is, you’re still doing exercises in a closed off room and you’re not seeing the scenery you would if you were running down the beach or through your city’s downtown district.

The bad news is, if you’re an athlete on a set nutrition plan, set supplementation routine, then you have to do your cardio on a machine. You have to be able to manipulate the speed, incline/resistance, & you have to keep your eye on the time. Additionally, the highly innovative computers in these machines are even able to create workouts based on age, height, and weight. You simply can’t compare all these benefits to simply throwing on some running shoes and running down Main St.