Ultimate Health Report

September is AFib Awareness Month, and at Fitbit, we’re helping you to learn more through content that focuses on all things heart health throughout the month. Click here for more blog posts in the series.

The treadmill is a great way to get a heart-pumping workout—and log your Active Zone Minutes for the day! But sometimes, logging miles on the treadmill can get a little…well, boring.

Not to worry: The treadmill is far from the only way to get the heart-boosting workout you need to support your heart health. If you’re feeling bored with the treadmill, let’s take a look at a few heart healthy alternative workouts to try instead.

Other cardio equipment

If you have access to a gym, all you need to do to kick that treadmill-related boredom to the curb and get a heart-healthy workout? Hop on a different piece of cardio equipment.

Most gyms are equipped with a huge variety of cardio machines, from rowers to stair climbers, ellipticals to stationary bikes, all of which will get your heart pumping. But it’s easy to fall into a pattern of using the same piece of equipment repeatedly—and when that happens, it’s easy to get bored. So, next time you find yourself dreading your normal workout—say, on the treadmill—try reinvigorating your gym time by trying out a new piece of cardio equipment.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) class

If it’s the solo aspect of treadmill workouts that makes you feel less enthusiastic, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) class can be the perfect way to get in your heart-healthy workout. Not only are HIIT classes a great way to get your heart pumping, but working out with other people can feel more social, energizing, and exciting than running solo on the treadmill (even while wearing a mask and socially distanced in class). Plus, because HIIT classes are all about intervals, you’ll constantly be moving from exercise to exercise.

Running outdoors

Just because you’re tired of the treadmill doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re tired of running. So, if you want to continue with your run training—with a change of scenery? Just head outside.

Thanks to the varying scenery and terrain, many runners find running outdoors more stimulating than treadmill runs. So next time you find yourself feeling bored at the gym? Try lacing up your shoes and hitting the pavement.

Need a little inspiration for your outdoor run? As part of your Fitbit Premium subscription, you get access to a variety of workouts—including outdoor run workouts, like Get Running!, a 20-minute endurance run, or Mix It Up On Your Outdoor Run, a 35-minute workout that will have you hitting the streets at walking, jogging, and running pace. Just pop in your headphones, tune into the audio, and hit the ground running!

Strength training

If you’re looking for a heart-healthy workout, cardio isn’t your only option. Depending on your body composition, strength training (like lifting weights or doing body weight exercises) can have just as many heart-boosting benefits as logging miles on the treadmill.

According to John Hopkins Medicine, strength/resistance training can help to reduce fat and create leaner muscle mass—which, for people who carry excess fat (particularly around the belly), can help lower the risk for heart disease.

New to resistance training and not sure where to start? Fitbit Premium has plenty of resistance-focused workouts (like the 15-Minute Full-Body Strength Training, Chiseled Arms & Thighs, or Dumbbell Pump) to help you get into a strength routine—and support your heart health in the process.

Make the treadmill exciting again

You might go through phases where you’re tired of the treadmill—but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great way to get in a heart-healthy workout! When you’re ready to get back on the treadmill, here are a few tips to make things a little more interesting—and keep you more engaged with your workout:

• Add an entertainment incentive. Need to catch up on your Netflix show or your favorite series? Watch while walking on the treadmill. Not only will it make your treadmill workouts more entertaining, but it also transforms a typically sedentary activity (watching TV) into an active one. It’s a win-win!
• Mix things up. Walking or running at the same speed can get boring, quick. If you want to jazz up your treadmill routine, mix things up! Try experimenting with different speeds, inclines, intervals…have fun with it!

Add an audio workout. Sometimes, a little guidance is all you need to reengage with your treadmill workouts. As mentioned, Fitbit Premium offers a variety of audio workouts to help with your fitness routine—including treadmill workout. Try Mix It Up on the Treadmill, a 35-minute circuit that will take you through walking, jogging, and running, breaking you out of your same old treadmill routine (and delivering an anything-but-boring workout!).