Exercise is Boring

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I want to get more exercise, but I don't go out and do it because I get so terribly BORED. I like to have my mind stimulated almost constantly throughout the day; I spend all day reading, writing, doing puzzles, and studying, and I have to force myself to stop even to do chores. Since there's nothing intellectually stimulating about exercising, I can't force myself to do it.

I was able to exercise without much of a problem when I had a gym membership, because I could at least watch the TVs in the gym, but now I'd have to go outdoors, and there's nothing interesting out there. My MP3 player broke, and so I wouldn't even have music or podcasts to occupy my mind. I like bike trails, but once I'm familiar I get bored with them; there's nothing new to look at or curiosity about where the trails lead.

There doesn't seem to be anything for me to do except wait until I have the money to afford a gym membership or some exercise equipment I can use at home while watching movies or something.

Hatha Yoga, Martial exercises, Tai Chi:
Correctly positioning your body requires concentration, and there isn't an opportunity to be bored if accuracy is your aim.

I hate gym type stuff so I tend towards outdoors sports including walking, hiking, biking, swimming, and cross-country skiing.

I do a lot of walking. It is boring--really can't escape it many days, but something that seems to help is keeping my time. From start to finish.

I've also taken 2 ideas I read about from survival stories of US soldiers.

First is to count. Count from 1-10, then begin again, not fast but as you breathe. And keep track of how many full counts you have to do from start to finish or for lesser distances.

Second is to look at a point ahead that feels comfortable--only in feet to a few yards away. Get to that point and then look to the next to repeat.

These were developed with the purpose of focusing mind to small goals and then reaching them.

These have helped me. I don't get so agitated. But yes, there are many times in a day/days generally I have trouble no matter what.

I do the gym thing, but for the 30 minutes of cardio I usually end up going in three or four different machines; I know where you're coming from.

Trekking could be an option for you, or walking outside the trails (don't know if that's allowed where you live). Also, audiobooks would require you to pay more attention to what you're listening than what you're seeing; perhaps that could help you move past the familiar scenery (once your mp3 works again, or if you have a cellphone).

You can do marching in place while watching a favorite TV show no equipment needed
If you want to do Pilates a mat would be nice to soften the floor but not a lot of equipment is actually needed because your body is the machine. I have some small weights and a body ball as well but starting out you don't need them. There are free youtube vids that will show you how to do Pilaties. Pilaties is like yoga but its more muscle building. Make sure you can do the moves safely and to have a day or two you do less.
Also your library might have fitness books, DVDS you can borrow.
Cleaning the house and gardening are also exercise

Look around the house for a treasure hunt and see if there is anything you might use
water bottles for hydration, small weights, extra. You might have something to help and not realize .

How about walking around in search of specific plants or birds? See how many different types you can locate within walking distance.

@ there being nothing interesting outdoors!

I find gyms boring & the great outdoors fascinating. Nature, sights, sounds, animals, plants, water, rocks, scents, architecture of the city.. everything outdoors is awesome.

Maybe you just need to add an intellectually stimulating component to your outdoor workouts? Get a pedometer to track your steps, use an app/spreadsheet/journal to track your workouts.. keep count of your reps/sets, track them & monitor improvements towards your goals.

Or maybe you just need to keep trying new things until you find something you actually enjoy doing? Running, walking, hiking, biking, parkour, frisbee, golf, rock climbing, swimming, dog walking, dirt biking, kiteboarding, bmx, mountain biking, tree climbing, soccer, football, baseball, hockey, skateboarding, longboarding etc etc etc - there are virtually countless different things you could do outside for exercise. Just gotta find one or two that you vibe with and then get outside and have fun getting into shape instead of dreading exercise that you have to force yourself to do because it bores you.

I meant interesting in the area outside my apartment. It was interesting when I was new here, but not anymore, which is a problem because I want to exercise at least somewhat regularly.


I agree, but I don't have access to the great outdoors except for farmland, and even when I did have access, the same areas became boring after a while, just like the bike trail I use now. I don't have the means to go to new places.

So take up an interest in your own health and self improvement vs. the environment around you?

Focus on your breathing, heart rate, distance you walk/run/hike, strength, cardio etc.

Nothing wrong with farmland. I usually run the same 7km circuit around my neighbourhood, sometimes adding another 2km path. But there's also a blueberry farm a couple blocks away with a dyke around it that's great for running on when it's dry and the blackberry brambles are cut back. Even if it were a wheat field or something equally as "boring," there's nothing wrong with farmland for a place to stretch your legs & lungs.

And you say you live in an apartment building. Do you have access to a rooftop balcony? Those are fantastic places for a little yoga.

That's not realistic. I can't sustain attention on such simple things for thirty minutes to an hour.

Thinking about your post, however, I see that part of my problem is that I stay in good shape even when I don't exercise regularly. I do go through that farmland, there's a 8-10 mile bike trail. I only take it a couple of times a month, so I'm out of shape, yet it isn't physically difficult for me. When I was going to the gym, I could do cardio for hours without getting tired, even with the machines set to medium to high intensity. Last month, I had to cycle an even longer bike route on short notice, and it wasn't a problem, even with no breakfast in me. My base fitness level is good, so I was unconsciously thinking that I'd have to exercise for long periods of time (outside of heavy lifting) to see any benefit, and long periods of time is what leads to boredom.

I guess for now I could deal with cycling for thirty minutes every other day, but it seems like it wouldn't accomplish much, burning only 150 kcal, according to my calculator. Cycling is pretty much all I can do at this point. I have no money or access to team sports in my small town, I can barely swim, can't afford any exercise or other sports equipment, and running causes me back pain.

The fact your not winded or tired means you have high stamina
it doesn't mean you are not reaping benefit from the exercise it just means it takes you longer.
exercise doesn't have to hurt to be a good workout.


I make my exercise a game today I pretended I was a Superhero preparing for training
or pretend I am in an alternative universe.
I bought a few exer app games but like making up my own exercise game ideas.

Why can't you use exercise as thinking time?

That is an excellent question. The answer is that I don't have enough productive stuff to think about outside of reading, studying, and puzzles, or maybe I just can't stay focused on those productive thoughts. Left to my own devices, my mind very often turn towards unpleasant memories, anxiety, atrocities in the world, and awful stuff in general.

I guess maybe my problem isn't so much that exercise is boring as that I'm too psychologically messed up to cope without constant distraction. Maybe I should take up meditation or something before I try to start an exercise regimen.

Well I was going to say, listen to music while walking or whatever...but kinda hard with broken mp3 player I imagine. Is it possible to replace....or do you have a phone with a slot for an SD card? Or maybe you could bring something you like to do walk to a certain destination point and do whatever activity for a while and then walk back. Like if you like puzzles take a walk and set it up at a park or something, maybe observe the weather since that changes even if you're just revisiting the same landscape.


Also though if you like keeping busy and even have a hard time pulling yourself away from chores, keep in mind plenty of chores could be considered exercise. I myself don't have any specific excercise routine but I don't drive so I have to walk and take the bus places so I still get exercise in whenever I have to go somewhere.

Outside of group activities like volleyball, the only individual exercise I ever liked was bicycling.