Beat Workout Boredom

Done Spinning My Wheels (and Not Going Anywhere)

Instant replay: Whether you take a studio cycling class or pedal on a stationary bike, bring your mind (and the motivation) back into your workout, says Spinning instructor Karen Dubs of Maryland Athletic Club & Wellness Center in Baltimore. Set a positive intention before each biking session that answers the question, "How do I want to feel?" "Wishing for Beyonce's legs just isn't going to give you the motivation you need. Think, 'I want to be energized' instead," Dubs says. The uplifting mental push will help you work harder from the inside (straight from the core) out. Each time your instructor lowers the intensity (to where you're working at about half your maximum effort), repeat your energy-up mantra over and over in your head until the pace accelerates again.

Solo cyclers: Create a 30-minute playlist of your favorite high-energy hits, then change the way you ride with every song -- crank up the resistance, stand up and cycle, pedal faster, etc. The new tunes and techniques will help keep things fresh.

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Gear shift: Stuck at home with your stationary bike? Pop in an On the Road DVD ($35, spinervals.com) and cruise through the Adirondacks or do a triathlon-distance ride around Madison, Wisconsin -- all without leaving your living room.