A common concern for anyone who doesn’t like exercising outside or is forced inside due to weather, is that it’s really boring. For some people, interactive sites like Zwift or TrainerRoad are the ticket. Many people watch TV. However, if you are a cord cutter like me, don’t have a cable hookup in your house where you workout, or want to access good content when at the gym, then streaming services are a great option.

TV & Movies

For TV and movies, I personally am a big fan of Amazon Prime and Netflix. I don’t really keep up with a lot of current shows, so I just catch them when they come to one of these services. However, I have a bunch of friends who love to use HBO and Showtime. I know some people who will get ESPN (which you can live stream a lot for free) or other sports networks as well, if that’s your jam. 

Music

For music, I am a big fan of Apple Music, Spotify and Prime Music. I actually have all three, as they excel differently depending on what I am looking to listen to. For example, nobody has the library Apple has, especially for non-US artists. Therefore, for my personalized lists, I use Apple Music. If I am looking for workout-specific playlists, like high tempo for interval training, Spotify is best at this. If I just want a good random playlist though, Prime Music seems to be the winner here. Again, this is personal preference here, but this has been my experience from talking with other people as well.

Other Options

If TV, movies and music don’t work for you, but you still need a distraction, the only other solution I know are audio books and podcasts. Podcasts are free and there are almost an unlimited amount of content options. Just download or open your Podcast app on your mobile device, search and download. For Audio Books, a few people I know, including my wife, rave about Audible. You can also get them from Apple’s store and other sites, but usually they are a bit more expensive. If you still have one of those ancient devices called a CD-player or “Discman”, then you can always head over to your public library and take out an audio book. I have seen some people at the gym reading books, magazines and the newspaper, but those forms are more conducive for low intensity workouts, as any jostling kind of defeats the purpose.

As winter approaches for many, I hope this helps are you with ideas to get through those long indoor workouts. If you have other suggestions, feel free to comment.