There will likely be many times during your training that your run or ride will be done indoors on a treadmill, stationary bike or bike trainer. These indoor training sessions can be daunting and monotonous. Sometimes you just need a good show to binge. To help you along your indoor training entertainment journey, we have compiled a list of our top 10 shows to watch while working out.
Let’s get started, in no particular order because it’s impossible to pick one over the other.
1. The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
The Handmaid’s Tale is one of the most twisted, unnerving series ever made. In order to preserve absolute control of society, innocent women, all formerly diverse American citizens, are forced to become “handmaids” with the sole purpose of reproducing children against their will. The thought-provoking subject matter will literally have you on the edge of your bike seat. There are few television shows that are so intelligent, yet easily digestible. The acting and writing is exceptional, having amassed 17 Primetime Emmys since the series started in 2017. This show has the ability to make you want to tack on an extra mile or two, just so you can see what is going to happen next.
2. Man in the Arena (ESPN+)
Narrated by “the man” himself, Man in the Arena takes an in-depth and personal look into each of Tom Brady’s ten Super Bowl appearances. Brady has been to more Super Bowls (10), has won more Super Bowls (seven) and has been MVP of the game (five) more than any other player in NFL history. Each episode focuses on a single Super Bowl, taking the viewer on the season-long journey to the big game through Brady’s eyes. Exclusive interviews with many of his former teammates and family gives us a glimpse into the life of the beloved quarterback. Watching Brady’s illustrious career play out on your screen while clocking those miles will most definitely pump you up.
3. Ozark (Netflix)
Once you start watching Ozark, you will binge every single episode. It’s that good. Jason Bateman plays a financial adviser that has to relocate his wife, played by Laura Linney, and kids from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder millions of dollars to satisfy a Mexican drug cartel. The outstanding cast make this series easily one of the most watchable shows ever, with its intelligent writing and directing and frequent “did that just happen?!” moments. The series has received a total of 32 Primetime Emmy nominations and rightfully so. The fourth and final season just dropped on Netflix.
4. Cheer (Netflix)
After the release of its first season in 2020, this engrossing docuseries has certainly stirred up some major controversy, while also becoming one of the biggest phenomenons in recent Netflix history. Cheer follows the Navarro College competitive cheer team as they work towards winning a National title. Viewers are taken into a world most don’t even know exists; before we know it, we have become cheerleading experts, yelling at our screens when an athlete doesn’t stick their stunt. The series does an incredible job of showcasing the athletes and coaches, and let’s be honest, the endless drama that is competitive college cheerleading. The athleticism and perseverance of the cheerleaders, alongside the competitive and determined personalities of their coaches, make this series an unstoppable watch.
5. You (Netflix)
A psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your bike seat. You follows a dangerously obsessive – and undeniably charming – young man as he goes to extreme measures to become part of the lives of the women he becomes infatuated with. The writing is intelligent and the acting is superb. You’ll be sucked into the web of manipulation that is this show in no time.
6. Schitt’s Creek (Netflix)
Originally a Canadian sitcom created by the talented father-son duo, Eugene and Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek follows the journey of the formerly wealthy Rose family when they find themselves dead broke. The family is forced to move into a rundown motel in small town Schitt’s Creek. The eclectic characters, genius writing and superb acting, make each half-hour episode so much fun to watch. One of the most clever, witty and hilarious shows since Friends, Schitt’s Creek will not disappoint.
7. Yellowstone (Peacock and Paramount Network)
Yellowstone is a contemporary Western about the Dutton family, the land they stole 150 years ago, their incessant fight to ward off greedy developers and the Native Americans who fully intend to take the land back. Each episode feels like a one-hour mini movie with its stunning cinematography, sometimes graphic violence and excellent acting. Yellowstone is wildly entertaining and guaranteed to keep your mind off of the hamster wheel that is your treadmill.
8. The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Released in October 2020, this coming-of-age series became Netflix’s most-watched scripted miniseries in just four weeks and for very good reason. The Queen’s Gambit follows the life of orphan chess prodigy, Elizabeth Harmon, during her pursuit to become an elite chess player. You don’t need to know a single thing about the game of chess to fall in love with this series. This show is the perfect combination of excitement, suspense and emotion that will have you strategizing your chess moves while logging your miles.
9. Squid Game (Netflix)
This South Korean survival drama is Netflix’s most-watched show ever racking up 1.65 billion viewing hours in its first month. The series follows a contest in which 456 players, all in deep financial debt, risk their lives to play a series of deadly children’s games for a chance to win a huge cash prize. Squid Game is brutally violent and you may have to watch through your fingers, but somehow through all the gore, there is hope. The sets are wildly colorful and vivid and although the cast is large, the storylines are fairly simple and straightforward. Be warned, the violence is intense but the characters’ desire to survive is what makes the series so powerful. One thing that is for sure, you will not be sorry you chose Squid Game for your long training ride.
10. Queer Eye, More than a Makeover (Netflix)
There are few people who wouldn’t benefit from watching even just one episode of this feel-good show. Queer Eye is so much more than a makeover reality show. You will laugh, you will cry, you will learn a thing or two about self care and you most definitely will be entertained. The Netflix series (six seasons) features the “Fab Five” who spend a week helping a deserving person (the “hero”) improve their life. Each story is more inspiring than the next. The nine-time Emmy Award winning show is known for its powerful representation of the LGBTQ community and people of color. You’ll feel the acceptance, love and inclusivity pouring through the screen.