Alternatives to running (that are free)

thankyou4thevenom

My knees are starting to hurt.

I am 37, 5ft 1, 172lbs. That means I'm roughly 50lbs overweight.

I run at least 3 times a week and have a daily step target of over 16,000. There'd be no point in lowering the step target as I walk around for my job and often do that and more. My closest gym is 2miles away. I don't drive and it'd take two buses and 45 mins to get there.
I'm on course to finish zombies 5k this week, so I will but recently my knees have been hurting. I'm looking for a free alternative to running to give my knees a rest until I'm lighter.

Any ideas?

TavistockToad

If your gym is 2 miles away, why not walk? It's be quicker than the bus!

thankyou4thevenom

I'm looking to rest my knees.

joolieb1

Cycling is low impact and a lot of fun too

jmule24

Do you have access to a treadmill? If so, set it to a moderate-to-higher incline with a brisk pace. It's arguablly more effective at burning calories, and will save your knees greatly!

TavistockToad

thankyou4thevenom wrote: »

I'm looking to rest my knees.

Do some bodyweight stuff at home

lporter229

Yoga
body weight exercises
power walking
climbing hills/hiking
walking stairs (like in a stadium or public steps)

yusaku02

Bike to the gym then swim. Or drive to a local lake and swim. I went swimming along the Minnesota/Canada border last week and I can't imagine anywhere in England has colder water than that.

snowflake930

Walking. It is free, and you can do it anywhere.
I walk a lot and have been consistently getting 18,000 to 20,000 steps per day, since Jan 2014. It was my New Years resolution.
I do use the gym daily, but at least 2/3 of my steps do not come from my gym visits. I work very long hours 11+ hours 5 days per week, plus Saturdays as necessary, and have a long commute (45 minutes one way) to work. Where there is will, there is a way. It is a priority in my life. I can do this because my daughter is grown and on her own, and my husband works 2pm to 10pm. I work 5am to 4:30pm. This would have been impossible when my daughter was growing up, and I sympathize with parents of young children, it can't be easy.
I have a fit bit and I know that the gym machines do not pick up all the steps, so my numbers are actually higher than my fit bit step count. I love my fit bit, I have had one for over 2 years. It is the single best motivator I have to get me to move more than I ever thought possible.

Being morbidly obese, I had really bad knees and could barely walk up a flight of stairs. After I had lost 90# I began walking. My knees had improved enough to make this possible. That was in October of 2012. I have never looked back. Now my resting HR is in the upper 40's. Not bad for a 63 year old woman. My knees aren't perfect, but the weight loss has really made a difference. Being a "normal" weight, makes a lot of things possible, and walking and hiking the hills around my house is my favorite form of exercise.

jgnatca

I've been collecting exercises to do at home. I've been strengthening my knees, too. My physiotherapist has me doing lots of squats.

https://www.pinterest.com/janetkarasz/fitness-at-home/

WhatMeRunning

I would not finish any running on knees that hurt. Rest them. You can finish after they feel better.

peaceout_aly

HULA HOOPING. No joke. I hoop for an hour or more every day and have seen major results from it.

SezxyStef

is it your weight or your shoes or the place you are running.

I started running this year and my knees were hurting and I am not over weight...tried new shoes...then a new location...it was the location.

I switched from side walk running to trail running...long straight flat soft trail.

jgnatca

peaceout_aly wrote: »

HULA HOOPING. No joke. I hoop for an hour or more every day and have seen major results from it.

Great idea! I picked up a hula hoop a few weeks ago at the dollar store. That has GOTTA be good for the core, which is good for the hips, which is better for the knees....

Faithful_Chosen

I messed up my knee running but I have found skating to be a wonderful, painless alternative that also strengthens the muscles I need strengthened to eventually start running again It takes a little financial investments (my skates were fifty euros and I bought some 15 euro guards for my knees and wrists) but it's so worth it!

demoiselle2014

I hurt my foot and have been hula hooping to substitute for my running/walking. If you really go at it, you can stay at cardio level workout for much of the session. I did it for 30 minutes today, with my heart rate in fitness range for 27:30. My HRM gave me 187 calories for it, minus 25 for what I would have burned anyway . . . not bad for an exercise which is extremely low impact/basically standing in place.

thankyou4thevenom

I like the idea of roller skating. Could still take the dog for extra falling over fun. He'd even love running with the bike I think. Must go and see what state it's in.
My gym doesn't have a pool, I think there's one closer that might.

Thanks for the ideas!

thankyou4thevenom

SezxyStef wrote: »

is it your weight or your shoes or the place you are running.

I started running this year and my knees were hurting and I am not over weight...tried new shoes...then a new location...it was the location.

I switched from side walk running to trail running...long straight flat soft trail.

Interesting. I stopped using the soft paths in the woods when it got hot. I might try the softer paths tomorrow and see if that helps. Thanks.