cardio when you hate running

TrishJimenez

and well elliptical is tolerable but barely. I discovered swimming and LOVE it but it is murder on my hair and cant get a cap right now. Any other ideas?

catwrangler

Just plain old walking or bike riding.

I am loving my kettlebell routines!

Edithrenee

i do step aerobics if i dont jog or walk. I love it

Giantess

Walking at a brisk pace is a pretty good substitute for a slow jog, especially if you live near some hills.

Circuit training is a GREAT way to do cardio and strength training at the same time. Just search "circuit training" on YouTube, and you'll come up with lots of great videos to get you started. Even better, it can be done in your living room in case of rain.

TooFatToFit

Zumba or an aerobics type class?

lisab42

Try TurboFire. Great workout, lots of sweat, music and motivation.

tressa967

your hair will be fine if your swimming if you go and get a chlorine treatment every couple months. believe me, i am a lifeguard and i am in the water everyday and after the treatments my hair is fine, swim caps also let water in sometimes as well.
I say if you enjoy swimming, DO IT!! it's so good on the joints

slickracer

Bike riding....especially outside....way more fun than a spin class for me. Some love the spin class though.

noogie98

walk in the pool ~ amazing workout & you won't get your hair wet! It is easier on your joints than running while getting a great workout!! :flowerforyou:

engineman312

i love riding my bike outdoors. love it. as opposed to running, i can go much further and for much longer, and without the stress that running can put on your body.

and one day it was a little to rainy for a ride, so i said "eff it" and i just put on a ballcap and tied up my sneakers and decided to go for a run. i figured at the most i'll go for ten minutes. but because of the weight i had lost and the cardio strength i built from cycling, i was able to run for 30. now i try and go for a run once a week.

kjpersich

I do interval running. 2 minutes walking at 4.5mph and 2 minutes running at 6mph. It is challenging enough, keeps my heart rate up, and makes the time fly. I do that for a total of 35 minutes which works out to 3 miles. I run on a treadmill with Netflix on my iPhone. I think of it as a guilty pleasure!

sleepytexan

spin, cycling, SUP, ballroom / latin / belly / ballet / tap / polynesian / contra / or any kind of dance, roller blading, roller skating, skateboarding, skiing, horseback riding, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, etc.

blessings.

bmqbonnie

^where do you find someone to teach SUP? I would love to surf but no longer live near the ocean- but do live by a lot of lakes! Been wanting to try this!

I second circuit training, get it all done in one go. But really, I hated running too but eased myself into it and now I crave it. You get used to it and you can do it anywhere. Nothin' wrong with swimming though!

I want to get some ice skates when winter comes and toodle around on them. Maybe try that, surfing, rock climbing...? Get creative!

dad106

Walk on a treadmill with the incline jacked up as high as it can go.

I also do an interval program thats on the elliptical and it makes it a lot more fun.

I hate running too and these are my go to cardio options.

trelm249

If you like swimming, then swim. Their are ways of dealing with the chlorine. Ask around with the lifeguards and competitive swimmers in your area for tips.

MuseumOfAsh

walk in the pool ~ amazing workout & you won't get your hair wet! It is easier on your joints than running while getting a great workout!! :flowerforyou:

Ooh, I love that idea!

AlynLeigh

Zumba is supper fun (even if you cant dance... i should know ^_^), Walking on a treadmill on an incline is great, and then maybe cycling...

nadiB

try a spinning class

sleepytexan

^where do you find someone to teach SUP? I would love to surf but no longer live near the ocean- but do live by a lot of lakes! Been wanting to try this!

I second circuit training, get it all done in one go. But really, I hated running too but eased myself into it and now I crave it. You get used to it and you can do it anywhere. Nothin' wrong with swimming though!

I want to get some ice skates when winter comes and toodle around on them. Maybe try that, surfing, rock climbing...? Get creative!

It's not hard to learn -- I would google to see if anyone has rentals near the lakes. Out here we have several rental places and classes for SUP yoga, SUP/land fitness, etc. Once you get the hang of it you'll be hooked - - fantastic core and upper body workout too -- my back is ripped from SUPing!

Edit: SUP is actually a much better burn than surfing

jjs22

Well, depending on what your cardio goals are, brisk walking is a great exercise. I started just walking a little to get my sorry butt off the sofa. And I liked it. And I got better. And I sped up. Now I do 5k's with a couple of running clubs, and my pace is a smidge faster than 15 min/mile. Feels great, no pain/injuries, burns calories, and I never have to "make myself" do it like I always used to with running.

As I've improved, my heart rate has gone down, but its still elevated and I work up a decent sweat.


I also _LOVE_ swimming, but I hate having to plan my schedule around limited pool hours and share the lane. Maybe when I get that beach house....

idauria

Walk on a treadmill with the incline jacked up as high as it can go.

I also do an interval program thats on the elliptical and it makes it a lot more fun.

I hate running too and these are my go to cardio options.

If you don't mind my asking, what kind of interval program do you do on the elliptical? I work out at home and the only machine I have is an elliptical. I'd like to do HIIT on it but not exactly sure how to go about it.

dad106

Walk on a treadmill with the incline jacked up as high as it can go.

I also do an interval program thats on the elliptical and it makes it a lot more fun.

I hate running too and these are my go to cardio options.

If you don't mind my asking, what kind of interval program do you do on the elliptical? I work out at home and the only machine I have is an elliptical. I'd like to do HIIT on it but not exactly sure how to go about it.

The elliptical I use at the gym has a set program for it called 30:30.. but I'll try to explain it to the best of my ability and then if you have questions just message me.

Warm up: 3 minutes at a walking pace(the elliptical says a speed of 40 or less)

Then alternate 30 seconds of sprinting(speed of 50 or higher) with 30 seconds of walking(speed of 40 of or less). Your going to do the alternate of sprinting/walking 5 times(each combo of run/walk counts for one time.)

After the 5th time, your going to once again walk for 3 minutes. Once the 3 minutes is up, then resume with the sprinting/walking 5 more times. Once you finish round 2, you'll walk again for 3 minutes.

Keep repeating that sprint/walk cycle with the 3 minute break until you reach 30 minutes, or however long you want to workout for.

Jeff92se

Jump Rope. I go late to the Y and I grab one of the aroebic rooms.(empty at night) Throw pandora on the wall speakers and go to town for 30 min.

I just get odd looks from some members wondering why some middle aged dude is doing a children's activity. haha

dimoul

cycling - find a cycling group near you. they are everywhere. start by checking with a local bike shop. they often sponsor weekly rides. also try google searches, "Your City cycling club/group," for example.

spin class - go to a few and find one you like. they vary widely depending on the instructor.

idauria

Walk on a treadmill with the incline jacked up as high as it can go.

I also do an interval program thats on the elliptical and it makes it a lot more fun.

I hate running too and these are my go to cardio options.

If you don't mind my asking, what kind of interval program do you do on the elliptical? I work out at home and the only machine I have is an elliptical. I'd like to do HIIT on it but not exactly sure how to go about it.

The elliptical I use at the gym has a set program for it called 30:30.. but I'll try to explain it to the best of my ability and then if you have questions just message me.

Warm up: 3 minutes at a walking pace(the elliptical says a speed of 40 or less)

Then alternate 30 seconds of sprinting(speed of 50 or higher) with 30 seconds of walking(speed of 40 of or less). Your going to do the alternate of sprinting/walking 5 times(each combo of run/walk counts for one time.)

After the 5th time, your going to once again walk for 3 minutes. Once the 3 minutes is up, then resume with the sprinting/walking 5 more times. Once you finish round 2, you'll walk again for 3 minutes.

Keep repeating that sprint/walk cycle with the 3 minute break until you reach 30 minutes, or however long you want to workout for.

Do you do all of that at the same resistance? Would I stay at level 1 or 2 for the whole time or increase resistance during the sprints and then back down for the walking?

dad106

Walk on a treadmill with the incline jacked up as high as it can go.

I also do an interval program thats on the elliptical and it makes it a lot more fun.

I hate running too and these are my go to cardio options.

If you don't mind my asking, what kind of interval program do you do on the elliptical? I work out at home and the only machine I have is an elliptical. I'd like to do HIIT on it but not exactly sure how to go about it.

The elliptical I use at the gym has a set program for it called 30:30.. but I'll try to explain it to the best of my ability and then if you have questions just message me.

Warm up: 3 minutes at a walking pace(the elliptical says a speed of 40 or less)

Then alternate 30 seconds of sprinting(speed of 50 or higher) with 30 seconds of walking(speed of 40 of or less). Your going to do the alternate of sprinting/walking 5 times(each combo of run/walk counts for one time.)

After the 5th time, your going to once again walk for 3 minutes. Once the 3 minutes is up, then resume with the sprinting/walking 5 more times. Once you finish round 2, you'll walk again for 3 minutes.

Keep repeating that sprint/walk cycle with the 3 minute break until you reach 30 minutes, or however long you want to workout for.

Do you do all of that at the same resistance? Would I stay at level 1 or 2 for the whole time or increase resistance during the sprints and then back down for the walking?

The sprint resistance level should be higher then the walking resistance level. The elliptical program automatically puts the sprint resistance at 8 and the walk at 1. I personally bump the 8 up to 10 or 12 and leave the walk where it is.

It's easier if you can pre-program and then it just switches... but I don't think it should be that hard to bump between the two. maybe just a little annoying!

What elliptical do you use if you don't mind me asking? The elliptical that I found this program on is from Octane Fitness.

idauria

My elliptical is made by NordicTrac. It's probably 6 years old. It has pre-programmed stuff but nothing like what you're describing. The resistance goes to 10 but the most I can do is 4 or 5 and not for long. I did a modified version of your plan after my weight routine just a little while ago. I kept the resistance at 1 and alternated 30 second sprints with 30 second walks. I did that once then did regular walking but I increased the resistance and then I went back down to 1 and repeated the intervals once more. It totaled 20 mins. I would have liked to do more but my body was fizzling out.

dad106

My elliptical is made by NordicTrac. It's probably 6 years old. It has pre-programmed stuff but nothing like what you're describing. The resistance goes to 10 but the most I can do is 4 or 5 and not for long. I did a modified version of your plan after my weight routine just a little while ago. I kept the resistance at 1 and alternated 30 second sprints with 30 second walks. I did that once then did regular walking but I increased the resistance and then I went back down to 1 and repeated the intervals once more. It totaled 20 mins. I would have liked to do more but my body was fizzling out.

Yea, I mean you need to do what works for you. The more you do it, the easier it will become. When it does get easier, you can either bump the resistance up or go for a longer amount of time.

idauria

Thanks! I really appreciate your help!