Cardio Options?

schneiderwife

Hey all! My husband and I have really started trying to make it to the gym (at our apartment complex) recently and we realized that we both HATE walking/running on the treadmill. Even with music it is SO boring. We can't afford to belong to a gym with a pool and we are looking for cardio workouts that we can incorporate into our lives that will be fun for us. We considered hiking and walking outdoors, but we are looking for options that we can still use when its freezing cold out and the weather is horrible. Would love to hear any suggestions!

bdburch

Jumping jacks, jumping rope, kick boxing moves, mountain climbers, jump on 1 leg, run up and down stairs (carefully!).

There are tons that you can find if you do a quick search online. If you get bored easily, create a circuit. The different exercises for a short amount of time will keep you entertained and you and your husband can create a game out of it.

jackiesaurus

Indoor or regular biking, or doing variable inclines while on the treadmill? Also my boyfriend and I are competitive so if he walks a mile, i try to get ahead of him and jog it. My friend and I go to the gym together and we're built similarly and always trying to out do each other - oh you biked 10 miles? I biked 12. Oh you lifted 15 lbs? I lifted 20. etc etc. Keeps us motivated, and before you know it we've both been at the gym for two hours. Also trying to beat your best. This time last year I ran a 12:30 minute mile. I kept trying to beat my best time (only once a week, the rest of the week I'd just jog or bike or stair climbed) and eventually got down to about 9:10 by july! Also maybe Wii fit for days you can't go out (or older Dance Dance Revolution? I had a friend lose 15 lbs that way without trying) Or work out videos together?

ohkola

The Wii Fit, Playstation Move and Xbox Kinect have some great fitness games. My favorite is Just Dance. Those never get old for me. I also use workout videos and recently discovered fitness channels on YouTube. If you're looking for DVDs try Collage Video - they have this sidebar where you can pick and choose criteria for what you're looking for and they'll give you a list that matches your criteria.

Lastly, if you have an iPhone, there are apps you can download to use while you're on the treadmill that simulate being on a trail or in a foreign place. I can't think of the name off the top of my head but they're there.