HELP! I hate cardio
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Well the good news is I LOVE the gym and exercising. Just not the machines. So I'm going to try and do some other things to get my cardio on without doing those things I hate.
I'm not looking to just lose weight... I'm looking to be FIT! I don't have a size in mind I just want to be in the healthy BF% range and be able to do all the things physically that I picture myself doing.
Walking is boring as well but it's not if I'm hiking on a trail. I plan to do this during the fall but right now it's in the 100's and it's way too hot to hike in the desert.
Thanks so much for all the great support and advice guys! I've found a few things I'm going to try out. I think I got stuck thinking I had to do treadmill or ellip machine because that's what the majority of people I see doing cardio do. That'll teach me to put myself in a BOX!
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So there it is. I hate cardio! I'm great on my lifting days.. I feel motivated to push myself and really REALLY enjoy weight training.
I do a full body weight lifting day followed by a day of rest from weights. On days of rest I'm supposed to do cardio but I find myself dreading the machines.
So a couple of questions...
Being as overweight as I am (300 lbs, 5'8) is cardio a must?
Is cardio considered anything that gets your HR up? Lets say I do ball slams with a 14 lb ball, can this be cardio? This exercise gets my HR up. Same with battle ropes, they really get my blood pumping but I don't feel bored.
How often do I need to take breaks between weight lifting? My weight training sessions go between 2-2.5 hrs each. During these I'm lifting as heavy as I can without failure (most of the time, sometimes we get to failure) for 3 sets of 8 reps.
Thanks for all thoughts and opinions!
Cardio excercises your heart muscle, hence the word cardio. I live in South Carolina where not only do we deal with the heat, but the humidity too. Cardio can be done inside or outside. You can dance, jumping jacks (if able, I'm not right now. I did the weak back topic) walk around your house. I was doing the running part on the wii. Well I can't run in one place so I made circle through my living room and kitchen (very small area, small house) There are dvds you can follow. I don't care what anyone says,but my excercise level is the same as those you see on the Richard Simmons videos they are around 9 or 10 dollars around here. Sweating to the oldies. Get an idea of how he is working the different body parts, and then do them to your own kind of music. There is a dancer in all of us who want to be on a stage and be able to dance like no one is watching. Your house is your stage. You can even use a "mic" for fun, My broom is my mic. I also use brushes the best part is you won't be on a cover of a magazine if you mess up. You'll be the best star on the stage. You go girl!! I know you can do it. For stepping you can use a small stool (like a child's just make sure it is made of something that can hold your weight.) If a stool doesn't work get one or two cement cinder blocks and put them together, or a stack of books work well too.0 -
I should add that getting my HR to the level they say it should be is a bit of a problem. I am currently on HBP meds to lower my HR... so it's tough to get me above 110 or so.
Cardio is great for improving your general fitness, not just for losing weight. But since you seem to have a medical condition and are taking medication which affects your heart, I'd check with your doctor first before you do any kind of high intensity cardio. Just in case, to be safe.
There's a lot of non-boring cardio that you can do and won't even notice it. Walk or bike instead of driving. Go hiking. Run around with kids or pets. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. I hate the machines myself, but I've found that I really enjoy biking and running outside, taking different routes each time.0 -
Well the good news is I LOVE the gym and exercising. Just not the machines. So I'm going to try and do some other things to get my cardio on without doing those things I hate.
I'm not looking to just lose weight... I'm looking to be FIT! I don't have a size in mind I just want to be in the healthy BF% range and be able to do all the things physically that I picture myself doing.
Walking is boring as well but it's not if I'm hiking on a trail. I plan to do this during the fall but right now it's in the 100's and it's way too hot to hike in the desert.
Thanks so much for all the great support and advice guys! I've found a few things I'm going to try out. I think I got stuck thinking I had to do treadmill or ellip machine because that's what the majority of people I see doing cardio do. That'll teach me to put myself in a BOX!
lol the heat! ugh! we could drive to the top of Mt Lemmon every day and hike :P0 -
have you thought of doing 30 day shred? its a 20 minute workout (strength, cardio, and abs). I find my heart rate gets up pretty quickly and then it's done in 20 mins. You can find the whole workout on youtube if you're interested0
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I get really bored with the machines too. Have you tried a class? Zumba (I don't care for it myself but lot's of people seem to enjoy it), kettlebell classes burn major calories as well as Spinning classes. There are a lot of at home DVD's that are fun too. Jillian Michaels incorporates strength and cardio together. Mix it up and keep it interesting!0
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Get a workout video and do it at home. 0
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what about walking or going for a bike ride?? i mean, you might hate the cardio because it's hard. you are heavy, so it's a little harder to move. i was heavier and didn't like running (still don't love it) but i could spend hours on my bike because it's low impact, the scenery changes, and it's easier to get moving.0
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I'm no expert but I think most people need both cardio and weight training. There has to be something cardio related you don't despise as much...like taking a walk in a nice park? walking in the mall? dancing?
It doesn't have to be done in a gym, think outside the box!
Also, HIIT is good. You get more bang for your buck and can do 20-30 minute HIIT sessions instead of spending a lot of time on a moderate intensity activity.0 -
what about walking or going for a bike ride?? i mean, you might hate the cardio because it's hard. you are heavy, so it's a little harder to move. i was heavier and didn't like running (still don't love it) but i could spend hours on my bike because it's low impact, the scenery changes, and it's easier to get moving.
LOL if I wasn't smiling I might be insulted there. I don't hate it because it's hard... because it's NOT hard. I can do 1+ hrs on either machine just fine at high levels. I don't RUN (my boobs are large and it hurts (TMI i know), but I do walk at the fastest I can without running then up the incline to 5 and then work my way up to 10. It's not the difficulty level, I'm a fairly active person (SHOCKER AT 300 LBS) but just the boredom and monotone way of exercising. Doing the same movement over and over again while seeing the same wall over and over again sucks.
FWIW They have T.V's and I've tried music... neither can keep interest.0 -
I'm no expert but I think most people need both cardio and weight training. There has to be something cardio related you don't despise as much...like taking a walk in a nice park? walking in the mall? dancing?
It doesn't have to be done in a gym, think outside the box!
Also, HIIT is good. You get more bang for your buck and can do 20-30 minute HIIT sessions instead of spending a lot of time on a moderate intensity activity.
Nailed it. Aiming for something that maybe doesn't feel like "cardio" like walking a dog or dancing would be a big help too if you decide to just cut out running/treadmills/ellipticals/etc.0 -
Also, can't remember if this was brought up, but what about doing some laps in the pool? Great cardio workout with none of the pain you mentioned in running.0
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I don't like cardio either. Those machines at the gym bore me to tears. Right now I'm actually trying to gain muscle/weight so I don't do any cardio at all
But when I decide to cut back on calories and burn fat again, I think I will give swimming a try. The key is finding something you enjoy. I tried turbo jam and I thought that was pretty fun... but in all honesty I have never found a form of cardio that I enjoyed doing as much as lifting weights. I *need* to go to the gym to get my lifting workout in and I look forward to it, but when it comes to cardio, it's one of those things that I have to make myself do. *sigh* 0 -
what about walking or going for a bike ride?? i mean, you might hate the cardio because it's hard. you are heavy, so it's a little harder to move. i was heavier and didn't like running (still don't love it) but i could spend hours on my bike because it's low impact, the scenery changes, and it's easier to get moving.
LOL if I wasn't smiling I might be insulted there. I don't hate it because it's hard... because it's NOT hard. I can do 1+ hrs on either machine just fine at high levels. I don't RUN (my boobs are large and it hurts (TMI i know), but I do walk at the fastest I can without running then up the incline to 5 and then work my way up to 10. It's not the difficulty level, I'm a fairly active person (SHOCKER AT 300 LBS) but just the boredom and monotone way of exercising. Doing the same movement over and over again while seeing the same wall over and over again sucks.
FWIW They have T.V's and I've tried music... neither can keep interest.
wasn't trying to insult you.
if the monotony gets you, try going outside.0 -
Saying you don't like cardio because the machines bore you is like saying that you hate food because peas have a funny texture. I love to run, but bugger me if I want spend ten minutes on a treadmill. Plenty of great suggestions throughout the thread, find something you enjoy doing, don't torture yourself on the dreadmill. You don't need cardio to lose weight, nor to be strong, but it's an important part of "fitness".0
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Get out of the gym and go play outside!! There are about 5 zillion outdoor activities you could try that will be both fun and great exercise. Here's a starter list for ideas--but there's so much more:
running (I know you say it hurts--invest in a proper sports bra!)
trail running, which is way more fun than roads!
walking
hiking
kayaking
cycling
swimming
paddle boarding
roller blading
mountain biking
climbing
triathlon
ultimate frisbee
etc.
While cardio might not be necessary to lose weight, it IS necessary for cardiovascular health. Don't just think about the pounds--think about your general health and well-being. Getting outside and playing is good for your body, mind, and spirit. I'd die of boredom too if I was stuck in a gym every day. 0 -
So there it is. I hate cardio! I'm great on my lifting days.. I feel motivated to push myself and really REALLY enjoy weight training.
I do a full body weight lifting day followed by a day of rest from weights. On days of rest I'm supposed to do cardio but I find myself dreading the machines.
So a couple of questions...
Being as overweight as I am (300 lbs, 5'8) is cardio a must?
Is cardio considered anything that gets your HR up? Lets say I do ball slams with a 14 lb ball, can this be cardio? This exercise gets my HR up. Same with battle ropes, they really get my blood pumping but I don't feel bored.
How often do I need to take breaks between weight lifting? My weight training sessions go between 2-2.5 hrs each. During these I'm lifting as heavy as I can without failure (most of the time, sometimes we get to failure) for 3 sets of 8 reps.
Thanks for all thoughts and opinions!
Man oh man, have I been asleep at the switch because usually posts like this draw me like bees to honey.
First off, after reading thru a lot of good responses, I was surprised that no one questioned the workout length. Over 2 hour workouts? That's just not sustainable. Or necessary. Chop that down to 45 mins, 3 days per week. If with a partner or two, then an hour is okay, MAX. If you post or send your routine, I'd love to help you whittle it down.
Second, if you don't like cardio, then don't do it. It's got great benefits for your heart/lungs/endurance so it's probably a good idea for you right now. But you don't have to do it to lose weight. We've just cut 90 mins from your lifting, so maybe use 30 of that for cardio. Or not. I've cut most of mine (to great success) so I'm not going to get on you about yours.
Third, it actually sounds like you DO like cardio. Maybe not boring azz treadmill/elliptical work but it sounds like you have an appetite for some more exotic stuff. Heck yes, ball slams and battle ropes can be your cardio. Even better, they can be more effective in less time that the boring stare-at-the-tv-and-the-clock cardio you and I both loathe.
Try this cardio cocktail:
45 secs ball slams
15 secs rest
45 secs burpees
15 secs rest
45 secs battle ropes
15 secs rest
45 secs russian twists holding your medicine ball
15 secs rest
45 secs mountain climbers
15 secs rest
45 secs alternating medicine ball pushups (modify if needed)
15 secs rest
Repeat 1-6
Rest 2 mins
Then do the whole routine again. Should be 12 mins of work, 2 mins rest, then 12 mins of work. 24 mins and wrap it up. Do that 3x a week. And feel free to sub in any high effort exercise you want to keep it fresh.0 -
So there it is. I hate cardio! I'm great on my lifting days.. I feel motivated to push myself and really REALLY enjoy weight training.
I do a full body weight lifting day followed by a day of rest from weights. On days of rest I'm supposed to do cardio but I find myself dreading the machines.
So a couple of questions...
Being as overweight as I am (300 lbs, 5'8) is cardio a must?
Is cardio considered anything that gets your HR up? Lets say I do ball slams with a 14 lb ball, can this be cardio? This exercise gets my HR up. Same with battle ropes, they really get my blood pumping but I don't feel bored.
How often do I need to take breaks between weight lifting? My weight training sessions go between 2-2.5 hrs each. During these I'm lifting as heavy as I can without failure (most of the time, sometimes we get to failure) for 3 sets of 8 reps.
Thanks for all thoughts and opinions!
Man oh man, have I been asleep at the switch because usually posts like this draw me like bees to honey.
First off, after reading thru a lot of good responses, I was surprised that no one questioned the workout length. Over 2 hour workouts? That's just not sustainable. Or necessary. Chop that down to 45 mins, 3 days per week. If with a partner or two, then an hour is okay, MAX. If you post or send your routine, I'd love to help you whittle it down.
Second, if you don't like cardio, then don't do it. It's got great benefits for your heart/lungs/endurance so it's probably a good idea for you right now. But you don't have to do it to lose weight. We've just cut 90 mins from your lifting, so maybe use 30 of that for cardio. Or not. I've cut most of mine (to great success) so I'm not going to get on you about yours.
Third, it actually sounds like you DO like cardio. Maybe not boring azz treadmill/elliptical work but it sounds like you have an appetite for some more exotic stuff. Heck yes, ball slams and battle ropes can be your cardio. Even better, they can be more effective in less time that the boring stare-at-the-tv-and-the-clock cardio you and I both loathe.
Try this cardio cocktail:
45 secs ball slams
15 secs rest
45 secs burpees
15 secs rest
45 secs battle ropes
15 secs rest
45 secs russian twists holding your medicine ball
15 secs rest
45 secs mountain climbers
15 secs rest
45 secs alternating medicine ball pushups (modify if needed)
15 secs rest
Repeat 1-6
Rest 2 mins
Then do the whole routine again. Should be 12 mins of work, 2 mins rest, then 12 mins of work. 24 mins and wrap it up. Do that 3x a week. And feel free to sub in any high effort exercise you want to keep it fresh.
Awesome reply my friend...seriously...and as usual
And no, I didn't see the 2hr workout thing lol. I did mention an hour 3x a week in my reply though =p.0 -
Cardio is not a must, wtf people? Do you actually read about the things you say? Cardio burns calories. You could achieve the same result by not eating those calories in the first place.
Cardio is healthy and good for you but for weight loss purposes (especially when she already lifts to create/preserve muscle mass) it is redundant. If you hate it don't do it.
However, how the hell does your weight lifting take 2 hours?? You are probably being excessive. I know everyone lifts differently but I just don't think any pure-lifting routine would take that long.0 -
So there it is. I hate cardio! I'm great on my lifting days.. I feel motivated to push myself and really REALLY enjoy weight training.
I do a full body weight lifting day followed by a day of rest from weights. On days of rest I'm supposed to do cardio but I find myself dreading the machines.
So a couple of questions...
Being as overweight as I am (300 lbs, 5'8) is cardio a must?
Is cardio considered anything that gets your HR up? Lets say I do ball slams with a 14 lb ball, can this be cardio? This exercise gets my HR up. Same with battle ropes, they really get my blood pumping but I don't feel bored.
How often do I need to take breaks between weight lifting? My weight training sessions go between 2-2.5 hrs each. During these I'm lifting as heavy as I can without failure (most of the time, sometimes we get to failure) for 3 sets of 8 reps.
Thanks for all thoughts and opinions!
Man oh man, have I been asleep at the switch because usually posts like this draw me like bees to honey.
First off, after reading thru a lot of good responses, I was surprised that no one questioned the workout length. Over 2 hour workouts? That's just not sustainable. Or necessary. Chop that down to 45 mins, 3 days per week. If with a partner or two, then an hour is okay, MAX. If you post or send your routine, I'd love to help you whittle it down.
Second, if you don't like cardio, then don't do it. It's got great benefits for your heart/lungs/endurance so it's probably a good idea for you right now. But you don't have to do it to lose weight. We've just cut 90 mins from your lifting, so maybe use 30 of that for cardio. Or not. I've cut most of mine (to great success) so I'm not going to get on you about yours.
Third, it actually sounds like you DO like cardio. Maybe not boring azz treadmill/elliptical work but it sounds like you have an appetite for some more exotic stuff. Heck yes, ball slams and battle ropes can be your cardio. Even better, they can be more effective in less time that the boring stare-at-the-tv-and-the-clock cardio you and I both loathe.
Try this cardio cocktail:
45 secs ball slams
15 secs rest
45 secs burpees
15 secs rest
45 secs battle ropes
15 secs rest
45 secs russian twists holding your medicine ball
15 secs rest
45 secs mountain climbers
15 secs rest
45 secs alternating medicine ball pushups (modify if needed)
15 secs rest
Repeat 1-6
Rest 2 mins
Then do the whole routine again. Should be 12 mins of work, 2 mins rest, then 12 mins of work. 24 mins and wrap it up. Do that 3x a week. And feel free to sub in any high effort exercise you want to keep it fresh.
The same sort of cardio outlined above can be modified into Tabata pretty easily. 20 second exercise, 10 seconds rest. Do that for 4 minutes. Rest one minute, and do another set (or not, as time/your interest permit). You can lookup these sort of workouts on YouTube, or get online timers.
I don't much like traditional cardio either, but I'm usually too busy trying not to puke to be bored during Tabata.0
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