Cardio other than running

tammymoberg
tammymoberg Posts: 31 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What is a great calorie burner that is not running? I do not enjoy running, but I need to increase my cardio. I'd like something that isn't too boring!
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Replies

  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    Intervals at spinning bike. I tried to get to 85% of my heart rate and sustain it there for 15 seconds.
    Rowing machine
    stairmaster
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    edited July 2015
    dancing, vinyasna yoga, hoola hooping, skating, hiking, zumba, pole dancing, martial arts, aerial arts
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    Cycling
  • fannyfrost
    fannyfrost Posts: 756 Member
    I like Zumba. I love to dance, so I take Zumba, but here are some other things I have done:

    Roller Skate
    Ice Skate
    Dance Class
    Just put music on dance
    Jump Rope
    Kick Box

    I tell people to think about activities you liked as a kid and use them. Just have fun and move :)
  • canary_girl
    canary_girl Posts: 366 Member
    Running is the best for me, heart rate wise, but spin class is a close second, depending on the instructor.
  • djprice_69
    djprice_69 Posts: 115 Member
    Rowing
  • ungeneric
    ungeneric Posts: 60 Member
    Swimming is good, if you enjoy it. I do a lot of that since I have joint issues. Dancing can be great cardio, as can hiking or climbing. If you enjoy sports (e.g., soccer), that can be a great way to work in some cardio that doesn't bore you.
  • jmy1975
    jmy1975 Posts: 56 Member
    Kickboxing is my favorite cardio, but I do elliptical sometimes when I just want to watch a TV show while doing it.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    jump rope
  • KimmyKicksAss
    KimmyKicksAss Posts: 60 Member
    Kickboxing, HIIT workouts, Insanity. <-- That's what I do

    You could try smaller time duration of jump rope, HIIT moves, jumping jacks, etc, depending your time constraints

    p.s: I also despise running. I might do the elliptical but only if the gym is showing Food Network (ironic no?)
  • lizzocat
    lizzocat Posts: 356 Member
    spinning is my favorite besides running, especially with a good instructor and weights.
  • soccermock
    soccermock Posts: 2 Member
    I do elliptical. I have bad knees so running is out anyway. While on the elliptical, I watch Netflix on my tablet so it doesn't seem as boring. If your knees are good, go find a sport that gets you running around. Soccer and basketball are very cardio oriented.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    edited July 2015
    HIIT, for sure. I hate running, jogging, treadmill, elliptical, stairmaster, bike, etc. Absolute torture. But HIIT is pretty fun. Cardio kickboxing is also a lot of fun. Check out FitnessBlender.com for free cardio workout videos that are anything but boring.
  • Reinventing_Me
    Reinventing_Me Posts: 1,053 Member
    I am not, nor have I ever been a runner but I love doing hill sprints. It's still running, but only for 15-30 seconds at a time then rest by walking back down the hill (and a minute more, if needed). There are so many ways to change it up: finding a steeper hill, decreasing rest time between sprint intervals, adding more intervals, longer sprints, adding finisher moves at the top of the sprint (like squats, jacks, high knees, shadow boxing), etc. Heck, even 10-second sprints are great. Just find a hill (or several of them) and run. I walk to my hills, do my sprints and walk back home or to my car. I can't tell you how much fun it is. NEVER in a million years would have thought that I'd enjoy it.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    Timed circuit training keeps things interesting as well as burns calories. Choose 4-5 moves @ 4 x 12 (sets x reps) for time. Add weights for more resistance. You can Squat/Lunge, Push/Pull-Up, Bridge/Thrust. Or you could do plyometrics--Burpees, Mt. Climbers, Box Jumps, Skaters...
  • jessicablair712
    jessicablair712 Posts: 10 Member
    i walk and i'm building up to running.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    I love pole dancing, running stairs, HIIT like body rock, and cycling.
  • Reinventing_Me
    Reinventing_Me Posts: 1,053 Member
    Kettlebell workouts are also great.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    Ditto to swimming. Zero joint impact. I swim 4 miles a day 5+ times a week.
    Second fav is spinning. I just hate feeling the sweat :)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Rebounding is fun
  • BasicGreatGuy
    BasicGreatGuy Posts: 857 Member
    fishgutzy wrote: »
    Ditto to swimming. Zero joint impact. I swim 4 miles a day 5+ times a week.
    Second fav is spinning. I just hate feeling the sweat :)

    I had to search Youtube to find out what the spinning being mentioned so much on here was about. Looks like fun.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    I used to hate running, but I really wanted to do the obstacle runs like spartan sprint. I started running to the zombies!run app which is a fun story line with music interspersed and a game attached. Now, I've gotten to the point that I enjoy running outside. Still cannot stand running on the treadmill.

    That being said, here are are other big cardio burns I suggest:
    Krav Maga martial arts. I burn a LOT of calories and have gained strength and confidence. Kick boxing would be similar
    Workout vids like P90x etc. I actually don't do as well to videos. Something about no one watching? YMMV
    Long hikes/walks with people, an audiobook, music whatever
    Walking fast on the treadmill with a bit of an incline while watching a show or movie
    Same as above on a stair stepper.
    Intervals: Run a mile, 10 pushups, 10 situps, 10 minutes on stair stepper, 10 pushups, 10 situps, repeat x3
    Swimming
    Kayaking, white water rafting, paddle boarding
    Some volunteering like construction, packing food at food bank etc.
    Dancing. I HATE Zumba. I can do Salsa, swing, and club pretty well to real music with a partner and I LOVE IT, but kill me now trying to follow an instructor or video.
    Roller skating/blading or ice skating
    Rock climbing
    Trampoline (there are aero jump places you can go)
    Bike riding trail riding
    Sports: volleyball, soccer, basketball,
    Make up your own, ie 3x10 jump squats, burpies, situps. Or do as many X as you can during the commercial break
    Sprints

  • kbaker001
    kbaker001 Posts: 61 Member
    BinkyBonk wrote: »
    Cycling

    +1
  • JustBreathe418
    JustBreathe418 Posts: 355 Member
    edited July 2015
    Rowing machine! Full body workout and you get your cardio in. I do this on my "rest" days from running.
  • tammymoberg
    tammymoberg Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks guys, I love all these suggestions! I could use some added motivation too if anyone wants to add me. I appreciate all of your answers!
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    I'm not trying to convince you of anything but it needs to be said:

    Many people dislike running because they suck at it. That's a natural human response.

    When they stop sucking at it - because they've decided to do something about their fitness and commit to improving - many find they later love running. You'll find hundreds if not thousands of such stories here.
  • BasicGreatGuy
    BasicGreatGuy Posts: 857 Member
    mwyvr wrote: »
    I'm not trying to convince you of anything but it needs to be said:

    Many people dislike running because they suck at it. That's a natural human response.

    When they stop sucking at it - because they've decided to do something about their fitness and commit to improving - many find they later love running. You'll find hundreds if not thousands of such stories here.

    For me, your sentiments ring true. For two years, my elite ultra-marathoner brother has been gently prodding me to start running. I tried it many years ago, and it just didn't stick with me like biking and weightlifting. I gave running another shot, and have found that I look forward to my next run first thing in the morning.
  • sosmerc
    sosmerc Posts: 13 Member
    I love the water and really enjoy standup paddling. I monitor my performance and heart-rate and can tell you that it is an excellent cardio workout if you want it to be. I can keep my heart-rate up quite high and burn 1000 cals in about an hour of paddling. I use a garmin heart-rate monitor (strap) and then pair it with my smartphone/app Endomondo and it records distance, speed, time, heartrate, calories burned etc. I also have my Garmin GPSMAP 78sc running so that I can visually watch average speed, distance and heartrate as I paddle. I have lost 30 lbs in the last year and I credit my paddling for most of it. The heart-rate monitoring is most important to make you really "work" more than you might think you need to.
  • BasicGreatGuy
    BasicGreatGuy Posts: 857 Member
    sosmerc wrote: »
    I love the water and really enjoy standup paddling. I monitor my performance and heart-rate and can tell you that it is an excellent cardio workout if you want it to be. I can keep my heart-rate up quite high and burn 1000 cals in about an hour of paddling. I use a garmin heart-rate monitor (strap) and then pair it with my smartphone/app Endomondo and it records distance, speed, time, heartrate, calories burned etc. I also have my Garmin GPSMAP 78sc running so that I can visually watch average speed, distance and heartrate as I paddle. I have lost 30 lbs in the last year and I credit my paddling for most of it. The heart-rate monitoring is most important to make you really "work" more than you might think you need to.
    I agree about the heart monitor. It is a great tool for working out in certain zones, as well as monitoring overall workout performance. I really like my Polar H7. I use it every day.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Elliptical + phone/tablet + Netflix.

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