10 Cardio Solutions That Are Not Running

As you know running and I have a love hate relationship. I love what it does for my body but I hate the monotony of it. I am actually in the process of increasing my miles again as I write this but running isn’t the only way and for many of us it isn’t even the best way. When it comes to weight loss and maintaining a healthy heart though there is no better way to get your body whipped into shape then some hard core cardio. Of course, all wellness and weight loss journeys must be started in the kitchen as that is where we sabotage all of our hard work in the gym, right!?

But what if you hate to run? Or your body hates it when you run? Or you have a bit of weight to lose and don’t want to put the strain on your joints? Or you are dealing with an injury? I mean… We can come up with a lot of reasons to not run right? Good, solid reasons.

There are other options. Let’s review some of them today.

1. Dancing:

This can be a super fun way to get in some serious cardio and you get to shake your booty at the same time!  Dancing is so much fun. No one wants a boring workout so if you are struggling with working out because it is a total snoozer then this is a great option. There are so many GREAT dance workouts available now a days such as Country Heat, Cize, Hip Hop Abs, and Shaun T’s Dance Party! I love Shaun’s work so Cize is by far my favorite choice. It is easy and fun. Even if you have two left feet you can do these workouts. Trust me… I know. 😉 

2. Hiking:

Our family LOVES hiking, whether on vacation or just going for a walk in out in our back woods. To get out in nature and smell the falling leaves/fresh snow/spring flowers is absolutely invigorating! Plus you can bump it up a notch by taking a path less traveled, go up a hill, hop over some logs, climb a tree! (Please do all those things safely and remember to always hike with a partner and keep a form of communication on you). 

3. Biking:

Going for a bike ride is a great form of cardio. You can also make it more difficult by keeping your bike in a higher gear up hills. Or if you’re feeling light hearted make up a game in your head where you have to try and beat a car to a specific landmark like a tree or sign. Push yourself! 

4. Stairs:

Stairs are great for those stuck in an office building. Take a 15-20 minute break and clear your mind while climbing stairs! You can also go to a lot of your local athletic fields and run bleachers. Crud… I said run… But you can walk them too to get in a great cardio workout without running. 😉 

5. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):

If time is a major factor for you HIIT may be your answer. The great thing about HIIT is that you get a ton of bang for your buck! It’s short periods of intense training. Many HIIT workouts use only your body weight (no equipment necessary). Check out programs like: SHIFT SHOP, Insanity, Insanity Asylum, T25, and Turbo Fire just to name a few! There are tons to choose from on Beachbody on Demand! If you aren’t interested in a program to follow then you can do HIIT by choosing your interval times and something that will get your heart pumping. For example, you could choose your intervals to be 1 minute of work and 45 seconds of rest. In that case you would do an activity for 1 minute. Maybe you could jump rope or even do jumping jacks. Then you rest for 45 seconds. You continue this for several iterations as much as every other day. It is a calorie torcher. But on the work intervals you need to be getting close to breathless to get the best results.

6. Swimming:

Getting into the pool is an especially great way to get a cardio exercise for those with knee and back pain. The water takes a lot of pressure off of joints, but still give enough resistance to give you a great work out. I usually recommend this approach for anyone trying to recondition an injury or if you want to just cool off on a warm summer day. 

7. Sports:

Playing a sport is an awesome way to get a workout and push yourself to be a bit more competitive! There are tons of adult “just for fun” leagues out there! Try something like pickleball, tennis, pingpong, softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, or hockey! 

8. Jump Rope:

It might seem childish, but jumping rope is a serious cardiovascular exercise! You will be surprised at how much you can get your heart pumping from just 15 minutes of jumping rope! It’s also a great activity to do with your kids! See who can jump rope the longest, or who can do the coolest trick! You can also use jump rope and HIIT to create a HIIT workout. For example jump rope as fast as you can for 2 minutes then take a 1 minute break. Repeat this 10 times and I promise you it will be a crazy awesome sweat fest that will burn the calories. 

9. Boxing:

Joining a boxing club can be super fun even if it’s just for a time. Give yourself the opportunity to get some frustration out on a bag and watch how your frame slims and your arms tone! So much fun! 

10.Walking:

This is something most people can do regularly every day that makes a huge impact on your health. Even professional athletes swear by going for a regular daily walk. You might not sweat, but it’s still doing wonders for your heart!

Now you are empowered with a ton of great tools to get moving without it turning into a run. I would love to hear feedback from you if you try any of this great options. I love being a part of your journey and enjoy hearing your updates.