Tired of boring workouts on a treadmill, elliptical or other cardio equipment? We’ll nobody said that’s the only way to get in your cardio. The reality is any activity that will get you in your target heart rate for at least 12 minutes can be considered cardio. The objective of this post is to share with you some ideas on how you can get in cardio without setting foot on a treadmill or other cardio equipment.
The first question you have to ask yourself is what do you want to accomplish with doing cardio? Sure we all know the exercise is essential for overall health but you want to be clear with what your real objectives are. Do you want to simply lose weight? Do you want to have increased endurance and stamina? Do you want to compete in an endurance event? You get the picture.
The type, duration, and intensity level for your cardio workouts will depend on what you want to get done. In this article I’m going to give you some options for cardio outside of the realm of basic treadmill or elliptical workouts like you’d do in a health club.
A fitness professional can help you determine an appropriate exercise prescription according to your goals. For now let’s just look at some of the many ways you can get outside of the box with your cardio.
#1. Indoor Cycling
The popularity of indoor cycling has really grown in the last few years. This is a great way to get in cardio without being bored stuck walking behind a TV monitor. The first thing I love about indoor cycling is you’re doing it with a group.
Anytime you can add a group element to your workouts, you’re much more likely to stick with it. For starters, it’s just more fun when you’re exercising with others. You’ve got the energy from the group, the music, and the instructor to motivate you through the workout.
If you haven’t tried indoor cycling you should give it a shot. I recommend Tempo Indoor Cycling which is conveniently located right next door to our Shaping Concepts studio in Mt. Pleasant. They provide a free trial to experience the classes for yourself with no obligations.
#2 Stair Runs/Walks
This is one of my favorite ways to get in cardio and something I take advantage of regularly when I’m traveling and staying in high rise hotels. Nobody uses the stair wells in hotels so they’re perfect for a quick workout.
Stadium stairs and public buildings are also great places to get in a quick stair workout. Regardless of your fitness level you can work the stairs at your own pace. For many people just walking the stairs will put you in your target heart rate. If you’re a little more advanced you can do a run up, walk down circuit.
Any way you go about it, working the stairs is a great way to get in cardio.
#3 Bodyweight Circuits
Probably my personal favorite way to get in cardio. Remember, anything you do to elevate your heart rate, working your large muscle groups in a rhythmic manner can constitute as cardio. I love bodyweight circuits because they’re quick and provide me with the benefit of getting a total body workout. Best of all they can be done anyplace, anytime. Here are some examples of a few bodyweight circuits you can do to get in cardio.
Jump Rope (50 skips)
Hindu Squats (20 reps)
Mountain Climbers (20 count)
Recover 30 seconds- 1:00 minute and repeat for 5-8 rounds.
Jumping Jacks (25 count)
Burpees (10 reps)
Step Shuffles (20 count)
Recover 30 seconds – 1:00 minute and repeat for 5-8 rounds.
Run 200 meters
Hindu Squats (20 reps)
Push-Up’s (10 reps)
Recover 30 seconds- 1:00 minute and repeat for 5-8 rounds.
#4 Rowing machine
This is one cardio piece that you can’t get bored on, it’s just to taxing. I love the rowing machine for cardio workouts. You can work at a steady pace for 15-20 minutes or through in some intervals at 200-500 meters.
The rowing machine has long been coveted by wrestlers and athletes who require a high level of conditioning. One added benefit of the rowing machine is the upper body work you get in with the exercise. It’s definitely a winner and an exercise you’ll want to add in your cardio mix.
#5 Hill Sprints
Want to do a cardio workout that will just kick your butt? Try doing some hill sprints! This is one “outside of the box” cardio workout that will challenge your conditioning (and your legs) like no other.
I used to do these when I was in high school as I idolized the late Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears. Arguably one of the greatest running backs in all of professional football, Walter used to train in the off-season by running up a step hill behind his house. He swore by the benefits of this workout and I’ve got to agree with him.
I haven’t done hill sprints in a while but have found there are some places you go even in the “Lowcountry.” There’s a great hill over on Sullivan’s Island and one out at Park West if you want to give hill sprints a shot. The workout premise is simple. Sprint up the hill and walk back down for recovery. Rest briefly and repeat. Gets the job done!
#6 Sandbag work
Another “outside of the box” cardio workout that easily can turn into a total body workout. For about $5 you can go to Lowes or Home Depot and get a 25 lb bag of play sand some cheap sand bags. Fill the bags up to your desired weight and have at it. If you want to have a heavier bag you can get an army duffle bag and load it up. I’ve had sand bags in the studio up to 150 pounds.
You can work sand bags by doing carries for circuit runs, doing squats to overhead presses, drags, you name it. Use your imagination and there’s no end to the ways you can get your heart rate up with a sandbag.
#7 Tire work
Go find yourself an old truck tire and you’ll be ready for all kind of fun. You can do cardio workouts by flipping it end to end, dragging it for distance, or hitting it with a sledgehammer. Once again use your imagination and you’ll find all kind of ways to get out of breath with an old tire.
I could go all day here but here’s a list of some other workouts I pulled off the top of my head.
- Group exercise class (Zumba, Step, Dance, Kick-boxing, etc)
- Mountain biking
- Road biking
- Pick-up basketball
- Pick-up touch football
- Racquetball
- Tennis
- Dancing
- Swimming
- Tae Bo
- Boot camp
Cardio Exercise Tips
- Avoid exercising on an empty stomach
Your body needs a small amount of glycogen to meet energy demands. Consume a piece of fruit for example 30-45 minutes prior to exercising.
- Wear a heart rate monitor
To accurately measure your intensity and to ensure your working in your target heart rate zones.
- Always perform a warm-up and cool-down period
(5:00 minutes) or more with higher intensity cardio workouts.
- Alternate the activities you choose for cardio-respiratory exercise
So you enjoy the workouts and don’t get tired of the same old routines.
- Attempt to exercise outside
When possible and breathe some fresh air.
- Practice deep breathing techniques
By inhaling through your nose and exhaling out of your mouth during low-intensity aerobic exercise (walking). This helps to increase oxygen transport and utilization in your cardio-respiratory system.
- For best results and safety never stop a high intensity exercise “cold”
Without allowing for a gradual cool down. This could cause blood to pool in the lower extremities and lead to a possible cardiac failure or stroke.
- Stick with low-intensity aerobic exercise at 50-70% of your estimated maximum heart rate if you have high blood pressure.
Numerous studies have shown this to be the most effective means of decreasing your blood pressure over time.
- Choose quality footwear and replace every 3-6 months
Or at the first signs of tread wear to minimize the risks of injury to the ankles and knees from load bearing pressure.
There you have it, I hope that gives you some ideas on how you can get your cardio in without being stuck inside on a treadmill. Just go get yourself out of breath and do something you enjoy show it doesn’t become tedious work.
You can grab a FREE copy of my e-book “15 Cardio Workouts For Rapid Fat Loss” by clicking on the link above. In it you’ll find some details on how to do the workouts I mentioned plus some more I didn’t talk about.
Have fun, live strong!
Shane Doll is a certified Charleston personal trainer, fat loss expert, speaker, and founder of Shaping Concepts Personal Training Studios. You can receive a FREE no-obligations trial of his Charleston personal training programs to experience the Shaping Concepts difference for yourself.
Posted:
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 at 1:43 pm
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