Cardio but not running?

[Anonymous]

Walking and biking are great low impact cardio!! 8k-10k steps per day plus one or two HIIT sessions on the bike per week is a great combo.

Walking while listening to audiobooks has been a game changer for me because it checks the boxes of moving more AND reading more. If I am really into my book it makes me want to go sneak in another walk.

[Anonymous]

Do you enjoy hiking? If you have access to a treadmill w/ incline, you can (somewhat) replicate it by trudging uphill.

But do NOT do what 90% of people at the gym do, and hold on to the treadmill. Just because there may be handlebars, does NOT mean you should use them. It's horrible for so many reasons, including form, posture, your lower back, leg and core strength, and of course calories. What do you hold on to when hiking outdoors? Nothing, so don't hold on at the gym.

With that important spiel out of the way, hiking uphill on the treadmill is great cardio and leg/core strengthening. You can try doing some intervals as you get stronger.

[Anonymous]

I take a 5-6 mile walk every morning at about a 3.5-4 mph pace. When I started, I took a couple weeks to map out a route and put together one that has 4 pretty tough inclines spaced throughout. I put on a podcast and go, and it’s something I look forward to every morning.

[Anonymous]

I hate running too. But I love HIIT classes like BodyAttack and cardio Pilates videos. If I’m exercising outside I do a mix of fast walking and “as fast as I can run” sprints for short distances. I don’t mind sprints and they keep my heart rate up.

[Anonymous]

It's been awhile, but I really enjoyed the Fitness Blender HIIT routines when I didn't feel like running. There were a lot of free videos and they had a good search function that let you sort by intensity, duration and that kind of thing. The exercises didn't require a lot of equipment or space, but I could still do them inside and not worry about the weather.

[Anonymous]

Hydrow has been a game changer for me after literally 20 years of trying to convince myself to like running enough to do it regularly. I’m 1.5 years in and I still love it. I do half an hour 5-6 days per week plus weights plus walking. No running required!

[Anonymous]

Rowing or biking are your real options. I prefer rowing when I don’t feel like running. Make sure to develop proper form and technique. It’s a mindless function but can keep your cardio status up.