A cardio workout routine usually creates images of jogging or running. I know that if I had to run every day to meet my body’s cardiovascular requirement, I would get bored to death after about three days. Luckily there is more than one alternative cardio workout routine out there besides jogging or running. Here are some of my favorite alternative routines in this post and why I like each one.
Whenever I get bored of running, I opt to jump on a bicycle and head to the mountains. Bicycling is one of my favorite exercises because it is very low impact on my feet. I personally have plantar fasciitis on my feet so I cannot run very much. Throwing biking into my weekly routine helps me satisfy my cardiovascular requirement while reducing ware and tear on my feet.
While all exercise is important to short term vitality and long term health, it’s also important to remember that complimenting your cardio workout routine with a great diet and solid eating habits is also part of the equation.
Another good alternative to running is swimming. Swimming is a full body exercise that will definitely work your heart. Since swimming is a full body workout, 15 to 20 minutes in the pool is usually enough cardiovascular exercise for me. Another great thing about swimming is that there is no pressure on any joints. If you have lots of joint issues, you can still achieve your requirement by hitting the pool.
If traveling long distances is not for you, you can still get a good cardiovascular workout by means of circuit training. The basic idea in circuit training is to focus on lifting high repetition on one body part until a minute or two goes by, then immediately switch to the next body part for the same amount of time, then continue this technique until your whole body gets worked out. While you are resting one muscle group, the next one is working, and your heart is still pumping fast to keep up with the work that you are doing. This is my most favorite cardio exercise routine since it incorporates both anaerobic and aerobic exercises at the same time!
If you are like me, exercising is pretty boring if you keep doing the same thing day after day. A cardio workout routine is usually the worst because they usually take the longest to do. These are some really good alternative exercise routines to help mix things up and keep things interesting so that you can stay focused on your goal, and remember that by being consistent with your cardiovascular routine along with a healthy diet you’ll be able to maintain your ideal body weight or even lose weight quickly with ease.