10 fun cardio ideas if you hate running (and exercise in general)
- 1/10
Dancing
Dancing is fun and liberating and it’s totally legit to do it whilst drunk. In fact most people do. So go ahead, treat yourself. Or why not try it sober at an early morning rave? If none of these appeal then sign up for a dance class.
[Photo: Alice Peperelle Facebook/Morning Gloryville]
- 2/10
Borrow a child
Kids move around loads. Take one to the park and see for yourself. Provided it’s under seven you’ll definitely get your money’s worth running around keeping it entertained whilst making sure it doesn’t die. It can be fun too. Try it out some time (with permission, of course).
[Photo: Scott Webb/Pexels]
- 3/10
Trampolining
Sure you might wet yourself but it’s a super fun way to do it. Most kids have a trampoline rusting away in their back garden. If you’ve got kids or you’ve got mate’s with kids or you know a kid down your street who’s got a trampoline, kick them off it and get jumping. Trampolining is fast way of building muscle and burning fat so go ahead and wet yourself.
[Photo: Chris Mullany/Flickr]
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- 4/10
Swimming
Pool, sea or lake, swimming is great for toning muscle owing to the fact that water is 12 times as dense as air; just wading through the stuff will get you in shape. Swimming is a brilliant cardio and strengthening workout and since it’s a low impact exercise you can go at it for longer. Jobs a good’un.
[Photo: Pexels]
- 5/10
Hiking
Hiking is a great way to get out, see the countryside and breathe some clean air into your reluctant lungs. Pick a route with some sort of incline and it’ll definitely count as a decent cardio workout. Get on Borrow My Doggy if you’re alone and in need of a pedigree chum.
[Photo: Pexels]
- 6/10
Team sports
Cast your mind back to when you were at school, was there a particular sport you enjoyed? Even just a tiny bit? If so, why not pick it up again? Team sports are not only a fun and stimulating way to work out, they’re also brilliant for socialising and making new friends.
[Photo: Redbrick/Flickr]
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- 7/10
High intensity interval training
This type of training involves alternating between really going for it for short bouts of time followed by less intense exercise. So by the time you start hating it you’re just about ready to stop. It’s also great for people who get bored easily as you can change up the exercises each time like in this video.
[Photo: pexels]
- 8/10
Climbing
It’s difficult to get bored trying not to fall off a wall or some rocks. The minutes will fly by as you engage your brain figuring out your next move and avoiding death. Stimulating, challenging, and one hell of a work out, climbing exercises almost every muscle group in the body and it’s fun too.
[Photo: pexels]
- 9/10
Cycling
Cardio whilst sitting down? Yes please. Cycling is low impact so it won’t stress your joints like running will but it’s still totally possible to make it an effective workout. Cycle to work one day, do some sight seeing or just get on your bike and ride.
[Photo: unsplash/pixabay]
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- 10/10
Climb all the stairs
Avoid lifts and escalators and get climbing those stairs. The good news is, you don’t have to make a special journey in spandex to do this. If you work a few floors up you can sneak in some cardio any time of the working day for free. Think of it as a mini skive if it helps.
[Photo: unsplash/pixabay]
Want to torch fat but hate running and cardio exercise in general? Don’t blame you. Unless your super committed or an enthusiast, exercise can be a boring, repetitive chore. You get stuck in your head, the time creeps by at a snails pace and the longer you avoid it, the harder it is to get back into it.
Well, not anymore because we’ve put together a list of ten enjoyable alternative ways to stay in shape, specially for those who hate exercise.