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10 Best Cardio Workouts Other Than Running

Cardio workouts or the cardiovascular exercises, are important forms of exercise as they increase the cardiovascular function, and thus making your heart beat faster, making blood flow quicker, getting oxygen to various organs and limbs, and burning lots of fats. Cardio workouts are proven for maximum heart-beating and fat-burning benefits. These workouts keep you fit and active and also help you reach your fitness goals.

Cardio is not just about running; and there are a lot of cardio workouts that you can perform to remain active and fit. So, this is what we are going to talk in the following array of the article. Read on and know about some of the best cardio workouts other than running.

10 Best Cardio Workouts Other Than Running:

There are:

Swimming:

Swimming is a great cardio workout that is actually a nasty workout for your lungs. You can do swimming, say about 100 meters, and then take some rest for 60 seconds and repeat the same for 10 times. Alternatively you can simply swim a steady distance of about 2000 meters.

In both the cases, it is a great workout, and it is low-impact workout and thus spare your joints and tendons from any kind of wear-and-tear.

Jumping Ropes:

Jumping rope is quite easy and a low impact workout. It can be done anywhere without just a rope and enough space. It is even very efficient.

Research has indicated that 10-minutes of daily rope-skipping could be as effective as 30-minutes of jogging.(1)

However, you need to keep some points in mind. You must keep your core tight while jumping ropes.

Beach Volleyball:

Moving quickly on sand in the beach takes a lot of energy and when you go for a beach volleyball workout, you offer your legs and ankles a great strength. This could also be a great fun as you play the volleyball along with your friends and you can work harder when you are with your friends.

HIIT Strength Workout:

High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, was named as one of the top fitness trends of the world in the year 2019, as per an annual survey conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine.(2)

HIIT workouts are short in times; however they are high in intensity. When you do this, you will get your heart rate pumping hard.

HIIT strength workout is also good for your mind. There are researches that show that HIIT workouts improve cognitive function and also increase the levels of BDNF or the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, more than easier exercise.(3)

You need to do 21 jumping lunges, that is to be followed by 21 push-ups and then go for 15 jumping lunges and 15 push-ups that is again followed by 9 jumping lunges and 9 push-ups.

For jumping lunges, you need to begin from a standing position, jump in to a lunge by keeping your right knee bent at an angle of 90 degrees. Then, push up through the heel and switch your sides in the air, so that your left leg remain bent at an angle of 90 degrees. That becomes on repetitions.

For doing push-ups, keep your elbows snug to your body as you lower the chest towards the ground and then again rise up back.

Tabata:

With tabata workout, you go at maximum effort for at least 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and perform 8 cycles. Here, the key is to push yourself hard in those 20 seconds. Your heart is going to pump a ton of blood through it.

Jumping Jacks:

Jumping jacks could be a great fun and a wonderful cardio workout that do not require any equipment and can be done anywhere and they are even very simple to perform.

Do this exercise in a simple way by arms going overhead or crossing your arms over the chest so as to improve your shoulder flexibility. This gets the involvement of your upper body as well as your lower body, while something like cycling make use of only leg muscles.

Walking On An Incline:

Walking on an incline could also be a great cardio workout. Pump your treadmill up as high as you can and start walking on the inclined treadmill so as to instantly get the heart rate soaring. This actually pushes your legs and your lungs without the pounding of the act of running. This means it is a great form of cardio in case you need to save your hips or your knees. You must note not to hold on the side bars.

Burpees:

We would say that burpees are not the best form of cardio for you if you are just starting cardio workouts. However, if you are pretty fit then burpees will help you get your heart rate quite up in no time. While doing burpees you use a lot of muscles at once.

Rowing:

Rowing is actually a combination of cardio and the strength training; however it is a low impact workout and thus it is easier on your knees than running. So, you can try rowing and have a great cardio workout. And guess what? It is even quite fun!

Moving Planks:

Planks are great to build your endurance and core strength. When we combine the normal traditional plank along with any kind of motion, it improves the difficulty and increases your heart rate by recruiting more of the body parts. Some of the popular versions of planks in motion include mountain climber, plank jack, and army crawl.

However, you need to note that while planking you must always keep your back absolutely straight and engage the glutes so as to maintain proper posture. In addition, for any added challenge, you can incorporate sliders, towels or scooters, for reducing friction under the hands and feet.

Final Notes:

So, here we talked about several cardio workouts other than running. If you are someone who does not like running but want to go for cardio workouts, you can choose any of the above mentioned workouts for your exercising session.

We must always mention to hire a fitness trainer or perform the workouts only under the strict supervision of a fitness expert or a gym trainer.

References:

Also Read:

Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:January 4, 2020

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