My Favorite Cardiovascular Workouts: alternatives to Running!

1. Dance fitness is my favorite form of cardio! Popular forms of this include hip hop dance classes, Zumba, and my personal choice--BHANGRA! Bhangra consists of extremely high bursts of energy for a prolonged period of time including multiplanar movements similar to a plyometric workout providing you with a full body cardiovascular workout!

2. Swimming is one of the best ways to get a cardiovascular workout without huge strain on your joints! It is for all ages! You can incorporate swimming laps for a traditional cardiovascular endurance workout or spice it up with interval training calculating your rest breaks to maximize the intensity of your workout. Swimming is a full body, symmetrical workout with additional benefits with one's coordination and postural alignment.

3. Boxing/Kickboxing is an amazing no-equipment-needed workout for people of all ages. It consists of jabs, uppercuts, hooks, side kicks and much more which make up a high-energy workout which can be graded on a scale of low to high impact. You can expect a full-body workout that engages every muscle group in your body with a strong focus on your core. The rapid, alternating movements have proven to be beneficial for many patients with neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease improving balance, coordination, and overall functional mobility.

4. Stair Climbing is an excellent way to work your cardiovascular system as stairs are readily available to the public. You can incorporate this workout in your daily routine easily by climbing the stairs at work or in your apartment building. The Stair Climber at your gym is another way to reap the benefits of this aerobic workout! When you choose stair climbing as an exercise, you are burning twice the fat in half the time when compared to running.

5. Jumping rope is an excellent aerobic exercise which provides many benefits including improving bone density, coordination, and toning up muscles! Who remembers doing Jump Rope for Heart as a kid?! Due to its high intensity, you can fit in an aerobic, dynamic workout in less time! In addition, a jump rope is highly portable and accessible.

6. Circuit Training is a hodge podge of it all-- interspersed aerobic and strengthening workouts with calculated rest breaks in between each burst of activity. The key is the master your rest and recovery periods. The beauty is you can make it your own! You can use equipment such as an agility ladder to mix up your workout routines and keep your workouts fresh and interesting each time. You can aim to work on speed, balance, and coordination along with improving your cardiovascular health. In addition, circuit training is a great option for return-to-sport athletes. Spruce up your circuit training by incorporating quick, explosive plyometric exercises.

7. Hiking is a great alternative to running which also provides great benefits on our overall aerobic capacity. This can include walking on an incline at the gym or in your neighborhood. As any weight bearing exercise, hiking improves overall bone density. Hiking outdoors provides many benefits with varying terrain and constant changes in elevation with lower impact on lower extremity joints in comparison to running.

As always, workouts should be individualized based on your overall health and wellness and comorbidities. A physical therapist is a licensed medical professional who is the ultimate expert in mobility, exercise physiology, and functional training due to their intensive doctorate training in anatomy, physiology, and movement. Check in with your Physical Therapist for an exercise prescription that would be specific to your needs to help you achieve your fitness goals based on your medical/family history and current health!

-Kristi Govind, PT, DPT

@theKristiKahani