Cardio Haters

[rad]

Originally Posted by PrairieGem

Is it the moves? Is it the boredom of steady-state workouts or machines? Or do you just dislike the feeling of having your HR up and being slightly out of breath?

This. LOL>

[rad]

Originally Posted by Leonana

I like HIIT. That way I only have to workout intensely for 30 seconds then I get to rest! It also has a lot of variety. Bonus is that it burns more calories.

I watched a video on RealFitTv addressing this. Some people love to run, but they have fast twitch muscle fibers. Those who like HIIT or weights have slow twitch muscle fibers. So, there's a reason for it!

Here's the video explaining it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juOqZ...-s8alYKKQaQrrA

Interesting comments. Thx.

ETA: Great youtube clip, too...she's great..."The Dreadmil". Thanks again.

[frostyjan]

Originally Posted by msladybug

For me, strength training works. Lots of different ways to strength train and if you do it right...the heart rate gets up and you care breathing hard.

Agree 100%!

I was forced out of high impact cardio because of a knee injury. Its been 5 years since my surgery and I am leaner now after menopause than before.
My body is one that does better with more weights and less cardio.

I walk 3-5 miles, 5 or 6 days a week in addition to strength training and yoga.

[Tugger31]

Kettlebell Swings

Kickboxing arm drills (maybe some leg drills depending on your injury)

Slim Series

Heavier weight training (STS Chest/SH/Bi's from Meso 1 wipes me out everytime!)

Cathe's Low Impact Series may have things you can modify

You could start a list of things you can do and put together a workout on paper for yourself.

[lreidgreen]

I totally agree with the kettlebell suggestion. Other than swings you can do complexes which is a series of moves done one after the other without putting the bell down. They will get your heart rate up for sure.

One complex: Two hand swing
one hand swing (L and R)
Thruster (squat to press) L and R

Do two of each then 4,6,8,10,8,6,4,2 etc. up and down the ladder as many rounds as possible in 15 (or 20) minutes.

Another one:
2,4,6,8,10 one bell do all one side then switch
1-hand swing
Clean and press
snatch
front squat

Another one:
5 1 arm swing
5 clean and Press
5 snatch
5 windmill
5 reverse lunges (rack bell, step back with opposite leg, switch arms)

I can send you some documents with other complexes that use double bells and swing workouts.
No impact, high intensity.

[killoffsonny]

Sorry. Wish I had some good magic secret to tell you but I just make myself do it. A minimum of 3 days a week. Usually 5 days. I hate it though. And when I do it I only do thirty to forty minutes. I usually go for a walk, bounce on my jumpsport or go to the gym and get on a machine.

[killoffsonny]

Or do you just dislike the feeling of having your HR up and being slightly out of breath?[/QUOTE]

That's mostly it for me. Some of it is boredom since I don't do step or any choreographed workouts anymore. But I really hate getting my heart rate up there. I make myself do it.

[bubbles76]

Originally Posted by susan p

If it's the feeling of a high HR/out of breath that you hate, how do you do strength either? Because it's really rare to be able to do strength without those two things occurring.

Not necessarily. When I'm lifting heavy for me, I don't get that high HR/out of breath feeling. Only when I'm doing light weight/high rep workouts.

[BunnyHop]

For me, I think the hormonal/hot flash feeling is really unpleasant, and working up a 'good' sweat in a workout reminds me of that in an uncomfortable way.

Having said that, I do find most cardio workouts are repetitive and tedious. For me, that's the problem, really. Instructors who go over the top with enthusiasm are annoying, and workouts that just repeat the same sequence(s) are uninspired (and uninspiring).

Finding workouts that come somewhere near my fitness needs that don't bore, exhaust or annoy me is really hard.

So far, the best I've found is Pure Spice Cinnamon, since there's no verbal cuing that part of it can't get on my nerves, plus there's lots of variety in moves and music.

Other than that, walking workouts seem to be pretty much it for me as far as straight cardio goes.

I do prefer lifting weights, though. KB, barbell or dumbbells, my heart rate does go up nicely, without making me feel exhausted, so I guess that's good.

[susan p]

Originally Posted by bubbles76

Not necessarily. When I'm lifting heavy for me, I don't get that high HR/out of breath feeling. Only when I'm doing light weight/high rep workouts.

Hmm. The reason I asked the question is because for me, I never got more heart-pounding out of my chest than when I was doing heavy lifting. Wow! So maybe some people just don't get that way (which makes sense given the fast-twitch/slow-twitch thing as well as other physiological variables in which we all differ.) Seems weird to me that there are people for whom strength training is NOT a heart-pounding, breathless, sweaty experience!!

It's a good thing I don't hate the heart/breath/sweat thing, since I experience it with both cardio and strength, albeit in slightly different ways. . . But I always have thought that there are lot of VFers who are "not as wimpy as me" (as I think of it, probably unfairly). Maybe the reality is, there are just plenty of people for whom strength training is not such an all-out effort because they are more naturally gifted in that area.