Fitness 101

People often tell me that they want to work out and improve their cardio, but they hate to run.  I am often baffled by this statement and reply, “Well, why don’t you try something else?”  They often seem confused by my answer and ask what else they can do to enhance their cardiorespiratory fitness.

Certainly running, jogging, biking, and swimming have been around for many years and all of them provide the necessary repetitive large-muscle movements and continuous oxygen use that defines aerobic activity and enhances the performance of the heart and lungs.  What many people don’t realize though is how many fun and creative new forms of cardiovascular exercises are now available in 2009.  We have come a long way since running, biking, and swimming were your only choices.

There are so many new and interesting forms of exercise available today that I bet I can name at least one for each letter of the alphabet.  Let’s give it a whirl.

Aerobic step – These are aerobic exercise classes that involve routines (usually along with upbeat music) of stepping on special platforms. 

Bellydancing – Believe it or not, this form of dancing has become a popular group exercise class in some gyms and it works on your core (abs) as well as your cardio.

Cardiokickboxing – The cardiovascular benefits of martial arts are well known and utilized in a simplified format of kicking, punching, and blocking done to music.

Dancing – Dancing is a great form of cardio and can be done in traditional dance classes or in a group exercise setting as an aerobic dance class.

Elliptical machine – This is a cardio machine that involves gliding foot movements and long handles that work the upper body.  It is a great low-impact alternative to the treadmill.

Forza – Think cardiokickboxing with wooden swords.  If that seems too obscure, how about Field hockey, an outdoor variant of ice hockey.

Gymnastics – Tumbling, jumping, rolling:  what better way is there to have fun and work out?  Kids and adults both can enjoy taking these classes.

Handball or hockey – Either one of these sports will get your heart beating faster.

Interval training – This isn’t so much a particular mode of exercise than a training method.  Start at a low intensity (running, biking, etc) and then go for a couple of minutes at high intensity.  Continue to work alternating periods of high and low intensity intervals for a period of 30-60 minutes and you will have the benefit of pushing those higher limits of your target heart rate without the downside of early fatigue.

Jump rope – This piece of equipment is not just for boxers and little girls anymore.  Grab a speed rope, a rope with weighted handles, or even a digital jump rope and try some fun tricks (double jumps, crossovers, single leg hops).

Kung fu, karate, kickboxing – These traditional martial arts involve extensive use of the arms, legs and entire body that will boost your cardio and give you a new skill.

Lacrosse – This physically demanding team sport is guaranteed to push your cardio to new limits.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) – This combination of boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and groundfighting has become very popular and has inspired many innovative new training methods. 

Nia – An eclectic mix of yoga, dance, tai chi, and martial arts with a focus on breathing techniques and body awareness.

Orienteering – A family of sports that involves using navigational skills to race against the clock to reach specific points on a map, typically hiking or biking through unfamiliar terrain.

Parkour – Often known as “free running”, this urban sport involves efficient manipulation of the body over, under, and around obstacles using a variety of jumping and climbing movements.

Quidditch (Muggle version) – I know you didn’t think I could find one for Q, but here it is.  Fans of the popular Harry Potter series have loosely adapted the wizarding sport into a fun version for muggles (non-wizards) that utilizes a creative mixture of hula hoops, tennis rackets, volleyballs, and nerf balls. 

Recess classes – Recess isn’t just for kids anymore.  Some gyms have group exercise classes that throw together some old favorites from childhood (dodgeball, floor hockey, obstacle courses, tag, jump rope, and a variety of games) to trick adults into having some fun while they exercise.

Spinning – Imagine biking in an aerobics class.  That is spinning.  The participants adjust the difficulty of the stationary bikes using a braking mechanism to simulate biking through hills and valleys while the instructor gives commands to stand, sit, or vary the speed and resistance.

Trampolining – Whether you are just bouncing or flipping continuously on a trampoline in your yard or doing a hard-core aerobic jumping workout at a large trampoline facility the size of a football field (there is one in Las Vegas that UFC star Randy Coutre frequents), you will quickly see the benefits of this bouncy form of cardio training.

Ultimate Frisbee – Kind of like touch football and Frisbee combined; this sport is fun and one of the most demanding cardio workouts I’ve run into.

Volleyball – This classic team sport involving a ball and a net can be played indoors, or for a real cardio challenge, played outdoors in the sand.

X-treme sports – I know I cheated on this one, but come on.  Extreme sports loosely refers to adventurous, somewhat dangerous activities that usually includes skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, and rock climbing to name a few.

Yoga (flow) – A form of exercise and physical/mental discipline that has been around for hundreds of years, yoga involves a system of postures that emphasize flexibility, posture, balance, body awareness, relaxation, and proper breathing patterns.  Flow yoga (Vinyasa yoga) involves continuously moving (or flowing) from one posture to another.

Zumba – A dynamic fitness program involving aerobic dance moves to a Latin rhythm.  A very popular way to dance your way to cardio fitness!

Although this list is by no means complete, I think you get my point.  Cardio is much, much more than just running.  So have fun exploring the many options that are available and maybe you will come up with your own new exercise alphabet!

- Darin Smith, PE/PFT Instructor, Highline Community College