Improving fitness without running, cycling or swimming

Being popular doesn’t make them right for you

Running, cycling and swimming are many peoples’ go-to options for improving cardiovascular fitness and form the basis of their training programs. Most people have experience with one or more of these activities from some stage of their life, which makes them popular options when building an initial training program.

But just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s the best option for you. Some people find running, cycling and walking monotonous or boring, or they have done them in the past and didn’t enjoy them.

Today, I’m going to discuss some of the other ways to improve cardiovascular fitness without running, cycling and swimming. Some are pretty obvious, like walking, but a few might get you thinking differently and how you can mix up your routine.

I’ve broken these into three categories — outside, in the gym, and a few left-field options you may not have considered.

Taking your training outside

Walking

Walking is a simple form of physical activity that is familiar to most people, as it forms part of their daily routine. Walking at a steady pace helps to increase heart rate and improve…