Beat The Heat With Indoor Cardio

By: Susan Hickey

Summertime is here, time for outdoor fun and activity.  One can easily find great ways to exercise outdoors, from running to kayaking to swimming.  Sometimes, though, the weather can be so warm that it’s not safe or enjoyable to get an outdoor workout in.  So what are some indoor options?
Obviously, the YMCA has a plethora of group fitness classes to suit any fitness level or particular need.  Most, if not all, of those classes have a cardio component.  You may not realize, though, that each YMCA branch has a different class offering and schedule.  So, consider checking out another branch’s schedule  on the app to see if you can find something a little different or unique.

Group fitness classes aren’t for everyone, though.  And sometimes the treadmill just gets tedious and boring.  Fortunately, there are a variety of treadmill workout options that can help someone work on a particular area of weakness, like speed, and help keep things more interesting.

• Runner’s World magazine, for instance, published this article online recently to meet a variety of needs.
• Similar programs exist for swimmers.  Check this one out from active.com.
  
• I would be remiss if I excluded bicycling from this list of options from Top Fitness Magazine.
• Consider combining weight lifting and cardio in an interval fashion to maximize your workout efficiency in this LIVESTRONG article.

Even simply pulling up your ActivTrax workout on your phone and planning it in a manner that eliminates the rest breaks in between can turn into a good cardio workout.  For instance, complete a set on a leg machine and instead of taking the break prior to another set, complete one of your arm exercise sets.  Then, switch back to the first exercise.  This keeps your heart rate elevated and maximizes efficiency so you can complete an entire workout more quickly.  After all, the sooner it gets done, the sooner you can relax in the shade, right?

Summer is a great time to take advantage of outdoor fun but sometimes it’s necessary to move a workout indoors.  Try one of these tips the next time the temperature rises and keep yourself on track with your physical fitness through equipment available at your local YMCA!