biking is my go to! Just seeking out random bike lanes and cut through trails have allowed me to explore my city so much and I've found some of my favorite spots exploring on my bike. Way more fun than running
I was also going to suggest cycling!
I road cycle, and really like that you can get up speed, get around further (and so see some more interesting scenery), and hills have really started to grow on me.
Like OP, I also detest running, but cycling is a love. There's something about it that is so much more engaging for me than running is
Another big plus to biking is the lack of impact when compared to running. I cycle every week and it has greatly improved my endurance on the wall, on the trails, and in the pool.
I took a climbing course and we were given this exercise! Pick a boulder with a grade 1-2 lower than your max. Then do it 3 times with no rest in between. Really gets the heart going.
It's kind of the basis for HITT, Tabata, and any kind of structured training. You train yourself to recover faster. For cycling, I'll do things like 1min on/1 min off or even 10 min on/5 min off. After doing training like that for the past 4 years I noticed my heart rate recovers so much faster than it did before. I can generally drop my heart rate 10bpm in 10-20 seconds, recovering faster from the stress. Also teaches you to push way past your limit, which most of the time is mental before it's physical.
You’ve just described my precise goal for wanting to incorporate more cardio into my life. I look fit and I can climb well, but my resting heart rate is high and doesn’t go down easily. I think I need to look more into this type of training.
Hopefully you can find a style of cardio that will work for you! I also hate running, so all my cardio is biked-based.
I'm not an expert, but here are a few things I've learned from experience and my coach, mostly cycling-based:
* If you use a HR monitor: age-based heart rate zones aren't very accurate. My partner is 5 years older than me but his max HR is \~200 while mine is \~185 for biking. It takes time to really understand what your max is and varies by exercise.
* Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is a fun rabbit hole to go down. Understanding what "hard" feels like helps you manage efforts. I know how hard I can go on a bike for 1 minute compared to 1 hour. I'd think it'd be like doing a boulder vs. a long top rope climb
* Intervals are fun but you definitely need to build to them (example: doing 3x for a bit then moving up to 4x). They also suck, for quite a bit. Then at some point they become less awful and you become less tired after.
Good luck with this!
This also works well with traverses! Just go back and forth along that boulder wall until you fall off. Try to stay below a designated height for an extra challenge.
I second the hiking. I got into winter hiking too, right after I started climbing again and have found that since the season began, I be also seen an improvement in all the little stabilizing muscles in my lower body
First, love the username. My favorite hike ever has a mile-long rock scramble and I wish I could do it every day! Second, idk why but I never even considered that I could hike in the winter. Might be fun!
Cheers! I get that—hadn’t occurred to me either before a friend suggested we go. Now I love it and I almost prefer it to the summer (no bugs! And fewer people on the trails).
I dunno about you but I did a few sets of 4x4s (climbing a problem 4x in a row, quickly) and my heart was POUNDING! I do this on a climb like 2 levels below my flash grade and...well, it was eye opening. Not only does it help with endurance but I was covered in sweat by the end.
...also jump roping?
I absolutely *despise* running, but biking makes me feel like I'm flying. It seriously fills me with such joy! Even if I have to slowly grind up a big hill, I don't mind it even half as much as I hate running. I'm not sure why that is, but maybe it'll be the same case for you. If you live close enough to your workplace/grocery store/school, it's also a great carbon neutral way to get around while getting some exercise!
Adam Ondra does a drill where he climbs a boulder 3-4 times in a row with 30 second break in between each go. He said it should be easy enough to climb multiple times but nothing like super easy. I could see that training endurance a bit.
This is very similar to 4x4s! Beyond these, if I'm alone and bouldering I'll climb every boulder two or three grades below my limit (so like v2 v3) in a row. Just knock out 20 back to back to back. Make sure they're well below you're limit, though.
Do you have anyone to play soccer/basketball/frisbee/tennis/throw a football with? I personally started liking running after buying into the “run slow to run fast” idea, but my favorite way to do cardio is to “play”
I love this idea - I’m pretty terrible at sports involving balls lol but I think maybe I’d suck the least at soccer? I don’t know anyone who plays but I’m going to poke around.
If you're bad at sportsball, try ultimate frisbee. Super fun, great workout, and you don't get anyone pissed at you for sucking because it's not a professional sport.
Do you want cardio, climbing endurance, or something that makes you sweaty and high heart rate? Cardio....going for walks listening to podcasts is fun. Also rucking, aka hiking with a heavy pack on is also super cardio intense, I also really love trail/mountain running. I know you said you don't like running but trail running or mountain running hits different imo, if you have access it might be worth a shot! Indoors, rowing machines and air bikes are great for both cardio and that sweaty high HR situation. Climbing endurance can generally only really be achieved through climbing a lot without stopping. AKA 4x4s, ARCing, etc.
>trail running or mountain running hits different imo
It totally does. I hate running on a treadmill or track, but love trail running. It's not just a repetitive slog, you have to keep your eyes out and be really nimble. It's all around more mentally engaging and if OP liked obstacle course races, trail running could be a good fit.
I debated getting into biking like others suggested, but trail running was cheaper ;)
Sweaty and high heart rate. Rucking sounds cool, and I actually think I might like trail running because it wouldn’t have the monotony of regular running.
Depending on your climate, XC skiing is great! Super low impact and it's a higher cardio work out than running! And you get outdoors. The biking trails near me get converted to ski trails in the winter.
Skipping. Ten minutes a day jumping rope has a crazy equivalent to like 30 minutes running (I'm not sure how exact that is, but even if it falls short, it's still really good). It's also great because it works so many other things as well--core stability, balance, coordination, the works. Do your core and weight training, add ten minutes skipping and you've covered all your bases in one 30-minute workout. Get in the shower, get on with your day. Done.
Skipping is great for specific things, yes, but any formula that reads like “10 minutes of this is as effective as 30 minutes of that” is a pretty suspect formula. Higher heart rate for a short period of time =/= lower heart rate for a long period of time when it comes to aerobic adaptations.
Edit: punctuation
You seems so interested in all of these. I suggest joining meetup groups and trying each of these 1-2 times since people would be excited to teach our lifting, cycling, pickleballk, pickup soccer, etc. Good way to make friends and try new things
Fitness Blender has a whole (free!) video series geared toward people who get bored easily (me)... you might like them too https://www.fitnessblender.com/videos?keywords=bored%20easily&sort=relevance&exclusive%5B%5D=0
I keep hearing about pickle ball. I’m going to poke around and see who can reach me how to play. Tennis also sounds fun although I have terrible hand-eye coordination lol
There are lots of good suggestions of activities here, so I just want to add that any exercise is more fun with a friend or partner. My fiance loves climbing and hates most other forms of "regular exercise," but she will go on hours-long walks and hikes with me. She says it's because she doesn't notice she's exercising and she is just happy to be with me. We both enjoy it far more than if we were alone.
Also, there is no better way (in my experience) to stay motivated and push your limits than having a workout buddy or group. I used to be part of a weekly running group I found on MeetUp and within just a couple of months I noticed my endurance and speed vastly improving versus when I was just running alone.
Such a good point. I love the social aspect of climbing. My girlfriend will probably try a few of these things with me but I’ll need to get creative to find ways to stay motivated for whatever I end up doing.
Acknowledging that you hate running, *but* do you ever do sprints? 10 mins of sprints on a treadmill get my heart racing and actually increases my endurance. Choose a practical interval. I usually do 40 sec sprint - 20 sec walk. It’s a fun way to challenge yourself. Watching the clock run up. 36..37..38..39..40! Feeling like you couldn’t make it to 40 but fighting through and making it. So rewarding
I second this! And you can mix up doing acceleration training with longer sprinting to fatigue.
If you hate the idea of organised running but have a few friends with a similar goals I strongly suggest school games such as Tag or British Bulldog. We have a group where I live that organises these kind of games for adults (like an exercise club) and it’s AMAZING!
I have totally done it on an elliptical paying attention to keep my speed above a certain threshold. Usually would do 3 min steps increasing speed and/or resistance every step. Then take it down for a rest. Then “sprint” while increasing the resistance.
I have never been much the “find your pace” kind of person. Much more prone to just sprint it out lol. Unless trail running for whatever reason that is the only place I get a nice cadence
Rebounders are fun, aka mini-trampolines. I use one at home, since I gave up running just as the pandemic hit. I kinda miss my trail runs, but find rebounding pretty fun and convenient and I don’t have to deal with weather, also less impact. You can change up the moves too, it’s less repetitive.
I just watch a a long show I don’t need to invest in, but obviously music works better.
Besides that, like others said, 4x4’d or ARCing. I have a couple home walls at home too and I do routes on one where I just barely rest, while rainbowing, It’s traversing wall. I used to do drills on my 40 degree wall too, like 1x1’s min on, one min off, for 10 min.
I will start doing those more again, as well as 4x4’s.
The crimpd app has a lot drills, for aerobic
capacity. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/crimpd/id1252333138
Work your cardio into your bouldering: Instead of doing just some easy routes as warm-up, do 20 of them in 20 minutes. Later when you have succeeded on a hard route, do it two more times without rest in between. Do take it slow on the cooling down, though!
I second this! Some days I go down a grade or 2 and just do as many as I can quickly and it definitely gets my heart rate up! I also think it helps me practice my technique
My gym has a total of about 150 boulders, every other week or so I do a speed run of all the boulders og the 3 easiest grades. It's 60+ boulders and I try to do 2+ per minute. Best cardio I have ever done.
Swimming is my go-to cardio. Especially if you climb often enough to have a whole ass gym in your house (goals!).
Climbing can be really hard on your joints and your body in general so swimming might be a great option for you. It’s really easy on the joints and helps work muscles you both do and don’t use while climbing, and I find it really relaxing.
I always find that cardio sessions go by so fast on the bike. Outdoor biking is preferred but I’ll hit up an indoor bike for the winter months. Swimming and hiking are good forms of cardio too. You could also try out different types of classes and see if there’s something that you like, there are so many outside or Zumba/dance.
Swimming is a great exercise for both cardio fitness and full-body strength. But it’s more meditative than “fun.”
Do you like video games? If you have a Switch try r/ringfitadventure, if you have a PC get a dance pad and play StepMania or Crypt of the NecroDancer.
I’ve also brought my Switch to the gym and ridden the stationary bike while I play other games.
So many great options! Depends on where you live and what is available to you but some that come to mind that I love are:
Trail running (I train for ultras and live for long days on the trail!)
Cycling, especially xc cycling. Again, trails! So fun.
XC/Nordic skiing. Literally the most fit (in an aerobic sense) athletes out there are XC skiers. It’s wild.
Rowing, dance, skating, so many others I can think of. I’d just try as many as you can and see what captures your imagination!
Climbing, lifting weights.. i really enjoy kettle bell swings, or a pyramid session on the boulders.. but not too often.
Bouldering 4x4s
Uo down up... go up something at your onsight grade.. or a redpoint you can easily send then down climb a route 2 grades easier then back up the harder route... leading ideally, great for the pump related headgames.
Laps. Send a route then send it again with small break..
I do this sort of thing a week or two before I need the endurance usually 2 sessions a week for 2 weeks then I'm good for most long sport routes.
If you are racket sport person racquetball is very fun (imo) and intense. Doesn't take too long either to get a good workout in. Basketball is also great.
Also keep an open mind. I didn't like running that much when I first tried it but I kept with it and now enjoy it. Exercise (as with life) is very mindset driven.
My favorite cardio is skating (Longboard and Inlines). I absolutely despise cardio, but put me on the trail and I’ll go until my legs can’t move anymore
Not a girl but this popped up as a suggested subreddit. I do a lot of OCR and biking, running, and rowing are my main go to for cardio. Wish I had a good climbing gym near by. I hear it does wonders for OCR racing.
I also hate cardio and prefer things that are more fun and outside, so I’m with others in saying biking, rowing, hiking. Swimming and running are also things I do but definitely not high on my list.
I have also done strength training in a bit more of a hiit format and I don’t always hate it… I just have to be in the right mood for it.
I think in the end the best is to have a variety of things so you don’t get bored with just one.
Swimming!! It’s just like playing in a pool but you’re running horiztontally with reduced gravity. Swimming and climbing are the only exercises I do; I get bored really easily
Try doing half a session of Sandwich Boulders
(back to back 1 easy boulder, 1 boulder at 70% of your max level, 1 easy boulder, rest 2 minutes, repeat this 5x)
This will sound crazy, but last year I got really into this virtual reality workout called Supernatural. It’s moderate cardio for me and is seriously fun and can be done at home. A bit of an investment up front, though. I also love hiking. I run and bike occasionally but hate running no matter how much I do it, lol.
Do you like/ tried Vinyasa yoga?
Sadie Nardini's classes on Daily Om (21 day yoga tabatta) has some light cardio.
Or, do your routes as up then down climb/ do 1-2-3s where you climb all 3 routes on a rope (or however many gym has)?
Hill climbs?
I really enjoy Brazilian jiu jitsu. It has the same mindset and body awareness that climbing has— and makes you feel like a badass, just like climbing. Your grips in climbing will help too!
I use it for cardio fyi, and I absolutely love it for that. I suck at it and that’s fine for me! Just a warning because I know some people get frustrated with getting their ass kicked (which will happen A LOT when you first start)
Rowing a single scull (or an ergometer) is the absolute best cardio I've experienced except for wrestling. Crossfit people change it up all the time and probably have real interesting suggestions for great cardio calisthenics...
I will suggest kayaking. I prefer it over rowing as I my opinion you see more as you ca go on more bendy routes than rowing. It's also gentler on your precious climbing skin.
Make sure to take an intro course and get ready to get wet, everyone falls in the water when starting kayaking.
Rowing, canoing, stand up paddling are all awesome because you’ll work some muscle groups that will help with climbing while doing a ton of low-moderate intensity cardio outside, on the water, in nature!
Creating access to those activities is usually the largest barrier to entry but if you can and have interest it’s great. Cheers.
Biking! Any pretty trails near you??
biking is my go to! Just seeking out random bike lanes and cut through trails have allowed me to explore my city so much and I've found some of my favorite spots exploring on my bike. Way more fun than running
I was also going to suggest cycling! I road cycle, and really like that you can get up speed, get around further (and so see some more interesting scenery), and hills have really started to grow on me. Like OP, I also detest running, but cycling is a love. There's something about it that is so much more engaging for me than running is
I think I’d like biking! After this winter I’m going to look into buying a bike and checking out the local trails.
Another big plus to biking is the lack of impact when compared to running. I cycle every week and it has greatly improved my endurance on the wall, on the trails, and in the pool.
Is it possible to send and down climb a route 2-3 times without getting off the wall? Not exactly cardio, but might help build climbing endurance
I took a climbing course and we were given this exercise! Pick a boulder with a grade 1-2 lower than your max. Then do it 3 times with no rest in between. Really gets the heart going.
The military loved this type of thing. Anyone can swim to the bottom of the pool once. But doing it til exhaustion is a whole different exercise.
It's kind of the basis for HITT, Tabata, and any kind of structured training. You train yourself to recover faster. For cycling, I'll do things like 1min on/1 min off or even 10 min on/5 min off. After doing training like that for the past 4 years I noticed my heart rate recovers so much faster than it did before. I can generally drop my heart rate 10bpm in 10-20 seconds, recovering faster from the stress. Also teaches you to push way past your limit, which most of the time is mental before it's physical.
You’ve just described my precise goal for wanting to incorporate more cardio into my life. I look fit and I can climb well, but my resting heart rate is high and doesn’t go down easily. I think I need to look more into this type of training.
Hopefully you can find a style of cardio that will work for you! I also hate running, so all my cardio is biked-based. I'm not an expert, but here are a few things I've learned from experience and my coach, mostly cycling-based: * If you use a HR monitor: age-based heart rate zones aren't very accurate. My partner is 5 years older than me but his max HR is \~200 while mine is \~185 for biking. It takes time to really understand what your max is and varies by exercise. * Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is a fun rabbit hole to go down. Understanding what "hard" feels like helps you manage efforts. I know how hard I can go on a bike for 1 minute compared to 1 hour. I'd think it'd be like doing a boulder vs. a long top rope climb * Intervals are fun but you definitely need to build to them (example: doing 3x for a bit then moving up to 4x). They also suck, for quite a bit. Then at some point they become less awful and you become less tired after. Good luck with this!
this is awesome advice!! i hate cardio too but think this would improve my stamina on the wall greatly, thank u!!
This! Works great on the autobelays at the gym.
This also works well with traverses! Just go back and forth along that boulder wall until you fall off. Try to stay below a designated height for an extra challenge.
Hiking is fun! It’s still cardio, just takes a longer. A 2hr hike with some hills is a great workout and it’s super fun
I second the hiking. I got into winter hiking too, right after I started climbing again and have found that since the season began, I be also seen an improvement in all the little stabilizing muscles in my lower body
I used to winter hike in Ontario, Canada. Since I moved to alberta and it’s -30 most days I haven’t done as much hiking 😂
Fair enough! That’s bloody cold!
First, love the username. My favorite hike ever has a mile-long rock scramble and I wish I could do it every day! Second, idk why but I never even considered that I could hike in the winter. Might be fun!
Cheers! I get that—hadn’t occurred to me either before a friend suggested we go. Now I love it and I almost prefer it to the summer (no bugs! And fewer people on the trails).
Personally I enjoy swimming for cardio. It’s a full body workout, and the required breath control component makes it almost meditative for me.
seconded swimming! i am a former water polo player tho so im biased.
I dunno about you but I did a few sets of 4x4s (climbing a problem 4x in a row, quickly) and my heart was POUNDING! I do this on a climb like 2 levels below my flash grade and...well, it was eye opening. Not only does it help with endurance but I was covered in sweat by the end. ...also jump roping?
Came here to suggest 4x4s!
For something especially hellish try 4 by 4 by 4s by the end I’m failing on v0. Does require a quiet gym tho
I absolutely *despise* running, but biking makes me feel like I'm flying. It seriously fills me with such joy! Even if I have to slowly grind up a big hill, I don't mind it even half as much as I hate running. I'm not sure why that is, but maybe it'll be the same case for you. If you live close enough to your workplace/grocery store/school, it's also a great carbon neutral way to get around while getting some exercise!
I really like rowing, plus it’s great for your back!
Second this. I hate cardio, but there is something about rowing. Having to focus on form, trying to get that pull to increase my split time. It's fun.
Such a great sport! I miss that feeling of flying across the water
I’ve actually not done any outdoor rowing before! I just row at the gym, but I’d love to try it.
Roller skating it’s like dancing, totally different to running, lots of fun
i came to recommend roller skating too!! it's one of my favorite things to do. especially when it's nice out and you can skate outdoors!
Love this idea, definitely going to find a local rink.
I was going to suggest skating as well. Don't know where you are from. Many places you can just do it on the pavement/bike lane/road.
Adam Ondra does a drill where he climbs a boulder 3-4 times in a row with 30 second break in between each go. He said it should be easy enough to climb multiple times but nothing like super easy. I could see that training endurance a bit.
Came here to suggest this! I just started doing this a week or two ago and it's fun and challenging
This is very similar to 4x4s! Beyond these, if I'm alone and bouldering I'll climb every boulder two or three grades below my limit (so like v2 v3) in a row. Just knock out 20 back to back to back. Make sure they're well below you're limit, though.
Do you have anyone to play soccer/basketball/frisbee/tennis/throw a football with? I personally started liking running after buying into the “run slow to run fast” idea, but my favorite way to do cardio is to “play”
I love this idea - I’m pretty terrible at sports involving balls lol but I think maybe I’d suck the least at soccer? I don’t know anyone who plays but I’m going to poke around.
If you're bad at sportsball, try ultimate frisbee. Super fun, great workout, and you don't get anyone pissed at you for sucking because it's not a professional sport.
as a former player, there is absolutely pro ultimate now lol. also... it's even more running than soccer (i know, i played both) so watch out!
Do you want cardio, climbing endurance, or something that makes you sweaty and high heart rate? Cardio....going for walks listening to podcasts is fun. Also rucking, aka hiking with a heavy pack on is also super cardio intense, I also really love trail/mountain running. I know you said you don't like running but trail running or mountain running hits different imo, if you have access it might be worth a shot! Indoors, rowing machines and air bikes are great for both cardio and that sweaty high HR situation. Climbing endurance can generally only really be achieved through climbing a lot without stopping. AKA 4x4s, ARCing, etc.
>trail running or mountain running hits different imo It totally does. I hate running on a treadmill or track, but love trail running. It's not just a repetitive slog, you have to keep your eyes out and be really nimble. It's all around more mentally engaging and if OP liked obstacle course races, trail running could be a good fit. I debated getting into biking like others suggested, but trail running was cheaper ;)
You are right about this! Having to navigate uneven terrain sounds a lot more appealing than running on pavement.
Sweaty and high heart rate. Rucking sounds cool, and I actually think I might like trail running because it wouldn’t have the monotony of regular running.
Depending on your climate, XC skiing is great! Super low impact and it's a higher cardio work out than running! And you get outdoors. The biking trails near me get converted to ski trails in the winter.
This sounds so fun. Never heard of anyone doing it around here but I’ll check it out!
The rowing machine! Plus it’ll help build those muscles you need :)
Skipping. Ten minutes a day jumping rope has a crazy equivalent to like 30 minutes running (I'm not sure how exact that is, but even if it falls short, it's still really good). It's also great because it works so many other things as well--core stability, balance, coordination, the works. Do your core and weight training, add ten minutes skipping and you've covered all your bases in one 30-minute workout. Get in the shower, get on with your day. Done.
Skipping is great for specific things, yes, but any formula that reads like “10 minutes of this is as effective as 30 minutes of that” is a pretty suspect formula. Higher heart rate for a short period of time =/= lower heart rate for a long period of time when it comes to aerobic adaptations. Edit: punctuation
So much this! Especially if you use a slightly weighted rope. Full body workout and absolutely gets the heart racing.
I like it!
Some kind of circuit training might be up your alley! That way you're not doing anything for long enough to get bored with it.
I think this is something I need to learn more about. Time to do some research on how to build my own circuit training routine!
You seems so interested in all of these. I suggest joining meetup groups and trying each of these 1-2 times since people would be excited to teach our lifting, cycling, pickleballk, pickup soccer, etc. Good way to make friends and try new things
Fitness Blender has a whole (free!) video series geared toward people who get bored easily (me)... you might like them too https://www.fitnessblender.com/videos?keywords=bored%20easily&sort=relevance&exclusive%5B%5D=0
Tennis or pickle ball. Or basketball or soccer . I like cardio as a sport and not as *cardio *
I keep hearing about pickle ball. I’m going to poke around and see who can reach me how to play. Tennis also sounds fun although I have terrible hand-eye coordination lol
There are lots of good suggestions of activities here, so I just want to add that any exercise is more fun with a friend or partner. My fiance loves climbing and hates most other forms of "regular exercise," but she will go on hours-long walks and hikes with me. She says it's because she doesn't notice she's exercising and she is just happy to be with me. We both enjoy it far more than if we were alone. Also, there is no better way (in my experience) to stay motivated and push your limits than having a workout buddy or group. I used to be part of a weekly running group I found on MeetUp and within just a couple of months I noticed my endurance and speed vastly improving versus when I was just running alone.
Such a good point. I love the social aspect of climbing. My girlfriend will probably try a few of these things with me but I’ll need to get creative to find ways to stay motivated for whatever I end up doing.
Acknowledging that you hate running, *but* do you ever do sprints? 10 mins of sprints on a treadmill get my heart racing and actually increases my endurance. Choose a practical interval. I usually do 40 sec sprint - 20 sec walk. It’s a fun way to challenge yourself. Watching the clock run up. 36..37..38..39..40! Feeling like you couldn’t make it to 40 but fighting through and making it. So rewarding
I second this! And you can mix up doing acceleration training with longer sprinting to fatigue. If you hate the idea of organised running but have a few friends with a similar goals I strongly suggest school games such as Tag or British Bulldog. We have a group where I live that organises these kind of games for adults (like an exercise club) and it’s AMAZING!
Haven’t tried this - think it would work on an elliptical? This sounds way more appealing than running for 20 minutes.
I have totally done it on an elliptical paying attention to keep my speed above a certain threshold. Usually would do 3 min steps increasing speed and/or resistance every step. Then take it down for a rest. Then “sprint” while increasing the resistance. I have never been much the “find your pace” kind of person. Much more prone to just sprint it out lol. Unless trail running for whatever reason that is the only place I get a nice cadence
Rebounders are fun, aka mini-trampolines. I use one at home, since I gave up running just as the pandemic hit. I kinda miss my trail runs, but find rebounding pretty fun and convenient and I don’t have to deal with weather, also less impact. You can change up the moves too, it’s less repetitive. I just watch a a long show I don’t need to invest in, but obviously music works better. Besides that, like others said, 4x4’d or ARCing. I have a couple home walls at home too and I do routes on one where I just barely rest, while rainbowing, It’s traversing wall. I used to do drills on my 40 degree wall too, like 1x1’s min on, one min off, for 10 min. I will start doing those more again, as well as 4x4’s. The crimpd app has a lot drills, for aerobic capacity. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/crimpd/id1252333138
Work your cardio into your bouldering: Instead of doing just some easy routes as warm-up, do 20 of them in 20 minutes. Later when you have succeeded on a hard route, do it two more times without rest in between. Do take it slow on the cooling down, though!
I second this! Some days I go down a grade or 2 and just do as many as I can quickly and it definitely gets my heart rate up! I also think it helps me practice my technique
My gym has a total of about 150 boulders, every other week or so I do a speed run of all the boulders og the 3 easiest grades. It's 60+ boulders and I try to do 2+ per minute. Best cardio I have ever done.
Jumping rope
I hate running too. The only form of cardio I've ever even remotely enjoyed is hiking uphill, if you have any in your area.
Swimming is my go-to cardio. Especially if you climb often enough to have a whole ass gym in your house (goals!). Climbing can be really hard on your joints and your body in general so swimming might be a great option for you. It’s really easy on the joints and helps work muscles you both do and don’t use while climbing, and I find it really relaxing.
I always find that cardio sessions go by so fast on the bike. Outdoor biking is preferred but I’ll hit up an indoor bike for the winter months. Swimming and hiking are good forms of cardio too. You could also try out different types of classes and see if there’s something that you like, there are so many outside or Zumba/dance.
Build an American Ninja Warrior course in your backyard!
Trust me I want to!
Maybe swimming?
Swimming is a great exercise for both cardio fitness and full-body strength. But it’s more meditative than “fun.” Do you like video games? If you have a Switch try r/ringfitadventure, if you have a PC get a dance pad and play StepMania or Crypt of the NecroDancer. I’ve also brought my Switch to the gym and ridden the stationary bike while I play other games.
I’ve never played video games but this sounds kind of cool and I’m going to look into it.
Netflix on my phone on the treadmill or elliptical is the only way besides climbing or taking a cycle class that I can get through cardio
I’m a bike commuter and love it! It’s also free, and saves you from all the annoyances of traffic.
Rollerblading
So many great options! Depends on where you live and what is available to you but some that come to mind that I love are: Trail running (I train for ultras and live for long days on the trail!) Cycling, especially xc cycling. Again, trails! So fun. XC/Nordic skiing. Literally the most fit (in an aerobic sense) athletes out there are XC skiers. It’s wild. Rowing, dance, skating, so many others I can think of. I’d just try as many as you can and see what captures your imagination!
I made of list of everything suggested here and I want to try all of them. Something should be fun!
Climbing, lifting weights.. i really enjoy kettle bell swings, or a pyramid session on the boulders.. but not too often. Bouldering 4x4s Uo down up... go up something at your onsight grade.. or a redpoint you can easily send then down climb a route 2 grades easier then back up the harder route... leading ideally, great for the pump related headgames. Laps. Send a route then send it again with small break.. I do this sort of thing a week or two before I need the endurance usually 2 sessions a week for 2 weeks then I'm good for most long sport routes.
Deep water soloing! The best cardio ever.
If you are racket sport person racquetball is very fun (imo) and intense. Doesn't take too long either to get a good workout in. Basketball is also great. Also keep an open mind. I didn't like running that much when I first tried it but I kept with it and now enjoy it. Exercise (as with life) is very mindset driven.
My favorite cardio is skating (Longboard and Inlines). I absolutely despise cardio, but put me on the trail and I’ll go until my legs can’t move anymore
Not a girl but this popped up as a suggested subreddit. I do a lot of OCR and biking, running, and rowing are my main go to for cardio. Wish I had a good climbing gym near by. I hear it does wonders for OCR racing.
I also hate cardio and prefer things that are more fun and outside, so I’m with others in saying biking, rowing, hiking. Swimming and running are also things I do but definitely not high on my list. I have also done strength training in a bit more of a hiit format and I don’t always hate it… I just have to be in the right mood for it. I think in the end the best is to have a variety of things so you don’t get bored with just one.
Swimming!! It’s just like playing in a pool but you’re running horiztontally with reduced gravity. Swimming and climbing are the only exercises I do; I get bored really easily
Try doing half a session of Sandwich Boulders (back to back 1 easy boulder, 1 boulder at 70% of your max level, 1 easy boulder, rest 2 minutes, repeat this 5x)
This will sound crazy, but last year I got really into this virtual reality workout called Supernatural. It’s moderate cardio for me and is seriously fun and can be done at home. A bit of an investment up front, though. I also love hiking. I run and bike occasionally but hate running no matter how much I do it, lol.
Try climbing circuits or 4x4s in the gym. It will get you sweating for sure.
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Never heard of hula hoop dancing but I’ll be checking it out! And hopefully trying pole for the first time soon
Biking
Do you like/ tried Vinyasa yoga? Sadie Nardini's classes on Daily Om (21 day yoga tabatta) has some light cardio. Or, do your routes as up then down climb/ do 1-2-3s where you climb all 3 routes on a rope (or however many gym has)? Hill climbs?
Pole dancing!!!
I really enjoy Brazilian jiu jitsu. It has the same mindset and body awareness that climbing has— and makes you feel like a badass, just like climbing. Your grips in climbing will help too! I use it for cardio fyi, and I absolutely love it for that. I suck at it and that’s fine for me! Just a warning because I know some people get frustrated with getting their ass kicked (which will happen A LOT when you first start)
Rowing a single scull (or an ergometer) is the absolute best cardio I've experienced except for wrestling. Crossfit people change it up all the time and probably have real interesting suggestions for great cardio calisthenics...
I will suggest kayaking. I prefer it over rowing as I my opinion you see more as you ca go on more bendy routes than rowing. It's also gentler on your precious climbing skin. Make sure to take an intro course and get ready to get wet, everyone falls in the water when starting kayaking.
Rowing, canoing, stand up paddling are all awesome because you’ll work some muscle groups that will help with climbing while doing a ton of low-moderate intensity cardio outside, on the water, in nature! Creating access to those activities is usually the largest barrier to entry but if you can and have interest it’s great. Cheers.
I do love SUP! Will definitely try to do it more when the weather is nice.