Treadmill Alternatives

The treadmill is one of the most popular pieces of workout equipment found in homes and gym facilities. However, because they are stationary and high-impact, many people find they would like a treadmill alternative to switch up their routine, get in a lower-impact workout or just have more fun exercising. Finding the right treadmill alternative depends on your goals and the time frame in which you've set to achieve them. There are some ways to get in a treadmill-worthy workout without ever stepping foot in a gym.

  1. Walk Outdoors

    • If you use the treadmill to walk or run, ditch the machine and get outside instead. Take in the fresh air ass you take a stroll around your neighborhood or jog in a local park. Not only does the fresh air do wonders to clear your mind and relax your body (even as you are working out), but also it motivates you to complete your workout. With a treadmill, you can stop whenever you are ready; when you are walking outdoors, you have to get yourself back to your original destination, thereby forcing you to finish the workout.

    Get on the Elliptical

    • Elliptical trainers are similar to treadmills in that they offer a somewhat stationary workout that helps to burn calories. However, ellipticals tend to be more sophisticated, providing more of a total body workout, versus the simply walking or running you might do on a treadmill. You can get the same cardio benefits that you might get from a treadmill, but with a much lower-impact workout. In fact, the low-impact nature of this machine contributes to its popularity among many fitness gurus.

    Play Instead

    • Instead of investing in another machine similar to the treadmill, incorporate play into your workout. There are a lot of great ways you can have fun while you exercise. If you have kids, take them outside and play tag or hide-and-go-seek. You may find that you don't even notice the exercise you get after 30 or so minutes of running around. If you want to work out solo, take a beach ball and bounce it against a wall 50 times and don't let it touch the floor. Alternatively, get a basketball and dribble it repeatedly, while you walk in a circle. Both of these exercises not only work on your hand-eye coordination, but also provide a cardio workout of sorts.