What about indoor biking?
Stationary bikes are an option for anyone who doesn't own an outdoor bike, or for someone who might not want to brave rainy days or cold winters. Stationary bikes provide the same exercise and benefits as outdoor bikes, and some would argue even more because you can work hard continuously on a stationary bike whereas on an outdoor bike you can coast and use the gears for maximum efficiency. Another advantage to stationary bikes is that you can do speed or interval work on them with precision (you can easily monitor heart rate, the degree of tension, and the pedal cadence).
At the gym, you can try spin classes. I don't know of any gym workout that people are more addicted to than spinning. People who spin regularly absolutely love it. Spinning classes are conducted on special stationary spin cycles where you can pedal very fast and hard and stand up comfortably and safely. Classes are and lead by boot-camp-like instructors who bark out when to speed up and when to slow down. It's an awesome workout.
Recumbent bikes are an option for people with low back pain or for those who are otherwise uncomfortable on an upright stationary bike. The seats are very wide and comfortable (like an automobile bucket seat), and you sit in a reclining position with your legs in front of you to reach the pedals. The early recumbent bikes were very close to the floor and difficult for some people to get down to, but that was remedied with semi-recumbent bikes which are not quite as low.
Today more than 15-20 million new bicycles are sold each year in the United States, and according to a bicycle survey sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 57 million people age 16 or older rode a bicycle at least once during the summer of 2002. Can 57 million be wrong? If you're not pedaling, now may be the time!
Are you looking for an activity that's low-impact, burns lots of calories, strengthens your heart, tightens and tones your legs, hips, and glutes, builds endurance, and transports you where you want to go quickly and efficiently? Biking might be just the thing.
