I need some advice here. I have come to the conclusion that I can't run any longer. My knees just can't take the constant pounding of running. What sort of cardio can I do that's easy on the knees? I don't want to join a gym if I can help it. It's funny because the only time my knees don't hurt is when I'm riding. I have to wear really light shoes because if my shoes are too heavy, my knees start getting really loose feeling and cracking and hurt like the dickens! Help me out here folks, my belly's starting to get fat!  

Rowing machine, possibly eliptical machine, depending on the type of knee problem, swimming. Just a few to try.

Walking, but walking fast.  If your knees hurt with the wrong shoes, you may have to buy a good pair of running shoes.  Keep your pace above 4mph and you should get some decent cardio, but it will not be up there with running.  If you don't want to pay for a gym membership, why not look in the classifieds for an elliptical or a tread mill or a bike for indoors.

You can also buy a bicycle and start riding.  Set it up for your height and start peddling.

Just some options.

I have been looking for a decent stationary bike in the classifieds, but it seems like all anyone makes anymore are those sit down ones.

Redbeard450 said:

By sit down, are you talking about recumbent? Here's a cheapy traditional bike but it's decent. It uses magnetic resistance so it's very quiet and smooth. I have the recumbent equivalent. http://www.walmart.c...duct_id=4087947

Mountain Biking

If you can find a hill nearby, vigorous mountain biking on actual hills and mountains gets the heart going.  There seems to be a lot less impact to the knees in my experience.

biznet1 said:

That's pretty good. I just don't like the idea of reclining while I'm working out. It just seems backasswards.  

I don't have too much time, so I was hoping to work out at home, that's why a stationary makes sense. Plus my mountain bike is a POS.

try a spinning bike i have one for home and they work very well also have have a very basic design not much can go wrong with them

You can get a fully suspended mountain bike that's suprisingly light for <$150.00.  The bigger POS it is, the harder you have to work!

mountainbike is one of my favorites, been biking for 20 years!

then boxing, martial arts and "boot camp" style workouts are my favorites. All gives you lots of strenght, cardio and explosivity. Great workouts!

I like to switch them up and do every other day depening on what I feel like.

I don't like rowing machines or spinning machines, can't get into it. I can never push myself to go 100% like I do on a real mtb out in nature.

Won't be doing anything for a while now though except walking! Damn collarbone! Damn! Could be worse I suppose but still.

Edited by Blue-Yellow, 24 April 2012 - 11:54 AM.

flip18436572, on 23 February 2006 - 11:11 AM, said:

At my height of 5'8 --- 4mph is not walking anymore, its a slow jog !  

I have the same prob with crunchy knees -- can't run very far either - i can spin it up to a decent pace, but only for short periods of time befor the knee starts screaming for vengeance

Cycling is by far my favorite activity, but here in the flat lands of Oklahoma, i have to truck the bike to decent mtb trails,  plus the roads are so narrow in my location, it makes road cycling dangerous as well due to the redneck factor (coked up/ beered up  okies in 13 year old Z-71 pickups with bodylifts and oddball exhaust arrangements talking on cell phones) and i have to truck the road bike to more suitable places to ride
  I can almost get in a trail ride on my motorcycle for the same time committment

I sucked it up and bought a membership to the YMCA  and have been using the pool for a filler exercise when i can't get out to the trails or my favorite road cycling route  ------ so far its been very cool  .   I get in a 1200-1500 meter swim in half hour to 45 minutes (that's a pretty modest pace) take a quick shower and i'm done.
Lovin it so far,  but swimming can be frustrating too because it is pretty technique specific too ---- i can't swim properly yet, so i feel i am burning twice the calories of an accomplished swimmer with my undisciplined flailing around

I broke my femur and smashed my patella into little pieces a few years back.  Use to be an avid runner marathons and the like.  Now I can't walk up and down the stairs without my knee making disgusting noises .  So I bought a cheap road cycle and pedal the crap out of that.  I also bought a spinner to mount it on in the house if I can't make it out on the road.  Once my knee was strong enough I talked the wife into a concept 2 rower and run that a few hours a week.  There are lots of things you can do just find something you can stick with and enjoy

+ 1 for the rower. I've been rehabing from and ACL repair and have used the rower quite a bit over the past few months and have found it to be the best cardio workout for me.

Row row row your butt. I've been getting after it on the Concept 2. It works a ton of muscle groups and zero impact. Concept 2 even has a website where you can make an account and keep a log of your workouts. You can even find out how you rank against other rowers all over the world. Kinda cool.

Blue-Yellow said:

True dat. Nothing like the outdoors to keep you engaged in the task at hand.

Still, if you can stay focused on the readout, the Concept 2 rower is an awesome all-round workout.

Wall squats (where you "sit" against a wall, knees bent at 90deg, for as long as you can) are an excellent way the strenghten (and help heal?) your knees without repetitivly cycling them.


quote name=DMC707 "...plus the roads are so narrow in my location, it makes road cycling dangerous as well due to the redneck factor (coked up/ beered up okies in 13 year old Z-71 pickups with bodylifts and oddball exhaust arrangements talking on cell phones)..."

LOL quote of the day!


"...been using the pool for a filler exercise ------ so far its been very cool.  Lovin it so far,  but swimming can be frustrating too because it is pretty technique specific too ---- i can't swim properly yet, so i feel i am burning twice the calories of an accomplished swimmer with my undisciplined flailing around..."

Another great line, only because it is soo true when you are first starting out.
If you can stand the boredom, swimming is great for your back as well.

I am in a similar position with bad knees. The best thing I have found in 25 years training is kettlebells.
Go light with lots of reps, mixing up the movements and if you aren't puking in 40 minutes you are Clarke Kent.

go walk through the hood carrying a big swastika sign and wearing a confederate flag shirt. i bet you won't even notice you have knees as you get up to speed.lol

bike, swim, or row seem to be the best options.