Sore hamstring muscles need not keep you from getting a good cardio workout. You can still elevate your heart rate with a variety of exercises requiring little or no lower body involvement. However, some exercises may require access to specialized fitness machines, special training aids or a pool. If you are just starting a cardio fitness program, it is always wise to first consult your doctor.
An upper body ergometer (UBE) is a special exercise machine that resembles an upright bicycle with pedals that are operated using your hands. It offers individuals with lower body injuries a way to get a good cardio workout without involving the lower body. Exercise physiologist and strength coach Joseph M. Warpeha states that after a few months of training on a UBE, you can get a quality aerobic exercise if you push yourself. You will have to set the height of seat so that your shoulders are at the same level as the axis of the crank and adjust the seat’s distance from the machine so that when your arms are extended during the pedaling movement, there is a 5- to 10-degree bend in your elbows. A workout includes pedaling forward for 10 minutes and then reversing the direction for 10 minutes.
Rope undulating is a challenging way to improve your cardiovascular endurance. These exercises involve swinging heavy ropes in a variety of patterns, primarily using your upper body. One heart-pumping exercise recommended by CalRopes.com is called the Venice and starts by anchoring the middle of the rope around a stationary object such as a tree. Holding the ends of the rope, you back away from the tree, allowing 3 or 4 feet of slack. Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, you bend your knees slightly and hold your arms waist high in front of your body. Simultaneously and in opposite directions, you move your arms up and down, creating waves in the rope. CalRopes recommends a moderate rate with medium-sized waves for 10 seconds, then increasing the pace, creating smaller waves, for 10 seconds. Repeating the moderate and fast timed intervals two more times completes one set; perform 5 sets with two-minute rests between sets.
Performing non-weight-bearing exercises in water offers another joint-friendly way to improve your cardio endurance. Water offers a natural resistance to movement which makes exercising in water effective in building strength and elevating your heart rate. One deep-water cardio exercise for individuals with sore hamstrings is sculling. Starting in neck-high water, you bend your hips and bring your knees up toward your chest, extend your arms out to your sides and cup your hands. Moving your arms in a figure-eight fashion to keep your head above water and concentrating on not using your legs, you will move from one end of the pool to the other. Five lengths of the pool with a minute of rest between lengths completes a workout.
To improve your cardio endurance, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, five days per week or 20 to 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise three days per week. With rope undulating, you will need a special 2-inch diameter, 60-foot rope with rubber handles, available from online fitness and conditioning supply companies. If you find it too difficult to stay afloat while sculling, you can sit on the middle of a swim noodle.
