Are Your Cardio Workouts Growing Stale?
Try These Workouts To Jumpstart That Fatloss!
Anyone who has read my articles knows where I stand on cardio. Too much aerobic exercise is the downfall of far too many in search of fat loss and a lean muscular physique. That doesn't mean you shouldn’t do it at all. There is certainly room for aerobics within your workout. In fact, for those in search of fat loss (or cardio respitory health) it is a must.
First, you want to make sure you are eating enough. If you'd like to see ongoing fat loss, it’s important that you take in enough calories to meet your caloric needs and aid you from overtraining. Next, you need a strategy that works. The following four aerobic workouts are some actual cardio sessions I do myself as well as prescribe for my clients. For the most effective cardio workout, I would recommend any exercise that you have to carry your own weight (Stairmaster, treadmill, elliptical cross trainer, etc.). While your heart may not know whether you're on a bike or a stairclimber, your muscles do.
Read through each workout first. Then start by integrating just one of them into your routine. Do not do cardio before your weight training. Make sure you do it after or on a different day altogether. The body is very adaptive. After two weeks of one workout, shifting to another can be a helpful tool for keeping the aerobic workouts from becoming stale.
Before beginning, it's important to calculate your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). In order to do that, simply subtract your age from the number 220. The intensity of these exercise routines is gauged by a heart rate elevation at various percentages of MHR. Although not a necessity, a heart rate monitor would be a worthwhile investment in order to optimize the exercise sessions. If you don't have a heart rate monitor, you can estimate your exercise heart rate by finding your pulse, counting the beats for 10 seconds, and multiplying by 6. Let‘s burn some fat!
Workout #1 - The Beginners Program
Time: 25 minutes, 3-5 times per week
Equipment: Recumbent bike, elliptical climber
This is a low impact routine designed to gradually elevate the heart rate without putting stress on the joints or connective tissue. It's ideal for those who are new to aerobic training. The recumbent bike offers comfort and back support and the elliptical climber eliminates the repetitive jarring the joints are subjected to in a running program.
You'll vary your intensity by increasing speed and/or resistance level. Begin with a 5-minute warm-up, using this time to gradually bring your heart rate up to approximately 70% of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). Gradually increase the resistance and zero in on the ideal intensity as you keep your speed and/or resistance constant. Stay within a moderate Target Heart Zone (THZ) (between 70% and 80% of MHR) for 15 minutes. Then cool down slowly until your heart rate is down below 90 BPM.
Summary:
- 15 minutes at 70% - 80% MHR on recumbent bike or elliptical trainer
- Gradual cool down (about 5 minutes)
Workout #2 - The Intermediate Workout - "Major Fat Destroyer"
During aerobic movement, the body has two fuel options; glucose (carbohydrates) and/or fat. This routine allows you to reap the benefits of high intensity training and moderate intensity training simultaneously. While you do burn proportionately more fat than glucose during moderate intensities, you can burn a greater volume of fat over the course of a 24 hour time period by training at a higher intensity.
Time: 45 minutes, 5 times per week
As always, begin with a gradual warm-up. You are going to be training between 60% and 85% of you MHR. Once you reach a heart rate elevation toward the lower end of your target zone, find a speed that allows you to maintain that intensity for 3 minutes. Then, increase the speed and/or resistance to bring your heart rate up to the higher end of your Target Zone. Maintain this high end heart rate for 3 minutes. Return to your previous speed and/or resistance and repeat a 3-minute interval in your lower target heart zone. Next you'll return to the higher heart rate by increasing speed and/or resistance. Keep alternating 3-minutes at the higher end with 3 minutes at the lower end. At the conclusion of the session, always cool down.
Summary:
- Repeat 3 minute intervals until 12 intervals are complete
Workout #3 - The Pyramid
Time: 35 - 45 minutes, 3-5 times per week
This offers another method of exercising with variations in intensity to take the body through shifts in fat / glucose release. In this workout, the middle of the session is the most intense, allowing for a continuous cooldown in stages. Begin with a low speed/intensity. The first five minutes will constitute your warm up. Now you're going to go through three stages of intensity and then you'll work your way back down. After your five minute warm up, increase the speed / resistance to a moderate intensity (65% MHR). Maintain for 5 minutes, then move up to the second stage (75% MHR). After another 5 minutes you'll go up to the highest intensity (85% MHR). Maintain the 85% MHR heart rate elevation for 10 minutes, then return to the second stage intensity. After another 5 minutes return to the first stage for 5 minutes, and conclude with a slow cooldown. In time, you can extend each of the intervals by a minute each brining the entirety of the exercise session to near 45 minutes.
Summary:
- Stage 1: maintain 65% MHR for 5 minutes
- Stage 2: maintain 75% MHR for 5 minutes
- Stage 3 (peak): maintain 85% MHR for 10 minutes
Workout #4 - "The Decatholete"
Time: 4-6 days per week
This routine is great for stimulating fat burning with great variety. It can also be used to better your performance in running, walking, biking, climbing, etc. simultaneously. Not only will you vary the actual movements, but you'll also vary the intensity and duration of workouts.
Each day choose an exercise that you'll stick with through the entire workout. The first training day of the week perform a 40-minute session in your THZ at a low-moderate intensity. The following day you'll do a high intensity workout, limiting your session to a 20-minute period going all out. The third training day will be interval training (just like workout #2 above) where you'll choose a movement and spend 30 minutes alternating high intensity with moderate intensity. The fourth training day is similar to day two, another short intense session. Here's a how this routine might be applied:
Monday - 40 minutes of the Recumbent Bike
Tuesday - 20 minute short, intense run
Wednesday - 30 minutes Elliptical, alternating high and low intensity
Thursday - 20 minutes Stairclimber, short and intense
Friday - 45 minutes Bike, low intensity
Saturday - 30 minutes Treadmill, alternating high and low intensity
Sunday - Off
You can find a great deal of information on related topics by returning to the article list or by visiting my homepage. Or you can always consider one of my programs!!!!
