Cardio Exercise of the Month

Cardio exercise of the month:

 

For some of us, cardio can seem just plain boring! Well i've got the cure for that! This workout can be done on the treadmill, eliptical, stationary bike, or essentially any piece of cardio equipment you desire. It's all about pushing yourself to the "next level". Cardio doesn't have to take you an hour to be effective. Start small, (10-15 minutes) and increase according to your fitness level. Try adding a few minutes a week to your regiment.  

 

Want to burn fat and get in shape quick? High intensity interval training (H.I.I.T) is a better and more effective training method to lose fat and condition your heart muscles. The concept of H.I.I.T. cardio workout involves repeated bouts of harder Intervals followed by periods of easier recovery . This form of cardio is a very intense method of training which burns a very high amount of calories and keeps your body's metabolism increased for much longer periods than conventional "long & slow" cardio training.

If you've been cruising at L.I.S.S. (Low Intensity Steady State) on the treadlmill, stationary bike or elliptical machine while reading books, listening to your iPod workout music or watching sports on TV, challenge youself with the following H.I.I.T. treadmill routine.


H.I.I.T. Treadmill Running Routine

 

Warm up by walking for 5 minutes.
Run at 6-8 miles/hr pace for 2 minutes
Walk at 4 miles/hr pace for 3 minutes
Run at 8-10 miles/hr pace for 2 minutes
Walk at 4 miles/hr pace for 3 minutes

Repeat this cycle 2 to 3 times for a very intense H.I.I.T. "cardio" session followed by cool-down and stretching.

You got the idea? You can also change up the intensity or work-to-recovery ratio by modifying the pace and duration. If you increase the grade or incline level like running uphill, your cardio intensity increases as well.

 

Melanie Elliott

Personal Trainer / Group Exercise Instructor

starlamae1@yahoo.com

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