NOTE:
Consult with your doctor before incorporating any type of exercise into
your life!
| Cardio
routines are essential if you want to lose weight the heart-healthy
way. There are a few things to understand about these routines: |
|
|
1)
steady state cardio - running for long periods at the same
rate
|
this
will not aid in your muscle building attempts. steady state cardio
will utilize muscle for energy. |
| 2)
short runs |
better
for those attempting to build muscle |
| 3)
HIIT - "high intensity interval training" - short
spurts followed by longer active rest |
I
favor this because it keeps cardio fun and interesting, can be incorporated
in any cardio routine (run, bike, etc.), burns the least muscle
and makes the body want to burn fat. Additionally, HIIT is much
quicker than most cardio routines because of its intensity. |
A
bit more on HIIT. Utilizing HIIT, you can lose over 3 times as much
fat as performing regular cardio, despite only expending less than half
as many calories.(this figure taken from http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/HIITvsET.html).
For
optimal effect, finding your VO2 Max can be done (volume/oxygen intake),
but we want to keep this simple.
Running:
2 minute warm-up fast walk or jog, then: 60 seconds jog, 30 seconds
sprint, repeat the jog and sprint for 8 - 10 intervals. You can also
jog for 90 seconds and sprint for 30 instead. The sprint should be about
80-85% of your 100% capacity.
Biking:
2 minute warm-up pedaling slowly, then: 60 seconds normal speed, 30
seconds sprint, repeat this for 8 - 10 intervals. Again, you can also
do a 90 second/30 second split instead.
This
can be followed using any type of cardio exercise - swimming, rowing,
etc. Just be sure to consult with your doctor before starting a workout
and cardio program and always listen to your body.
