What You Need to Know About Cardio

Cardio I think is one of the most overused words in the fitness world. Yet, it seems to me that many know the word, but forget the purpose and meaning of this type of exercise.
 
The dictionary defines cardiovascular exercise as a "conditioning that exercises the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels." This means to say that when you undergo a cardiovascular activity, you are giving your heart, lungs and circulatory system a good workout. Regularly exercising your cardiovascular system is very beneficial to your health since it acts as the body's engine.

There are many differing opinions out there about what amounts and type of cardio need to be done for health and for fat lost. For the average person trying to cut back on fast food and incorporate a little exercise into their life, just merely getting into a gym and stepping on a treadmill, regardless of the speed or incline, is a great first step! For those above average people who are trying to take their strategy up a couple of notches, it would be a good idea to sit down and decide on a specific number of sessions that you will commit to each week in order to get you closer to your goals.

So how long and how hard should your cardio sessions be?

The debate over high and moderate intensity is a difficult one to solve with just one specific answer. In my opinion, for those who are overweight and just trying to get into shape, the moderate intensity cardio performed at longer lengths of time seem to be more beneficial. I find more moderate, longer sessions to be less intimidating and allow for a higher degree of certainty than extremely high intensity type of cardio sessions. It is a proven fact that burning calories on a regular basis WILL assist your body in burning fat. A good place for you to start would anywhere from 30-45 minutes and then work your way up to a 60 minute max.

How much and how often?

Well now lets say you have been going to the gym for a few months now and staying pretty regular with doing the moderate cardio. You lost a few pounds and you feel like it’s something that you can handle. Well, its time to kick it up a notch and commit to a weekly cardio training plan. At this point you will want to choose a specific amount of days that you will do your cardio and how long of a time you will do it for. In my opinion, 3-5 days a week at around 35 minutes usually is a great place to get your cardio program started. Not everyone’s body will respond the same to cardio, so you will have to do some experimenting and figure out what works for YOUR body.

Another level!

So now it's been several months on that program and you are quite proud of yourself that you have been so dedicated to stick to the plan and have only missed a few cardio sessions. You like how your new smaller clothes are fitting and you are pleased with the admiring looks you are starting to get on the street and in the gym. But you still would like to see a little more of the muscle you are trying to build in your newly added weight training program. So now what do you do? What's the next level?

You have 2 options. First, you can add more sessions to your plan. For example, you could go from 5 to 7 sessions per week. Or you could go for a more intense approach to your cardio training. Intensifying each session, this in my opinion, is your better option.
Interval training is a great way to kick up the intensity of any program. This means going faster and pushing harder for certain bursts and then coming back down for specific amounts of time until your session is complete.

Remember that the human body is adaptive. You can not pick one type of cardio and expect it to work for the rest of your life. Follow the FITT principle:
-Frequency

-Intensity

-Time
-Type

Change up how often you come in for your cardio sessions. Switch up the intensity; turn up the speed or add more resistance to the machine you are using. For time make sessions longer as you continue to improve (try not to go much further then 60 minutes.) If it’s easy for you to go that long, then its time to bring up the intensity. And type means if we are used to running, why not try using the stair master or taking a spin class.

As far as machines go, my theory is lazy machine equals lazy results. For example, if you are sitting on a bike then you are only using half your body, so in effect half of the fat burns you could be getting. Changing it up will allow you to continue the weight loss and help you achieve the results you want. Yes, there are lots of choices to make when you are contemplating starting a cardio plan. Some cardio is better than none for sure, but there are also more efficient/effective ways to make the most of your time and also help you achieve the specific goals you are trying to accomplish.

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12 Way to Stick to Your Workouts

Whether you want to gain muscle mass or lose some body fat, consistency is going to be the key to reaching your goal. Here I have listed a few ways to help you stay on track and things to help keep you motivated to stick to your workouts:

Make a Friendly Bet

Challenge someone you are not close to, to a contest. For instance, the first person who can lose 15 lbs, run a 6 minute mile, or do a 250 bench press wins. Make sure it’s someone you don’t particularly care for. (It’s ok is your rival thinks you are best friends.)

Compete

Find a sport or event that you enjoy and train to compete in it. Consider training for the World Master's games, an Olympics-like competition for regular guys. Events include basketball, rowing, golf, triathlon, and weight lifting. There are other events that can be challenging as well, such as Tough Mudder, Crossfit, or marathons.

Switch Your Training Partners

Keep partners with someone who has similar goals as you. Family members and close friends don’t always make the best partners. They usually will not hold you accountable for not showing up. Try to change your partner after a few months, so you can continue to have the less-forgiving and motivational type person working along with you. 

Do a Daily Gut Check

If you do this check on a daily basis before your gym time, you are much more likely to not skip going. Place your fingers on your belly and inhale deeply so that your stomach expands. As you exhale, contract your abdominal muscles and push your fingertips against your hard abdominal wall. Now pinch. "You're holding pure fat between your fingers," says Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., author of Athletic Abs. 

Make a CD or Playlist

Studies have shown that people who listen to their favorite songs are more likely to workout for longer and more intense sessions. Try to pick your favorite and most adrenaline-boosting songs. This will help especially while doing intense training or cardio sessions.

Plan Workouts in Advance

At the beginning of each month/ week, try to plan out your workouts on a calendar. As you complete the workouts cross them off. Have an idea of how to makeup missed workouts on days where work or weather get in the way. You are more likely to get them done seeing them written on paper and also physically seeing how many you missed.

Hard Stuff First

If you hate doing squats, burpees, lunges, etc., get those done first. Save the enjoyable exercises for the end that way you are more likely to complete your full workout. Try to work your weaker body parts at beginning of the week, so you are more likely to complete your program.

Gym Gear by the Door

Leave your gym shoes, clothes, gym bag, etc.. right next to the door. Every morning when you leave, it will serve as a reminder that you planned to go for a run or to the gym that day. Pack and bring it with you, so there are no excuses later.

Don’t Do What You Hate

If you don’t like working out in a gym, then try to make a workout you can do at home out outdoors. If you dread running on the treadmill, try jumping rope, lifting weights, or some active sport like tennis. If you are sick of your routine, create a new one!

Blackmail Yourself

Take a picture of yourself shirtless or lightly clothed, then e-mail it to a trusted but sadistic friend, with the following instructions: "If I don't send you a new picture that shows serious improvement in 12 weeks, post this photo on Facebook or some very public site like hotornot.com.” It’s the perfect motivation you need to get you moving and making progress.

Think About Fat

Your body is storing and burning fat simultaneously, but it's always doing one faster than the other. Understanding that you're getting either fatter or leaner at any one time will keep you body-conscious so you won't overeat or underexercise.

Have a Body Composition Test

This test can tell you how much muscle and body fat you have, as well as figure out how much protein you will need to be consuming every day. Set a goal of how much body fat you want to lose and how much muscle you want to gain. Most gyms usually offer this service for free or for a small fee. There are also devices that you can order online that are available for in home use.

For more information check out Drake Abshire Fitness on Facebook!