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I believe many people fail in their exercise endeavors due to a lack of knowledge.

It is easy to spot people at the gym slowly pedaling on exercise bikes, perusing magazines and playing games on their cell phones. These individuals might even frequent the gym, putting in their time, yet receive lackluster results. While all exercise is beneficial, certain types of activity are more effective than others.

Throughout my years of personal training, I have developed a simple yet effective weekly exercise program that can be applied to nearly all fitness levels.

Cardiovascular exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is an essential part of any fitness regimen. Essentially, cardio exercises significantly accelerate your heart rate for an extended period of time. Typical examples of cardio include walking, running, and using an elliptical machine or a spinning bike.

My personal recommendation is the elliptical machine. Multiple studies have suggested that exercising on this machine burns as many calories as running on a treadmill but results in minimal negative impact on your joints. Unfortunately, running is probably the best cardiovascular exercise but wreaks havoc on your knees and ankles. In the long run, I simply do not believe it’s worth the risk.

Another great option is group fitness classes. There are a plethora of different kinds to choose from, and it is difficult not to competitively push yourself when you are working out with a room full of other people.

I recommend working 45 minutes of cardio into your schedule three to five times each week. The full 45 minutes does not need to be done in one session, and can be broken down into smaller segments if necessary. There are two basic kinds of cardio:

Interval training (IT) has been found to be more effective both at burning fat and calories than consistent cardio. IT essentially works by shocking and confusing your body and is similar to alternating strength exercises so your body does not become complacent. (Our bodies are magical machines, and over a period of time certain exercises become less effective because our bodies get used to performing the movements.)

A 1-10 scale known as the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a helpful tool if you decide to perform IT cardio. A scale of 2 is perceived as light exertion, such as stretching. A scale of 5 is perceived as medium exertion and you should be beginning to sweat. A scale of 7 is perceived as moderate exertion and it should be difficult to speak. A scale of 10 is perceived as your hardest exertion; you should not be able to keep this pace for longer than one minute, and speaking is impossible.

The following is a sample 45-minute IT routine performed on the elliptical machine. Pay attention to your strides per minute (STM’s) on the machine:

  1. Warm-up: 5 minutes at Resistance 3. The purpose of the warm-up is to slowly increase your heart rate and prepare your muscles for more intense exercise. You should be able to carry on a conversation relatively easily. RPE=3.
  2. 3 minutes at Resistance 5. Try to keep your STM‘s at the same pace you kept during the warm-up. The increased resistance will force you to work harder and further increase your heart rate. At this point, carrying on a conversation should be slightly difficult. RPE=5.
  3. 2 minutes at Resistance 7. Your STM‘s will probably decrease, but resist the temptation to slack. For the last 30 seconds of this interval, stride at the fastest pace possible. RPE=6-8.
  4. 3 minutes at Resistance 5. Increase your STM‘s as you decrease the resistance. Either through resistance or speed, you should be operating at RPE=7-10 for the remainder of the workout until the initial and final cool-down.
  5. 2 minutes at Resistance 8. For the last 30 seconds of the interval, stride at the fastest pace possible.
  6. 3 minutes at Resistance 6.
  7. 2 minutes at Resistance 9. For the last 30 seconds of the interval, stride at the fastest pace possible.
  8. Repeat steps 2-7.
  9. Initial cool-down: 5 minutes at Resistance 5. At this point, allow yourself to slow down while continuing to keep a steady pace. RPE=5-6.
  10. Final cool-down: 5 minutes at Resistance 3. The purpose of the final cool-down is to slowly decrease your heart rate, cool down your body and catch your breath. RPE=3.

This is a difficult workout that will significantly improve both your fitness level, strength and lung function. It is not for the faint of heart, but it provides results.

The most important thing to remember is that you are competing against yourself. With practice and dedication, you will find yourself increasing your STM’s throughout each interval.

One Response to “A generic schedule with exceptional results: Cardio”

  1. […] When done correctly, strength training routines also accelerate your heart rate and provide many of the same benefits as cardiovascular exercise. […]

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