Archive for the 'Cardio' Category

Now that I’ve reached my mid 40’s, it’s become more important than ever to find aerobic exercise that’s low in impact. Years ago, 4 mile runs and high intensity step aerobic classes were the norm, but those days are long gone. Recently, I’ve come to appreciate the benefits of indoor cycling and spinning classes.

A few months ago, I added indoor cycling and spinning classes to my workout regimen, and the results have been encouraging. Two major benefits have been weight loss and an increase in energy. No longer do I feel the need for caffeine drinks mid afternoon, and my sleep is much more restful. Even so, it took me a while to consistently commit to these classes.

If you’re just getting back into working out aerobically after a long layoff, you’ll need to reacclimate. A key element is a concept called aerobic base building, which basically means establishing a base level of aerobic fitness. Just as it’s important to build a solid foundation for your house, it’s equally important for your fitness level.

Three Steps To Build Your Base

There are three factors you’ll need to consider, and accept, when building your aerobic base. With indoor cycling, you’ll typically have display monitors telling you how hard and how long you’re working, which is quite helpful. The same is true with spinning classes, as most instructors provide specific instructions during the class to monitor exertion level. Here are the three factors explained:

Step One: Know Your Target Heart Rate

First, you’ll need to know your target heart rate. Your target heart rate is a range that’s 65% to 80% of your maximum heart rate. Determining your maximum heart rate is easy — just subtract your age from 220. Then, multiply that rate by 65% to get the lower end of your target rate, and by 80% to get the upper end. As an example, a 50 year old would have a maximum heart rate of 170. 65% of 170 is 111, and 80% of 170 is 136. That means a 50 year old should strive to pedal at an exertion level that makes their heart beat between 111 and 136 times per minute.

Step Two: Commit To A Time Frame

Expect to build your aerobic base over a 6 to 8 week time frame, possibly longer if you’ve been inactive for a while. Plan to gradually challenge yourself so you can maintain your target heart rate for a longer period of time. Remember, the longer you work out at your target zone, the more fat you’ll burn.

Step Three: Endurance And Intensity

Once you’ve built your aerobic base and know your target heart rate, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Add to the length of time you work out, and push yourself a bit harder. You’ll find as you become more fit, you’ll need to challenge yourself to reach your target heart rate. That’s good, because it means your heart is healthier, you’ve attained increased cardiac output, and you’re more fit overall.

The benefits you’ll realize from any aerobic activity are numerous, and they’ll impact your life in a very positive way. If you’re concerned about high impact activities like jogging or stair climbing, add a spinning class to your workout. It’s low impact, effective, and enjoyable!

Treadmill users seem to always be looking for a way to get the most out of their machines so they can lose weight faster. Many people find their search is over when they discover that doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) on their treadmills is the most efficient way to lose weight. The reason so many treadmill users stick to the HIIT program is not only does it work, but workouts are fast, efficient and interesting.

The news of HIIT started circulating among treadmill owners over a decade ago after a study came out reporting how much weight, or fat, could be lost doing HIIT. Once treadmill owners saw the results themselves, HIIT began spreading like wildfire. The study was done over a five month period of time involving two groups of people. The first group did normal steady cardio for 45 minutes. This group began their study exercising at 60% of their maximum heart rate and worked up to 85% before the study was concluded.

The second group did HIIT for 30 minutes. Their workouts consisted of bringing their heart rates up to 70% of their maximum heart rates. Then for ten seconds they would back down on their workout intensity so their heart rates would fall. The group then did a 90 second period of working out that brought their heart rates back up again. Afterwards, they went back down into a lower intense workout so their heart rates would slow down, again. This was repeated throughout their 30 minute workout.

Conclusions of the study found that the participants doing the HIIT, group two, spent less time and energy working out, but they lost three times more body fat than group one. Another important finding was the fat that group two lost was primarily subcutaneous fat, or the fat that lies directly beneath the skin.

What makes HIIT so great for weight loss is your body goes into EPOC, or Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. In a nutshell, your body requires more oxygen to get back to its resting state which means you continue to burn calories even hours after you have completed a HIIT routine. In fact, a 2002 study showed the resting metabolic rate of participants was still elevated 48 hours later. This is great news for someone who wants to lose weight and get their metabolism boosted.

HIIT on a treadmill is fast and easy, but it is intense. Workouts should last anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. Once you have warmed up, get your heart rate up to its maximum heart rate range. Follow this by intervals of exercise that will lower your heart rate and then raise it back up again. Change up the length of the intervals, or the number of intervals you do, depending on your personal preferences.

Experts recommend that HIIT be done two or three days a week. They don’t recommend doing it back to back because it is so intense. To relieve the stress on your body, put a day or two in between your HIIT routines. Don’t feel guilty on the days you aren’t doing HIIT, relax and know you are still burning calories and losing weight!