Cardio Fitness

We all know the benefit of cardio exercise, it improves how are heart and lungs function, helps reduce fat and increases quaility of life. So to get the most out of your cardio training heres some tips and warnings to bkeep in mind.

Treadmill

Tip: add leg swings to your warm up-they help mobilise your muslces, joints and reduce injury.

Dont Do This: running for too long and too steady!

Do This: Run shorter & harder. The good old interval is glorified so much because it works! Mix faster speeds or inclines into your run/walk to add intensity peaks. Start with something as simple as taking the treadmill up to a 2%incline for every other minute your are exercising for. Over the next 4 weeks aim to increase this incline to 6%.

Stairmaster- my FAV

Tip: warm up with floor bridges or single leg squat to help engage bum before your train.

Dont Do This: Hold on-you instantly reduce the calories you burn.

Do This: Slow it Down! reduce the level/speed and let go. By letting go on the machine you will enable your core to be activated and the reduction in speed will mean you can stay on this killer machine for longer!

Rower:

Tip: this little beauty is perfect for sprint intervals.

Dont Do This: Stay on this machine for marathon Rows!

Do This: Use this machine for your high intensity anaerobic intervals. Try 250 m flat out with 20 second recovery rests. Each week reduce your rest times to keep your fitness improving.

X-Trainer

Tip: Alternate holding on with your arms and balancing by just rotaing your legs.

Dont Do This: Using low resistance.

Do This: Pick a resistance that requires you to really push and pull on the machine. This will reduce the momentum that many people use on a X-Trainer to Cheat!

Stationary Bike:

Tip: Always re-activate your bum and stretch your hip flexors after using a Bike. The bike encourages tight hip flexor muscles which in turn reduce your glute activatio (bum tone basically)

Dont Do This: Peddle along like your by the sea! Your NOT!

Do This: Same old Same old...interval! On a Bike its best to alter the resistance to add intervals. Simply sprinting can just use momentum but increasing the level with require more muscle recruitment for spells and therefore burn more calories!

So the best way to get the more out of your cardio is to vary the intensity. It means you can reduce the time you spend in the gym and burn more of that stuburn fat!!

Good Luck

Stuart Pilkington

PHfitness-wellbeing.com