If you are doing the recommended 20 minutes of cardio a day then congratulations, but are you really getting the maximal results?
It is great if you can run straight for 20 minutes but this alone is not the best cardio workout you can get. It has been shown that interval training is key to increase cardiovascular workouts.
Interval training is a really easy concept but yet few serious workout ladies take advantage of it. The key is to increase and decrease intensity throughout the workouts. Hard to believe this is going to have your burning more calories?
Well believe it. The stress that going up and down puts on your body is really going to jump your cardio results up! The sudden burst your heart goes through when changing from a moderate intensity to a high intensity is really where the benefit of cardio interval workouts come from.
This sudden surge requires a ton of energy, so each time to decrease down a level and burst back up really revs up your workout.
So with that what is a great interval workout? Even though I mentioned running above that does not mean you have to interval train with running, chose what you like from biking, hiking, swimming, stair step, you name it.
When you first start the workout start at an easy level to start to get your heart rate up but where you are not uncomfortable.
After 3 minutes increase to a moderate level (it should be around a 5-7 on a scale of 1-10). You will feel the heart beating faster and your breathing picking up, but you are still feeling good about yourself.
After an additional 3-5 minutes rev it up to a level 8-10, where you are sprinting or going at it as best you can. Keep
This up for only 1-2 minutes before lowering back down to moderate level then easy level and work your way back up!
Keep going for a grand total of 20 minutes!
Remember not to exceed 20 minutes, there is no need this is all the time your body needs to give you heart healthy calorie burning benefits. After this time the body switches over its energy source from fat to protein (muscle).
And I know that there is no way you want to have your muscle stolen from you.
I find interval training to pass by much quicker than if I were just cruising at a nice 7 miles per hour. The change in pace keeps me from getting bored and I have a few great playlists just for my cardio workouts.
I also recommend have a workout partner. This training is not a breeze and it helps to have someone going through the same routine with you to keep you motivated throughout. I think staying at one pace is often the easiest choice for women and having someone with you keeps you from choosing the easiest way out.
So now is the time to get out there and get your heart pumping.
If you have hills where you live I promote hill intervals for an even more heart pumping workout.
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