Cardio: Break the Monotony

Written by Dan Kottmann

If you’re not the type of person that gets excited about going for a jog, you are not alone.







Who likes the idea of sweating profusely and being out of breath while their muscles are burning?! But when you’re done, how do you feel? Freakin’ awesome, right?! Well, amongst the treadmills, bikes, and stair steppers there are some secrets. Secrets everyone should know regarding cardio. Allow me to share these secrets with you, and hopefully enlighten you to some things you can do to have fun with your cardio… yes, I said fun!

HIIT it!

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval training. The best part? It’s short! The best thing you can do for your body is shorten your cardio workout, and I’m sure no one will complain about that. HIIT increases your burning potential for a 24-hour period, which means that your metabolism is raised. Not bad, huh?! With HIIT you alternate periods of high intensity work with periods of low to moderate intensity work. For example, run as fast as you possibly can for 30 seconds… I’m talking all-out effort here. Then, jog or walk at a comfortable pace for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or however long it takes you to recover and get your breath back. Then, repeat this for about 12-15 minutes. Of course, you can do this with any cardio activity or machine you’d like. Maybe even find a track where you can sprint the straights and walk the curves. At the end of the session you should be exhausted and sweaty, but feeling great! Oh, and you should be proud of yourself, too!

Go outside!

For some of us it’s not possible to exercise outside year round. But, that’s even more reason to take advantage of the outdoors during the months we can. There are so many options outside, and you can change it up every day. Here are some ideas of outdoor cardio activities:

    * Run hills: Run up a steep hill, or walk if you can’t run. Jog back down and repeat. You’ll only have to do it a few times to feel the burn. However, push yourself to do more!
    * Run lines: You probably had to do this in gym class, or if you were ever a part of a sports team. I happen to live near a grade school, so I jog down to their 4-square blacktop and get to work. I start at one end, then run and touch the first line, then turn around and run back. Then, I run and touch the second line, then turn around and run back. I think you get the picture. The key is to move as fast as you possibly can.
    * Jog: Okay, so it doesn’t sound that fun. But, you get a better calorie burn jogging outdoors because the terrain varies so much. You can also vary your pace more naturally than being on a treadmill. There are hills, slight inclines, slight declines, etc. Plus, you’re not staring at the wall or a television. Outdoors you are constantly surrounded by different things. Things that are not the same every day… like that chipped paint on your wall.
    * Walk: Again, it may not sound that fun. However, you can take your dog, your spouse, your baby, your friend, etc. with you. It can also be a great time to be alone, clear your mind, and de-stress.
    * Play a sport: Even if you aren’t very good you should get out and play something… tennis, basketball, football, volleyball, soccer, etc. Don’t take it too seriously, though. If you do, you’ll consider it exercise. The goal here is to make your cardio fun. Try something new, you may find you are really great at something!
    * Run stairs: You can find them somewhere. This is a great workout, and you feel accomplished when you’re done because you can see how far you’ve gone… and your legs kill!
    * Ride your bike: It was fun when you were little, and you were confined to your street. Imagine how exciting it would be to explore the rest of the city!
    * Rollerblade or skate: There are a lot of places you can go, and you can enjoy the scenery, too. Just watch out for those cracks! Not nice outside? I’m sure you can find a rink you can hit up. You may be the oldest one there, but it’ll bring out your inner child, so you’ll fit right in.
    * Ski or snowboard: Nothing will get your heart racing faster than staring down a mountain. And maneuvering skis or a snowboard on top of that, you’ve got a win-win combination!

Honestly, pretty much anything you think of can be done outside. You can even make an obstacle course or something fun like that! The world is your oyster.

Watch a video!

Don’t pop that corn yet! I mean you should get an exercise video going. There are so many different types of videos you can get. Anything from simple aerobic workouts to strip teases! Don’t be afraid to try something new… who’s going to see you? The only trouble with videos is that you can hit the stop button at any time. DON’T DO IT! See it through to the end and stay committed. Set aside a certain time every day and do it. It should be an appointment… a business meeting with your body. Give it the time, care, and attention it deserves, and it will work for you.

Take a class!

Again, there are so many options for classes to take. Many places offer them for a small fee, and most fitness centers offer them free with your membership! Most places offer step, kickboxing, spinning, aerobics, and other great options. If you think you’ll be embarrassed among strangers, get a friend to go with you! You should also remember that a lot of the people in the class are in the same boat.

Box!

A punching bag is a great investment. They make all different kinds, from those you place on the floor to those that hang from the ceiling. There are different sizes and weights. There is definitely one to suit every person, every budget, and every dwelling. You can use your arms and legs. You sweat, sweat, sweat! It’s a total body workout. Have you ever seen a fat boxer? I didn’t think so.

Create your own bootcamp!

This is really fun. Come up with a list of different exercises, including cardio options. Do one exercise for 30-60 seconds, then immediately switch to the next exercise. You can do it as long as you’d like, but I’d shoot for somewhere around 30-45 minutes to start. Visit Fitness Bootcamp! for a sample workout you can do at home! Anything goes in bootcamp, so get creative and use what you’ve got.

Swim!

This is a great option for those that don’t like to run, or can’t run due to health issues. This is a low-impact form of cardio that really gets your heart rate up fast. Swim some laps and you’ll know what I’m talking about. You can even take a water aerobics class on top of that if you’re a natural-born fish!

I include almost everything I’ve listed above in my exercise regimen. It’s so important to switch things up at least every few weeks to avoid boredom. The second you get bored is the second you start to slip off that bandwagon. Being bored is not an excuse to stop exercising. It’s just an excuse, and excuses are lies. So quit lying, get up, get your heart rate up, and do some good for yourself… and have fun, too!

Good luck!

What have YOU got to lose? Visit the authors site at www.goalfitnessandnutrition.com