M POWER & HEALTH ? Cardio: ?You can do it?? tips and tricks to ...

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Many people struggle to find the motivation to do cardio- you know, that form of exercise that incorporates full-body movements, can be sustained for long durations of time, and exercises a key organ that keeps you alive (the heart), and most importantly burns a ton of calories. Common excuse for neglect: ?I don?t like it?, ?It?s boring?, ?It?s tiring?, ?It?s hard?, ?I don?t want to lose muscle mass?, ?I?m lazy?. Newflash: if you are looking to be lean and shed some fat, cardio is a key part of the equation.

This post will be brief, but it?s sole intent is to give you some strategies to overcome your cardio woes and ?get r? done?.

1. Distract yourself:

This may not be the most effective strategy, but if the alternative is NOT doing cardio these tips can be beneficial. Inevitably, distracting yourself from the task at hand (working hard) may result in a slight reduction in intensity but even lower-intensity cardio is effective. My favourite distraction techniques are:

a. Find a cardio buddy. Time flies when you have someone to talk to while you are sweating it out on the treadmill, stair stepper, elliptical or rower. In fact, my best friend and I essentially know everything about each other based on our conversations that took place on a stair climber one summer while I was writing my Masters thesis (exercise was my stress relief) and she was preparing for a fitness competition. When we have something important to discuss we literally ?meet on the stairs? and talk things over. Come to think of it, having a cardio-buddy does not actually necessitate a decrease in exercise intensity because you can motivate and challenge each other to increase the intensity or go that extra few minutes (where you might have tapped out earlier on your own).

b. Multi-task. Many fitness facilities have cardio-theatres, and one of my guilty pleasures is watching reality TV, the Price is Right, Jeoprady, or Sports (especially the Olympics or gymnastics) while on the elliptical machine. The Kardashians have a way of making an hour-long cardio session go by a little bit more quickly. You can over go so far as to plan your cardio to coincide with your favourite television program. Think of it this way: rather than sitting on your coach and eating empty calories while you the tubes, you still get the entertainment but you also burn calories. WIN. In addition to television, you can also train yourself to read while doing cardio. Whether it be magazines or books, I find that as long as you can train yourself to keep your head stable while your body moves, the reading/exercising combination is effective. In fact, I?d say that I studied for about 70% of my undergraduate exams and class-readings ON the elliptical (not math, stats, or chemistry courses though). The benefit, especially for dryer material, is that it is nearly impossible to fall asleep while in motion and the act of exercise got my nervous system activated and ready to absorb information. A word of caution: those susceptible to motion sickness may not have an easy time with reading, and not all machines are reading-friendly. It requires some practice, but once mastered it can make your workout session go by in the turn of a page (or pages as the case may be).

c. MUSIC. Never underestimate the value of a good playlist. I find that music that inspires and motivates ?me crucial when I am doing cardio solo. I try to make specific playlists depending on the type of cardio I am doing that day. If I am doing sprint intervals, songs will consist of upbeat tunes, while slower, steady state cardio is carried out to songs that are more mellow. Sometimes, if I am getting tired, I will switch the song to my all-time favorite song ?You Can Do It? by Ice cube (see link), and it has never failed to pull me through to the finish. If you don?t to cardio to music, you should, and if you don?t do cardio at all? make a cardio-playlist and GET ON THOSE MACHINES!

2. Try group a exercise class.

Most clubs offer a variety of cardio-based classes with engaging teachers and fast-paced, energetic music. The group atmosphere creates a sense of community and can inspire you to work harder (or at least not slack off!). Kick-boxing, step class, aerobics, and circuit-based, and spin (stationary bike) classes are just a few options. I have been spinning regularly 2-3 times per week for the past 9/10 years (and with the same instructor too!) and I absolutely LOVE it. My week really does not feel complete without getting to spin class. In a 50-75 minute ?ride? consists of a combinations sprints, interval training, hills (even Mountains!) in addition to warm-up and cool-down. It goes by in a blink, and I always feel energized afterwards- despite all of the energy that I?ve just spent. The seat takes getting used to (as it would with any bike), but after you get over that I think it is one of the most intense and effective forms of cardio out there. Another benefit of group classes is that you can modify the intensity to your level, and the instructor is always there to give ?alternative? options if you don?t feel comfortable with a specific skill or movement in the class. Think about which cardio-based class might appeal to you and try it today.

3. Think outside the box.

I?m a gym-rat, and the indoor, climate-controlled a pristine setting of my fitness facilities is an ideal environment for me . It may not be for you (it?s not for everyone). But that is NOT an excuse to skip out on working your heart and the associated calorie-burn. Skating, swimming, jogging, skiing, rollerblading, sports? many varieties of cardio are available both in the great outdoors or your local recreation centre. Make your cardio something that you enjoy- you will have fun, time will pass by quickly, and you will get your ?cardio quota? ?in in no time at all!

How much Cardio?

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology recommends that for??health ?benefits?, ?adults ?aged ?18-??64 ?years ?should ?accumulate ?at ?least ?150 ?minutes ?of ? moderate-?to-vigorous intensity ?aerobic ?physical ?activity ?per ?week, ?in ?bouts ?of ?10 ?minutes ?or ?more. Greater health benefits and improvements come about by increasing the amount of aerobic physical activity per week (within reason, obviously?unless you are an elite-level athlete in a cardiovasucular-based sport you should NOT be doing two hours of cardio per day, 7 days per week and expect to remain healthy and injury-free).

To increase aerobic fitness, you should be carrying out your aerobic training at a Heart rate between 65-90% of your age-predicted maximal heart rate. Your theoretical maximal hear rate (in beats per minute) is 220-age. Multiply this number by 0.65 and 0.9 gives you an estimation of where your heart rate should be while attempting to improve your aerobic capacity. Beginner/less fit exercisers should start on the lower end of the continuum, while more advanced exercisers can work at the upper end of the spectrum. Increasing the intensity, the time of training, and incorporating interval training (brief-periods of high-intensity exercise interspersed within moderate periods of aerobic activity) are all ways to increase your aerobic fitness.

In the words of Ice Cube, when it comes to cardio? ?you can do it ? put your back into it?.

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Source: http://mpowerhealth.ca/?p=621

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