Fitness
Exercise Smarter, Not Harder - Cardio Tune-Up
By
Mar 21, 2011 - 6:02:13 AM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Are you dedicated to your cardio routine….and not seeing results? Stuck in a metabolic rut or on a weight plateau? At any level of fitness, your body will eventually adapt to a consistent level of exercise and stop improving because it doesn’t have to.

Ramp up your program by varying the length, intensity and frequency of what you’re doing.
No matter what your starting level, you can improve your results – lose weight, grow stronger, build heart health – by creating a mix of workouts.

The U.S. Surgeon General’s 30-minute recommendation of moderate cardiovascular activity most days of the week is the minimum to reduce an inactive person’s risk of heart disease, diabetes and other serious conditions. If you are just beginning to get with the program, this is a good way to build a base. Remember that you must keep your heart rate elevated above resting level in order to benefit.

If you are already following a consistent cardio program, try varying your routine by creating a cycle of three workouts of different length and intensity. Do each of the workouts twice a week using any cardio activity. Be sure to include at least 5 minutes easy pace for both the warm up and cool-down. Use the “talk test” to gauge the intensity. During the warm-up and cool-down, you should be able to converse comfortably.

High Gear: 30 minutes total, sustaining the fastest pace you can for 20 minutes during which conversation requires quite a bit of effort. Starting off too fast may leave you breathless, so find a pace that you can maintain.
Intervals: 45 minutes total, alternating between high intensity and recovery periods.
Allow 10 minutes for the warm up and 5 for the cool-down. For 30 minutes, do 5 intervals
Of 2 minutes each at high intensity (conversation requires a lot of effort) alternating with
4 minutes of recovery (converse with little effort).
Long, slow distance: 60 minutes total. Use a steady moderate pace for the entire time, able to converse with some effort. If you can’t do it all at once, break it up into 10 or 15 minute segments throughout the day – you’ll still get the same benefits.

And, as always, remember to consult with your doctor before beginning an exercise program or becoming much more physically active.

Joan Pagano, former trainer to Jacqueline Onassis and Caroline Kennedy, is a best-selling author, a speaker on health and fitness topics and the owner of Joan Pagano Fitness in New York City. For more about Joan and her services, please visit JoanPaganoFitness

(c) Copyright - Joan L. Pagano. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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