Fit Tip: effective cardio

Let's face it, 90% of the people who go to gyms go to use the cardio machines - treadmill, elliptical, upright or recumbent bike.......
They spend an inordinate amount of time strolling on the treadmill or elliptical...pedaling lazily on one of the various bikes, while watching tv or reading a magazine or newspaper.

NEWS FLASH!!!! That's NOT effective cardio. Effective cardio has an anabolic effect on the body, meaning you burn fat and condition muscle. After doing effective cardio, you should be sweating profusely and gasping for air. And here's the kicker.....it shouldn't take more than 45 minutes!!

Effective cardio can be done in one of two ways - interval training or, as I like to call it, beast training. Interval training is best done on a StepMill or elliptical. Basically, this means you alternate fast "all out" bursts with periods of a slower "recovery" pace. Ideally, 2 "all out" minutes followed by 1 minute at a less strenuous pace.

Beast cardio involves using several cardio pieces or calisthenic movements done as a circuit. My favorite circuit -  2 "all out" minutes on the erg rower -> 2 minutes on the Versa Climber -> 2 minutes of jump rope -> 15-20 burpees -> hanging knee raises ... then rest for 90 seconds. Oh yeah, then repeat 4-10 times more depending on your conditioning.

So put away the magazine, stop watching the Food Network, crank up your fave workout music and do some Effective Cardio!!

 #fsfitttip