When it comes to cardio workouts, it’s common to become a creature of habit. Maybe you’ve gotten comfortable with a 2-mile loop in your neighborhood or a mindless 30-minute stint on a stationary bike. Either way, changing up your routine is a key factor in losing weight. Fortunately, there are so many ways to play with cardio to get you back on track. Be prepared with a pre-workout formula, a water bottle, some music you can rock out to and a towel. Are you ready to sweat and get your heart rate going?
5 trainer tips to maximize your cardio workout:
1. Go hands free
Grasping on too tightly to the handrails on the treadmill, elliptical or stair stepper is actually sabotaging your workout. Pump up your cardio sesh with a 5-minute warm-up by pumping your arms at your sides (from waist to chest). Most types of cardio only concentrate on the legs, but incorporating your arms will maximize your effort.
2. Incline – going up!
Whether you’re on the treadmill or elliptical, the incline is just as important as the speed during your workout. Adjusting the incline will get your heart rate into the coveted fat burning zone with an added benefit of increased leg strength, which you may not get on surface level.
3. Check your form
Nothing is worse for your workout than being slumped over the stair stepper, elliptical or the handle bars of a bike. The trick is to check your posture before starting. On the elliptical, stand so your back is in line with your hips, putting most of your weight on the back of your foot (pushing through your heels) to completely engage your legs. When riding a bike, check to be sure your weight is in the back of your legs and there isn’t excess strain in your hands or wrists. When using the stair stepper, all the pressure should be on the hamstrings and glutes while standing up straight. Although you may feel more of a challenge at first, proper form will reduce the chance of injury and help you become stronger.
4. Increase resistance
We all do it – hop on to a cardio machine, set the tension and leave it there. This will not give you the results you want. Increasing the tension will challenge your cardiovascular activity and help get your heart rate into the fat-burning zone. Start with a warm-up, and then increase the tension (whether it’s a bike, elliptical, etc.) and stay there for a couple of minutes. Now, increase it a little more. Play with the tension moving up and then down to rest.
5. Power through
Start incorporating short bursts of high energy into your cardio workouts. When using the treadmill, intermittently add some runs and sprints – do the same when riding a bike. Turn the resistance up and pedal quickly. On the stair stepper, skip steps (make sure to focus and keep balance). These short bursts will give your body a mini shock and push you out of your comfort zone.