Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
So part of my month long challenge for April includes increasing my cardio. I decided to run at least 3 mi on MWF and get on the elliptical for at least 30 min on TR. Since the elliptical is somehow boring to me compared to running, I decided to alternate between HIIT and high resistance, slow paced cardio. So here's the physiology behind both of those strategies.
HIIT (high-intensity interval training) - Choose 2 resistances, one that is intense and one for rest; I use Level 21 for my intense and 6 for my rest. You can choose to do 1:1 time ratios or 2:1 (you could do that intense:rest or rest:intense). The reason for HIIT's success is that according to ACSM you consume more oxygen (burn more calories) than slower, distance-training and therefore burn more calories throughout the day. This gets me sweating like mad. I have yet to wear my HR monitor when doing this but, when I figure out what my heart rate is at each intensity, I'll let you know.
High Resistance, Slow Paced Cardio - Though HIIT makes the 30 minutes go by quickly, I was getting bored with it and wanted to do something else. I decided to up my resistance level even if it meant me going slower; this isn't a bad thing, I just feel like people think I look silly because I'm going so slow (like other people's opinion matters to me, pshaw!). So, here I am on Level 8, trudging through what feels like mud and my heart rate is averaging at about 135BPM. Between 130-150BPM is about where 20-somethings like myself need to be for ideal fat burn. Fat is used as a fuel for lower intensity exercise because it takes longer for your cells to process. Since you don't need energy as quickly, your body says, "Okay fat, time to go...at your slow pace of course but we're going!"
So there you have it, the benefits of HIIT and high resistance, slow paced cardio. Hopefully these will find their way into your cardio routines.
In health,
Lauren
Showing posts with label intervals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label intervals. Show all posts
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
193/365 Circuit Training
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Circuit training is a way of exercising your whole body in a fast-paced routine.
Most gyms have a section with weight machines that are numbered or are arranged close together in a circular or linear manner; this would be your circuit. To start, you would begin with the larger muscle machines, like the cable row or chest press. You would perform say 10 reps then move down the line, working your way to the smaller muscle machines, like the bicep curl or overhead press. This is just one kind of circuit.
Boot Camp classes sometimes run in circuits. You have several stations with different activities; you then work at each station for about a minute or so, then you move on to the next one. I've done a circuit with 4 stations (1 minute per station) where you run on the treadmill, do an ab exercise, do a leg exercise, then a balancing exercise. We repeated this 4 times then did another circuit with running plus 3 exercises for a total of 60 minutes. Phew! That was tough but very fun.
I encourage you to get with some friends, a personal trainer, or a group exercise class and try circuit training. It's exhausting but fun.
In health,
Lauren
Circuit training is a way of exercising your whole body in a fast-paced routine.
Most gyms have a section with weight machines that are numbered or are arranged close together in a circular or linear manner; this would be your circuit. To start, you would begin with the larger muscle machines, like the cable row or chest press. You would perform say 10 reps then move down the line, working your way to the smaller muscle machines, like the bicep curl or overhead press. This is just one kind of circuit.
Boot Camp classes sometimes run in circuits. You have several stations with different activities; you then work at each station for about a minute or so, then you move on to the next one. I've done a circuit with 4 stations (1 minute per station) where you run on the treadmill, do an ab exercise, do a leg exercise, then a balancing exercise. We repeated this 4 times then did another circuit with running plus 3 exercises for a total of 60 minutes. Phew! That was tough but very fun.
I encourage you to get with some friends, a personal trainer, or a group exercise class and try circuit training. It's exhausting but fun.
In health,
Lauren
Saturday, January 8, 2011
172/365 Give Your Intervals a Tune Up
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Music is a fun way to interval train. Make a playlist of your favorite songs to work out to. If the song goes slow on one part and fast on others, turn it into an interval. You can run for the slow parts then sprint for the fast ones. You could add an incline on the refrain. It's like Fartlek training to Fergie. For example, let's use this awesome hit by the Black Eyed Peas called "The Time (Dirty Bit)."
You could run when the guys are rapping, walk when Fergie sings, then sprint when the awesome no-lyrics part plays. It's just an idea and something you could easily figure out with your favorite tunes. It's a fun way to pass the time. After 5 songs you're already at 20 minutes! 6 songs and you're done. I've seen this done in spinning classes as well.
In health,
Lauren
Music is a fun way to interval train. Make a playlist of your favorite songs to work out to. If the song goes slow on one part and fast on others, turn it into an interval. You can run for the slow parts then sprint for the fast ones. You could add an incline on the refrain. It's like Fartlek training to Fergie. For example, let's use this awesome hit by the Black Eyed Peas called "The Time (Dirty Bit)."
You could run when the guys are rapping, walk when Fergie sings, then sprint when the awesome no-lyrics part plays. It's just an idea and something you could easily figure out with your favorite tunes. It's a fun way to pass the time. After 5 songs you're already at 20 minutes! 6 songs and you're done. I've seen this done in spinning classes as well.
In health,
Lauren
Monday, December 20, 2010
153/365 Spin Cycle
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
There are many cycling classes out there. Not all however can truly be called Spinning since it is a specific program. Still, cycling classes are a wonderfully challenging way to cross train, lose weight, strengthening your cardiovascular system, and building muscle endurance.
Fast fact: Spinning is a 40-minute indoor cycling program led by a Spinning instructor on Spinner bikes manufactured by Star Trac. For more on Spinning, click here.
Cycling classes in general start with the instructor setting you up on the bike. You begin by standing next to the bike seat; adjust it so that the seat hits the top of your iliac crest, hip bone. Next, you want to sit on the seat. With your feet positioned at 9:00 and 3:00, your feet should be flat and your knees should fall right on top of your ankles. If this is not the case, you may have to adjust your seat forwards or backwards. At full extension of your leg, your knee should still be slightly bent. After this, your instructor should warm you up then take you for a heart pumping ride doing intervals and climbing hills.
If you have never participated in a cycling class, I highly recommend it. Yes, your butt will hurt for a couple days, maybe longer. As long as you stick with it, your body will get used to sitting on a bike seat; don't let the pain deter you! The benefits of cycling include muscle endurance in your legs, cardiovascular endurance, and core strengthening. When you cycle, you shouldn't be holding your torso up using your arms. Your arms should be relaxed while your abdominals and lower back keep you at about a 45 degree angle. If you use your arms to support you, you may develop a lower back injury from strain. Also, keep those tips about your gait in mind: toes, knees, and hips forward! Your body moves best when it stays in one plane, don't go diverting to the sides.
Happy Spinning!
In health,
Lauren
There are many cycling classes out there. Not all however can truly be called Spinning since it is a specific program. Still, cycling classes are a wonderfully challenging way to cross train, lose weight, strengthening your cardiovascular system, and building muscle endurance.
Fast fact: Spinning is a 40-minute indoor cycling program led by a Spinning instructor on Spinner bikes manufactured by Star Trac. For more on Spinning, click here.
Cycling classes in general start with the instructor setting you up on the bike. You begin by standing next to the bike seat; adjust it so that the seat hits the top of your iliac crest, hip bone. Next, you want to sit on the seat. With your feet positioned at 9:00 and 3:00, your feet should be flat and your knees should fall right on top of your ankles. If this is not the case, you may have to adjust your seat forwards or backwards. At full extension of your leg, your knee should still be slightly bent. After this, your instructor should warm you up then take you for a heart pumping ride doing intervals and climbing hills.
If you have never participated in a cycling class, I highly recommend it. Yes, your butt will hurt for a couple days, maybe longer. As long as you stick with it, your body will get used to sitting on a bike seat; don't let the pain deter you! The benefits of cycling include muscle endurance in your legs, cardiovascular endurance, and core strengthening. When you cycle, you shouldn't be holding your torso up using your arms. Your arms should be relaxed while your abdominals and lower back keep you at about a 45 degree angle. If you use your arms to support you, you may develop a lower back injury from strain. Also, keep those tips about your gait in mind: toes, knees, and hips forward! Your body moves best when it stays in one plane, don't go diverting to the sides.
Happy Spinning!
In health,
Lauren
Friday, August 20, 2010
31/365 More Interval Fun
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Due to a late bus arrival, I was not given much time to work out before my next engagement. I decided to maximize my time and do some interval training. This involved 3 minute jogging/running intervals and 1 minute of Versaclimbing for a total of 40 minutes. I was dripping with sweat after the 3rd bout. I don't know if any of you have been on a Versaclimber but it's insane. I'm not necessarily advertising the machine, I just find it a killer dog work out that my school's gym happens to have. Regardless, I think the Versaclimber, rowing machine, and stair climber are all good options to choose from since they are dynamic, different from what you'd normally do, and especially tough when you go all out.
You're essentially using your jogging/running as your recovery. You could sprint instead of switching machines every 3 minutes but that is entirely up to you. It's just a nice way to get a bunch of awesome cardio in if you don't have a whole ton of time.
In health,
Lauren
Due to a late bus arrival, I was not given much time to work out before my next engagement. I decided to maximize my time and do some interval training. This involved 3 minute jogging/running intervals and 1 minute of Versaclimbing for a total of 40 minutes. I was dripping with sweat after the 3rd bout. I don't know if any of you have been on a Versaclimber but it's insane. I'm not necessarily advertising the machine, I just find it a killer dog work out that my school's gym happens to have. Regardless, I think the Versaclimber, rowing machine, and stair climber are all good options to choose from since they are dynamic, different from what you'd normally do, and especially tough when you go all out.
You're essentially using your jogging/running as your recovery. You could sprint instead of switching machines every 3 minutes but that is entirely up to you. It's just a nice way to get a bunch of awesome cardio in if you don't have a whole ton of time.
In health,
Lauren
Monday, August 9, 2010
20/365 Interval vs. Distance Training
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Recently at the gym where I am interning, a former football player asked for some advice about exercising on the treadmill. He was debating whether to train using intervals or going for distance.
Interval training means that you are exercising at a high intensity then recovering with a lower intensity bout. Rinse and repeat. This style of exercising is great for those of you who are trying to increase performance (I'll go over this later). It is also good for people trying to lose weight who are accustomed to training. If you are new to exercise, you may not be so keen on intervals. You will fatigue faster and will most likely not complete 30 minutes of intervals because of it. Instead, try distance training.
Distance training will ensure that you get your 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. By keeping your heart rate up to at least 120 BPM (assuming you're the age of the average college student; it'll be lower if you're older), you'll get your metabolism burning fat at a nice pace. Set a distance goal that could be completed in 30 minutes. Make that distance farther every week. Push yourself to pump those legs and meet your goal. Aim for 3.1 miles (that's a 5k) and compete in a race!!
What is it with this 30 minute thing? According to the American College of Sports Medicine, we are to complete 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least 5 days/wk to get cardiovascular health benefits. The Institute of Medicine suggests 60 minutes on most days of the week. Clearly, we can't get away with sprinting on the treadmill for 10 minutes and calling it a day.
In health,
Lauren
Recently at the gym where I am interning, a former football player asked for some advice about exercising on the treadmill. He was debating whether to train using intervals or going for distance.
Interval training means that you are exercising at a high intensity then recovering with a lower intensity bout. Rinse and repeat. This style of exercising is great for those of you who are trying to increase performance (I'll go over this later). It is also good for people trying to lose weight who are accustomed to training. If you are new to exercise, you may not be so keen on intervals. You will fatigue faster and will most likely not complete 30 minutes of intervals because of it. Instead, try distance training.
Distance training will ensure that you get your 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. By keeping your heart rate up to at least 120 BPM (assuming you're the age of the average college student; it'll be lower if you're older), you'll get your metabolism burning fat at a nice pace. Set a distance goal that could be completed in 30 minutes. Make that distance farther every week. Push yourself to pump those legs and meet your goal. Aim for 3.1 miles (that's a 5k) and compete in a race!!
What is it with this 30 minute thing? According to the American College of Sports Medicine, we are to complete 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least 5 days/wk to get cardiovascular health benefits. The Institute of Medicine suggests 60 minutes on most days of the week. Clearly, we can't get away with sprinting on the treadmill for 10 minutes and calling it a day.
In health,
Lauren
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