Cardio Change-up

If you're a creature of habit when it comes to cardio, it may be time to mix things up. Why? Doing the same workout time after time is a surefire way to sabotage your fitness goals. Start the new year with a new routine with these tips from Tempo Fitness.

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It's good to get in to a work out routine that you know you can stick to. However, for long term weight loss, you and your body need to mix things up. Accoding to Daniel Steffancin, health and fitness coordinator for the West Park/Fairview Family YMCA, part of the YMCA of Greater Cleveland, "your body will plateau if it becomes used to the same routine, and you won't see the results you're looking for." No results means you're not going to be as willing to stick to it. Try these tips:

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Weider® Ankle and Wrist Weights
Blain # 302637
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Instructions

Begin with trying intervals - harder periods of exertion interspersed with easier recovery phases. For example, run two minutes at about 85 percent maximum heart rate (approximately 220 minus your age), followed by three minutes of very easy jogging, and then repeat that hard/easy sequence. Start with two or three intervals, and add more as your conditioning improves.
If intervals aren't yout thing, try tempo sessions. These involve picking up the pace continuously for 15 to 25 minutes. The effort should feel medium hard — you'll increase your breathing rate but not be out of breath. "You should be able to finish feeling refreshed, or what I call pleasantly fatigued," says Greg McMillan, MS, a running coach and competitive endurance runner.
Want something a bit easier? Try running or biking up and down grades. These target your leg muscles in ways flat-surface sessions can't, Steffancin says. This brings better overall muscle balance and strength. Vary the workout by adjusting the grade of the hill or treadmill, as well as how long each hill repeat and recovery period lasts.
It's best to add these more intense training sessions only one or two days a week — for example, do intervals or hill training once a week and tempo training once a week, McMillan advises. Get your doctor's approval before embarking. If you're new to exercise or just coming back, don't add intensity for at least the first few months.
If at any time you want to make your work out a bit more challenging, try adding in weight to your cardio routine. Hand or ankle weights can be a great asset, but might get in the way. Try the Weider Ankle and Wrist Weight to help you burn more calories and gain endurance by tricking your body into thinking it needs to work harder.