3 Cardio Mistakes to Avoid

I'm not a hard-core cardio guy. To me, in addition to maintaining a healthy heart, cardio is a tool to help achieve what I want - a lean and fit body.

But I'm often suprised or amazed by how people in the gym do their cardio.

Here are 3 mistakes you want to avoid when doing your cardio exercise. Since you take up the time, make the time worth spent.

#1 Leaning on the handlebars of the stairclimber or elliptical trainer.
The handlebars are there to help you re/gain balance, not for you to lean on all the time. By doing this, it takes off the workload from your legs and core. It may stress your shoulders, back and arms more.

#2 Looking down on your feet or on the moving belt of the treadmill.
It's very dangerous not to keep your posture right while walking/running on the treadmill. At the blink of your eyes, you may trip over, run into the console or "fly" off. Keep you chest high, your head and spine aligned.

#3 Only pushing pedals on the bike.
Your lower body is missing out the powerful hamstring and butt-sculpting benefits. Use the foot strap or wear cycling shoes. Try to make a circle with your feet.


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Walking for Your Health

The newly updated ACSM physical activity guidelines now recommend that all adults (both under and over age 65) accumulate moderately intense cardio for minimum 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

It may sound overwhelming at first. In modern lifestyle people are so busy at work, taking less vacation days, and spending more time and money eating out. It seems that people are crunched in time doing the exercise required to manage their weight and health.

How do you find the time to do the five 30-miniute cardio sessions and two muscle strength training sessions every week?

Remember, these are just basic recommendations and guidelines to maintain health and reduce risk of chronic disease. If you're overweight or obese, you may need 60 to 90 minutes of physical activities to lose weight (or fat).

Walking is the most popular form of aerobic exercise for adults. Walking at a normal-to-brisk pace constitutes moderate-intensity exercise. Walking has several advantages over other exercises:

- Walking can be performed by a majority of people.
- Walking does not require special equipment or other people.
- Walking has a low rate of injury.
- Walking is easier to work into one's daily schedule.

Walking is also an activity that many people can fit into their daily schedules. The ACSM guidelines specify that short bouts of moderate-intensity activities of 10 minute or longer can be counted towards the 30-minute recommendation. For example, if a person finds it difficult to block out 30 consecutive minutes for walking, it might be easier to take three 10-minute walks.

Although walking does not provide the same boost to fitness as a more vigorous activity such as running or high intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) cardio, it is clearly a type of exercise with important health benefits. Walking can be equally beneficial to many people who cannot engage in more vigorous intensity activities due to medical or orthopedic problems.

One often-missed yet important element in walking for your health is that the "intensity" has to be at least on the "moderate" level.

The ACSM guidelines specify moderate-intensity physical activity as "working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation." So causal walking a few minutes in the office or around the block at a slow pace do not count towards the recommendation.

So how fast or how hard should you walk to meet the ACSM recommendations for your health?

At a walking pace of 3.5 miles per hour, a person could walk two miles in about 35 minutes. This would be one way to meet the ACSM recommendation for aerobic exercise.

How do you know that you've just walked two miles in 35 minutes?

Pedometers are useful tools for helping people track their walking particularly when they distribute the walking throughout the day. Although the exact number of steps needed for health benefits has not been documented for all ages, an average of 10,000 steps per day has been linked with lower blood pressure, improved blood glucose control, a healthier body weight, and less abdominal obesity.

Each person's fitness level is different. Walking pace of 3.5 miles per hour could be easy for one, but challenging for the other. For cardiovascular health beyond the ACSM recommendation, you should walk fast enough that you feel your heart rate goes up, breathe a little heavier and cannot complete a sentence without a break. If you wear a heart-rate monitor, you should walk fast ennough that your heart rate stays above the minimum recommended range by your physician or trainer.

Another way of measuring your aerobic intensity is the rate of perceived exertion (RPE). It's also called the "talk test" to gauge how you feel during the exercise. The moderate intensity would be at least 5 to 6 out of the RPE scale of 1 to 10 range.

When beginning a walking routine, start slowly and progress gradually. Also keep in mind that consistency is the real key to gaining health benefits through walking. The choice to be an active person requires a lifetime commitment.

As always, consult your physician before starting an exercise program especially if you have medical or orthopedic problems. Hire a qualified personal trainer to design a custom and individualized program for you.

With patience and consistency, you can walk your way for improving your health and losing fat.

Learn how to walk off your weight. >>

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Muscle Up! The Updated Physical Activity Guidelines

Muscle up and pump iron!

Muscle strengthening or strength training is now officially recommended in the updated physical activity guidelines released by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and American Heart Association (AHA).

Research shows that regular physical activities reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, some types of cancer (colon, breast, prostate, lung), anxiety, depression and a host of other health problems.

These guidelines outline exercise recommendations for healthy adults and older adults and are an update from the 1995 guidelines.

Read the full updated guidelines here >>

Learn more about weight training and workout routines to gain strength and build muscle >>

Learn more about effective high intensity cardio interval training (H.I.I.T.) to lose fat faster >>

Summary

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Guidelines for healthy adults under age 65

Basic recommendations from ACSM and AHA:

Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week

Or

Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week

And

Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week.

Moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation. It should be noted that to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary. The 30-minute recommendation is for the average healthy adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease.

Guidelines for adults over age 65
(or adults 50-64 with chronic conditions, such as arthritis)
Basic recommendations from ACSM and AHA:

Do moderately intense aerobic exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week

Or

Do vigorously intense aerobic exercise 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week

And

Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, 10-15 repetitions of each exercise twice to three times per week

And

If you are at risk of falling, perform balance exercises

And

Have a physical activity plan.

Both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity is critical for healthy aging. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise means working hard at about a level-six intensity on a scale of 10. You should still be able to carry on a conversation during exercise.

Older adults or adults with chronic conditions should develop an activity plan with a health professional to manage risks and take therapeutic needs into account. This will maximize the benefits of physical activity and ensure your safety.

==========================================================

Comments

The document also provides useful information and tips as to how to meet the exercise recommendations and how to start an exercise program.

Eight improvements over 1995 guidelines were made and clarifed in details.

One updated guideline also spells out that "more is better." It emphasizes the importanct fact that physical activity above the recommended minimum amount provides even greater health benefits. To prevent unhealthy weight gain, attain or maintain weight loss, some adults will need to do more than 30 minutes a day.

In addition, the updated guidelines specified the so called "moderate" or "vigorous" intensity physical activities and 10-minute short bouts of exercise.

Short bouts of "low" intensity activity, such as grocery shopping, taking out the trash or casual walking a few minutes in the office or parking lot, DO NOT count.

However, certain daily activities of moderate to vigorous intensity nature, such as brisk walking to work, yardwork/gardening, performed in bouts of 10 minutes or longer can be counted towards the recommendations.

The key is that the intensity of activitiy has to be at a minimum RPE level of 4 to 5 to keep your heart rate up at a sustained duration of 10 minutes or longer.

So after-dinner walking around your neighborhood by youself or with your family is a great idea to wind down for the day and to get some family time. To reap health benefit, the walking pace has to be at least at 3.5 miles per hour or two miles in about 35 minutes to meet the recommendation for aerobic exercise.

You don't have to go the gym to get the daily recommended physical activities. There are many different physical activities and exercises you can do in the gym and outdoors. My earlier article on cross training provides a variety of fitness program, sports and activities you can do all year round.

You can also choose your physical activities, exercise or workout by your personality. Exercise program compliance and consistency is the #1 challege to health and fitness success. You want to pick the activities that you're motivated to do and love to do without being told.

For variety and effectiveness, you can mix up the intensity of cardiovascular exercise in the same session or in different workouts. I have elaborated the high intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) method as an effective and efficient cardiovascular training protocol for losing fat and preserving muscle.

You don't necessary have to go to gym or have a home gym to perform muscle strength training. For many beginners or seniors, bodyweight-based exercise or functional training are more than sufficient. As you get stronger, you may want to join a gym or build a home gym so that you can have more equipment options. There are so many weight training systems and workout routines available. It's wise to hire a personal trainer to show you how to lift weights properly and custom-design a training program for you.

Take-away Message

The message is loud and clear: do as much as you can do to prevent yourself from becoming disabled!

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Modified Olympic Style Weightlifting for Martial Arts & Explosive Power Training

Weightlifting for Your Martial Power

When you heard about Olympic Weightlifting, the first image popping out of your head could be some freaking strong athletes lifting enormous amount of weight in a split second. It's so "knee-jerking" to watch them do clean & jerk and snatch.

Olympic style weightlifting can be modified and adapted to help athletes develop explosive strength and power for all sports. If trained and done properly, modified Olympic style weightlifting can help athletes to condition themselves for explosive power, muscular endurance, strength, speed, quickness, agility and cardiovascular fitness.


Anaerobic Power and Endurance

In any martial arts training including MMA and BJJ, it requires a fairly good combination of both anaerobic and aerobic fitness. You need both types of energy to excel in sparring or fighting. You will also need to know how to generate explosive power to break boards or execute your knockout punch or kick. In a typical round of sparring, it involves a series of short bouts of anaerobic power output (punching, kicking or grappling) followed intermittently by aerobic movements (bouncing around, shuffling, checking, or faking).

Depending on the specific type of sparring or fighting, a match could be 3 to 12 rounds and lasts 3 to 5 minutes for each round. In addition to excellent technical skills, a top conditioned fighter has to have peak level of anaerobic power and endurance to be able execute his techniques repeatedly. Anaerobic conditioning and performance is achieved by training and pushing his VO2 max and lactic acid or lactate threshold.


H.I.I.T. for Ultimate Martial Fitness
For the types of energy system utilized in martial sports, moderately long distance running at slow steady pace isn't the best method to condition your aerobic fitness. High intensity interval training (H.I.I.T) is the better way of conditioning your cardiovascular fitness. In the same token, the power lifting type of weight training isn't the best way to train your explosive power either as you don't just give it your one best shot and be done with it. You'll need your sub-maximal muscular power output anaerobically for several times repeatedly. That's muscular power and endurance all together.


How do you train your exploseive power?

How do you train your energy systems for martial arts?

How do you utilize Olympic-style weightlifting to get in top combat conditioning for martial arts?

Read on . . .

World Class Olympic Power Circuit Training

Before you follow the power barbell circuit training routines below, I suggest that you master these basic but technically complicated weightlifting techniques before you attempt to put your hands on the Olympic bar. An "empty" standard Olympic bar weighs 45 pounds. Maintaining good forms when lifting weights will help you lift more weights and prevent injuires. Gayle Hatch Systems is an excellent website to get you started. You can also find coaches or personal trainers who can train you to execute these moves properly without getting injured.

Power Barbell Circuit Workout Routine #1
Deadlift x 6 reps
Bent-over Row x 6 reps
Power Clean x 6 reps
Front Squat x 6 reps
Push Press x 6 reps
Good Morning x 6 reps (body weight)

Power Barbell Circuit Workout Routine #2
Snatch-grip Deadlift x 6 reps
Snatch Pull x 6 reps
Jump Shrug x 6 reps
Reverse Lunge x 6 reps each leg
Push Split Jerk x 6 reps
Jump Squat x 6 reps (body weight)

Power Barbell Circuit Workout Routine #3
Romanian Deadlift x 6 reps
Bent-0ver Row (reverse grip) x 6 reps
Power Clean x 6 reps
Push Split Jerk x 6 reps
Overhead Squat x 6 reps
Double Jump x 6 reps (body weight)

This is not to load up the Olympic bar with your one-rep max weight. Rather, select a weight that you can typically lift 6 reps for three sets with good control for the weakest lift in the circuit (except the body weight exercise). Shoulder press (military press) is normally the weakest one. The proper weight might well be about 60% of your one-rep max.

You should perform each rep with good control (about 2 seconds per rep) and move from one exercise to the next without rest till you finish one circuit as one set. Leave your ego at the door and listen to your body. In addition, you should choose a load that feels challenging yet controllable. You can stay with one power circuit training routine to begin with. Repeat two more times for a total of three sets with 2-minute resting in between the circuits (sets).


Manipulate Training Variables to Make Progress

As you become more familiar with the moves and get in better conditioned, you can add more training volume to four or five sets. There are many training variables to change up to make continual progress. One training variable to manipulate is to reduce your rest intervals in order to add challenges in your routine as well as a training principle of progression. Rest intervals of 90 to 120 seconds are common for most people to recover from one circuit. You're rarely able to rest shorter than 30 seconds to repeat the next circuit.

In some cases, you can increase intensity by loading up to no higher than 85% of your one-rep max and reduce the repetitions to no lower than three. When you get more skilled and proficient, you can perform one circuit for each of the three routines in a given workout session. Alternatively, you can also mix and match your own power circuit training routine.


You've Just Moved Tons of Weight

Don’t underestimate this type of training. Power circuit training can be very grueling. This six-movement circuit x 6 reps has a total volume of 36 reps per set! Even with only 100 pounds on the bar, that comes out to 3600 pounds of total work per set. That's over ten thousand pounds of total work capacity in less than 10 minutes!

At the end of one circuit, you'll feel like just finishing a breath-taking 100-meter sprint. This routine will really help any martial artists to condition their bodies to handle the high levels of lactate produced in a fighting ring. It is also an excellent fat loss exercise for any athlete who needs to preserve muscle and strength while losing fat.


Pack a Punch

Give this power circuit workout a try! People in the gym will turn their heads toward you when you perform these exercises. Learn how to train and harness your knockout power. You'll be a better conditioned fighter in your next match.

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Copyright 2007 www.careyforfitness.com by C. Carey Yang and Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC. All rights reserved.

Cross Training for Variety and Injury Prevention

What Is Cross Training? Why Cross Training?

Cross training has been used for years although it's a relatively new training concept. Athletes have used exercises outside their sports for conditioning due to weather, seasonal change, facility and equipment availability, and injuries. Cross training add many benefits to sports training including injury prevention.

Cross training is one type of training methods used to achieve well-rounded overall conditioning. The exercises are normally very different from what an athlete does in a particular sport. It gives a chance for the muscles, tendons, bones, joints and ligaments to take a break from repetitive use from sport-specific activities. In the meantime, cross training provides complementary conditioning to balance an athlete. This concept is also very useful for amateur athletes or recreational weekend warriors.

Another benefit of cross training is to help reduce or reverse muscle imbalances in the body. For example, a baseball pitcher may develop an imbalance laterally between the two sides of the body as well as in the should girdle of the throwing arm. After thousands of high-speed forceful throwing, the throwing arm and muscles become stronger but potentially overused and injured. Rotator cuff injuries are very common. Cross training can help balance the strength on both sides. It helps stabilize muscles and realign the body. In addition, since you're participating in different activities during cross training, it adds variety to your program and reduce chance of burn-out due to boredom.


What Cross Training Isn't For

One caution for cross training is that it doesn't help develop skills for a specific sport. It isn't a skill-specific drill. A football player can lift weights or slow-jog 5 miles a day all summer during off season. But he won't be in great "football shape" when the pre-season starts. By all means, "cross" training should not be used as the sole training program. You still have to start slowly with cross training and increase intensity progressively without getting injured.


Types of Cross Training

There are many ways to apply the concept of cross training to your fitness program, sports or activities all year round. Some examples are listed in the following.

• Aerobic Cross Training I: Use a variety of cardio equipment within one workout session; e.g., ten minutes on the treadmill, ten minutes on the bike, ten minutes on the elliptical machine.
• Aerobic Cross Training II: Use a variety of cardio equipment or modules throughout the week or month; e.g., run 30 minutes on Monday, bike 30 minutes on Wednesday, step class on Friday.
• Mixed Cross Training: Use a variety of activities that emphasizes different body functions and fitness; e.g., total-body weight training on Monday, kickboxing/martial arts on Wednesday, Yoga/Pilates on Friday.
• Cross-Over Training: Use activities that require totally different body functions or energy systems; e.g., A cyclist can do boxing (mainly upper body movements) during off-season so that he can rest his legs (lower body) for a while. Cycling requires more aerobic endurance while boxing demands more anaerobic energy output. Both energy systems are important in overall cardiovascular fitness.
• Seasonal Cross Training: Use or train for different sports or activities over large blocks of time or seasons; e.g., running for Spring, playing golf, tennis or swimming for Summer, outdoor rock-climbing for Fall, skiing or snowboarding for Winter.
• Functional/Complementary Cross Training: Use different activities to train similar function used in the main sport; e.g., Runners may use mountain biking to target the legs from slightly different actions. Cyclists may use cross-country skiing to maintain leg strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Play Your Card Right

Although an advantage of cross training is decreased risk of injury, one still has to start the sports or activities slowly. Don't fall into the same pitfalls in your main sport. Learn the basics. Perform adequate conditioning exercises in advance. Increase the intensity and duration progressively.

Many sports and activities share the same fitness characteristics of strength, power, speed, agility, endurance, balance, and flexibility. But each sport is still different with somewhat shift in performance requirements. A cyclist certainly doesn't want to get injured from downhill skiing. In the same token, A football player would be sorry for sitting out on the bench for the season from motorcycle accident.

Copyright 2006 www.careyforfitness.com by C. Carey Yang.
All rights reserved.

Cardio Exercises - Good or Bad? How to H.I.I.T. to Burn Fat All Day

Do You Need "Cardio Exercises" to Lost Fat and Stay Lean?

Is there "good cardio" and "bad cardio"? Are there any other different kinds of "cardio"? I'm sure you're either shocked or puzzled to hear why I'm even asking these questions.

"Cardio" and "aerobics" have been wrongly used interchangeably, as synonyms for "endurance." "Cardio" should be used for any type of exercise that makes the heart and lungs work harder. "Cardio" describes any exercises that use the following three energy systems: phosphagen system, anaerobic glycolysis and aerobic metabolism. Your body uses a combination of these three energy systems in different ratios in different period of time depending on the type of activities involved.

Look around and ask around in your gym. You'll be surprised or you shouldn't be surprised to find out that some lean and muscular fitness buffs rarely do normal or "traditional cardio" workout. On the other hand, you know some people (perhaps yourself included) who are running on the treadmill one hour a day for six days a week, but cannot seem to lose enough weight to shape up or lose that perpetually stubborn 10 pounds.


The Long, Slow, Boring "Cardio"
In fact, when you're running the same routine day in and day out without changing up, you're prone to joint wear-and-tear and risk of overuse injury. You may actually start muscle wasting by subjecting your body to catabolic conditions. Not only that you don't burn fat efficiently as your body adapts to the same routine, but you may start to lose lean muscle mass. So you may actually get fat. This is absolutely not the ideal scenario for your weight loss effort.


Low Intensity Steady State (L.I.S.S.) Traditional Cardio

It's common for fitness and medical professionals to prescribe low to moderate intensity aerobic (cardio) training to overweight or deconditioned people in order to prevent heart disease or lose weight along the line of continous 30 to 60 minutes of steady pace cardio exercise 3 to 5 times a week maintaining heart rate at a certain level. This type of long and slow continuous training is a good starting point but not the end of it. It's easy to do but not the most effective cardio exercise to lose fat.

Yes, you do burn some calories during the period of time you're running on the treadmill in the L.I.S.S. type aerobic exercise. But as soon as you step off from the machine, your body stops burning calories after a few minutes. You'll need to run longer and longer in order to burn more calories because your body learns to get more efficient in burning calories using aerobic oxygen. Time is your most precious asset. In today's busy work-lifestyle, you'll be running out of time to run very soon!


Marathoners vs. Sprinters

Humans are probably the only creature in nature that attempt to do "endurance" type physical activities. Most competitive sports (except endurance running and cycling) are based on highly variable stop-and-go movements. Weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods.

Look at the physiques of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters (including football running backs and wide receivers) are lean, muscular and powerful whereas typical marathoners are thinner with less muscle. As a matter of fact, there are many fat marathoners crossing the finish line. But you rarely see fat sprinters, almost non-existent.


Gym Rat Cardio

Don't get me wrong. I like running as well, mostly outdoors. I'm not anti cardio but I want you to reconsider the so called traditional cardio for a moment. For "traditional" cardio I mean by performing aerobic activities such as running on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike or gliding on an elliptical machine in a low intensity steady state (L.I.S.S.) pace for longer than 30 to 60 minutes.

If you're one of the gym rats who do L.I.S.S. type "cardio" 5 times a week and you're proud to say that you've lost a lot of fat, are happy with your physique and have lean muscular body to show for, you can stop reading now.

What if you've spent so much time in the gym, worn out 5 pairs of running shoes a year, started having knee, shin and ankle aches, and still didn't see the results you've wanted to achieve, I have good news for you. Please read on.


High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T.) Turbulence Cardio

Want to burn fat and get in shape quick? High intensity interval training (H.I.I.T) is a better and more effective training method to lose fat and condition your heart muscles. The concept of H.I.I.T. cardio workout involves repeated bouts of harder work phase interpersed with periods of easier recovery phase.

If you've been cruising at L.I.S.S. on the treadlmill, stationary bike or elliptical machine while reading books, listening to your iPod workout music or watching sports on TV, challenge youself with the following H.I.I.T. treadmill routine.


H.I.I.T. Treadmill Running Routine by Pace

Warm up by fast walk or light jog for 5 minutes.

Run at 8 miles/hr pace for 2 minutes
Walk at 4 miles/hr pace for 3 minutes
Run at 10 miles/hr pace for 2 minutes
Walk at 4 miles/hr pace for 3 minutes

Repeat this cycle 2 to 3 times for a very intense H.I.I.T. "cardio" session followed by cool-down and stretching.

You got the idea? You can also change up the intensity or work-to-recovery ratio by modifying the pace and duration. If you increase the grade or incline level like running uphill, your cardio intensity increases as well.

Most people in the gym have no idea about their running pace. They probably don't care about their running pace in miles per hour or minutes per mile. Having a good sweat and calorie burn is their main cardio concern.


Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
Another yardstick to measure the level of cardio intensity is the so called "talk test." It's based on "how you feel" about the level of intensity in a cardio exercise. A revised Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on the scale of 1 to 10 is used to gauge the level of intensity. Scale "1" means at rest or no movement. Scale "3" is weak, easy and you can carry on a conversation and finish a sentence without problem. Scale "5" is moderate, strong and you're breathing a little harder and cannot complete a sentence without a break. Scale "7" is hard, very strong and you're breathing heavily and unable to speak in complete sentences. Scale "9" is very hard and extremely strong like you're sprinting 100 meters at full speed.

The RPE method takes out the guesswork of your running speed, grade or incline level and your actual physical condition. It can be used for people who are taking medications that are artificially altering their heart rates or blood pressures. It helps these people to "listen to their bodies."

Another advantage with RPE is that it can be applied to cardio programming on elliptical trainers and stationary bikes, both would otherwise have to use "stride per minute" and "resistance level" as the parameters. Here is an example of using RPE to prescribe an H.I.I.T. cardio routine.


H.I.I.T. Cardio Routine by RPE
Time by Minutes vs. RPE (scale 1-10)
0-5 at 1 up to 3 for warm-up
5-8 at 5
8-10 at 7
10-13 at 3
13-15 at 7
15-18 at 3
18-20 at 7
20-23 at 3
23-25 at 7
25-30 at 3 down to 1 for cool-down

This H.I.I.T. routine uses the RPE as the gauge for leve of intensity. It mainly alternates RPE intensity levels between 7 and 3 for a total of four intervals. The work to recovery ratio by time is 2:3; that is, 2 minutes of very strong intensity at scale 7 vs. 3 minutes of moderate intensity at scale 3.

Several training parameters can be varied to get different levels of H.I.I.T. cardio workout: the scale of intensity and duration in each work and recovey period (work-to-recovery ratio), the number of repeats (intervals) and interval programming/pattern.

There is a very distinct advantage of H.I.I.T. cardio over traditional L.I.S.S. aerobic exercise due to its anaerobic effect. You're burning calories during the H.I.I.T cardio exericse. Your body will be still in the calorie-burning mode for a few hours after you finish the H.I.I.T. Your metabolism is elevated to keep burning calories for a few more hours.

One thing to remember is that you should keep H.I.I.T. cardio exercise within 30 minutes. Keep it short but at very high level of intensity. Preferably you perform full H.I.I.T. cardio training sessions on non-strength training days. In this way, you can be more focused and devote your undivided energy to H.I.I.T. cardio.

By all means H.I.I.T cardio is very intense. It's a good training practice by limiting full H.I.I.T. cardio to not more than 3 sessions a week. This is a guideline, not a hard rule. You need good nutrients and rest to recover your body and mind from the high intensity strength and cardio training. Muscle growth and body transformation occur when you rest, repair and recover training stresses.


Maximize Your Strength Training with H.I.I.T. Cardio

One great way to fire up your fat-burning furnace and keep it burning is to do a brief 10- to 15- minute H.I.I.T. cardio at mostly RPE scale of 7 to 8 at the end of your strength training session.

It'll help you melt away unwanted body fat faster than ever. The excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) demand due to high intensity strength training and H.I.I.T. cardio will fire up your metabolism and keep your body in fat-burning mode for good 24 to 48 hours.

You'll save time for separate cardio training sessions by integrating a brief H.I.I.T cadio into your strength training sessions. Not only does it save you time, H.I.I.T. cardio also helps you reap more benefits from your strength training.

The only exception to not doing H.I.I.T. cardio right after strength training is the day you've done "heavy" leg training. Your legs are pretty much fatigued. In this case, you can do low intensity walking or jogging to keep blood pumping. Stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, related muscle groups and any tight areas. This is the time you need to eat to replenish glycogen, refuel your body and repair muscle tissues.


H.I.I.T. Outdoor Hill Running Routine

Don't be despaired if you've been training and running for long distance races. You don't have to give up your running. Just train differently to reap the benefits.

Try hill running when you like to run outdoors. When you're in a race, the surface is never flat and straight. Think of hill training like a running-specific workout. Hill running is very simple to do.

Pick a hill in your neighborhood or in a park, perhaps 15 degrees grade and 100 yards long. Run uphill at a pace that you feel a RPE intensity level of 7 to 8. Catch your breath at the top of the hill. Walk down the hill to recover. Repeat the "running uphill and walking downhill" cycle a few more times. It is a similar H.I.I.T. routine that use running uphill as the work phase and walking downhill as the recovery phase.

Some treadmills or elliptical trainers have built-in Hill Interval program. Simply select a base resistance level. Adjust the level of intensity by changing the uphill and downhill time intervals. You can have a great indoor hill running.

Hill running is a very taxing cardio workout to your body. It's so hard to catch your breath when you reach the top of the hill. Your heart rate is racing to the roof trying to catch up with oxygen consumption in order to defy the gravity. Do it only once or twice a week as an integrated part of your running program. It will help you pass the speed bump around mile 21 on the Heartbreak hill in Boston Marathon.


H.I.I.T. Speedwork Track Running Routine

Another popular training program for endurance running is speedwork or distance repeat. This is typically done on a well-marked flat trail or a 400-meter track. The following is an example of H.I.I.T. routine on indoor or outdoor track.

After 10 minute light jogging warm-up, you can do one of the following routines followed by a 10-minute cool-down jog:

• 6 to 8 repeats x 400 meter with a two-minute recovery jog
• 3 to 4 repeats x 800 meter with a four-minute recovery jog
• 2 to 3 repeats x 1600 meter with a six-minute recovery jog

You can also do 100-meter or 200-meter repeats with shorter recovery periods. In addition, you can group some of these distances in a given training session.
Here is another example of H.I.I.T. speedwork running routine that mixes different work-to- recovery ratios in one workout session.


H.I.I.T. Routine with Variable Work-to-Recovery Ratios

Run 400 meters
Jog for two minutes
Run 800 meters
Jog for four minutes
Run 1600 meters
Jog for six minutes
Sprint for 200 meters

Finish up with light jog, stretching and rest. Pack up, go home, you're done for the day. No more mindless running on the treadmill, reading newspapers or watching sports on the TV while riding a stationary bike. It will really challenge your cardiovascular system, elevate your metabolism and keep your body in a fat burning mode for a while.


40 Yard Dash - Sprint Interval

Have you ever seen fat, out-of-shape running backs and wide receivers in (American) football?

When the time strikes, they need to rush the last 40 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. They're highly paid athletes and they train hard to deliver the results. They look lean, strong, muscular and agile. They run with incredibly powerful dashing speed.

They don't jog at L.I.S.S. 5 times a week at low intensity of RPE 4 to get in shape, do they?

You don't need to do wind-sprint with a small parachute on your back or run with a weighted sleigh in the field. If you can get to the football field in high school or college, sprint for 40 yards then walk slowly on your way back to the starting line. You probably need to rest a few more minutes. Repeat a few times.

Sprint interval is similar to the H.I.I.T. routine of speedwork or distance repeat. In this case, the distance is 40 yards. The RPE intensity level is at least on the scale of 9 for sprinting speed. The football field is well marked with a white line in very 10 yards with a number. You can't miss it.

The work-to-recovery ratio in 40-yard dash repeat is very low. Even it takes 10 seconds for you to sprint the 40 yards, it may take 5 minutes of rest for your to be able to sprint again. However, the level of intensity is extremely high. The anaerobic effect and after-burn will help you burn fat for a few more hours. Record your sprint time, rest periods and number of repeats.

Just visualize that now you've got the ball. It's 4th quarter, 10 seconds left on the ticking clock. Your team is 14 vs. 21 behind your opponent. You need a touchdown plus a kick to tie for overtime. Sprint as fast as possible, straight through to the end zone for a touchdown. Close your eyes and feel the thrill when tens of thousands of audience are cheering for you!


Stadium Stair Running Interval

If you've been able to do your H.I.I.T. running on the 400-meter track in a high school or college, why not try stair running on the stadium stairs.

It's similar to hill running by running upstairs at RPE intensity level of 7 to 8. Then walk downstairs slowly to recover. Repeat a few times. Your heart rate will be racing all the way up.


Be Creative and Have Fun

Working out is supposed to fun; otherwise you won't stick to it for the long run. Be creative about your cardio training routine. Mix it up by cross training with a variety of cardiovascular exercises in a range of intensity levels. You won't get bored from the same old routine or get injuried from wear-and-tear and overtraining.

When the weather is nice and sunny outside, enjoy running in the park with your family or try dirt-road trail running with your more competitive training buddies.

If you like to run outdoors around your neighborhood, why not mix and match different H.I.I.T. routines on different terrains. Jog or run slowly on curvy or uneven roads. Run fast or sprint on straight, unobstructed sections. Run uphill for your hill training. Walk downhill to recover and catch your breath. Take a break for water and do some light stretching at the cul-de-sac. Turn around to follow the same path or take a different route back home.

Why not "run" your dog next time? Your poodle wouldn't mind running and getting some exercise. In fact, approximately 40 percent of dogs in the U.S. now are considered overweight! People cause pets' obesity.


Too Much Cardio to Burn off Hard Trained Lean Muscle?

What if you're just doing strength or weight training, do you need cardio exercises? Are you worried that too much cardio will catabolize your hard-trained lean muscle? Consider this again, as long as an exercise keeps your heart pumping, and pumping harder, and you're huffing and puffing, you have done a "cardio" exercise to strengthen your cardiovascular system.

You probably have heard about "circuit training" by way of doing 5 to 10 exercises one after each other without rest (or with very little rest) in a circuit fashion. You can perform a strength and cardio circuit training with your own bodyweight, on Cybex strength machines, or with barbells or dumbbells.

You get the rewards from both strength and cardio training by keeping your heart rate up using light to moderate weight or resistance. Do it when you're pressed for time to get out of the gym or use it as a cross training routine to add variety to your workout.


H.I.I.T. Benefits

The potential benefits of high intensity interval training over the traditional slow steady state aerobic training are:

• Improved cardiovascular fitness, particularly anaerobic conditioning.
• Elevated VO2 max and lactate threshold
• Increased anti-oxidant protection
• Reduced risk for joint wear and tear
• Reduced muscle wasting
• Increased work capacity for the heart to handle life's up-and-down stress cycle.

It will kick your fitness level up another notch. You may start to burn the fat more efficiently while preserving your lean muscle mass.

High Intensity Strength Training + H.I.I.T. Cardio

===>

Lean, Strong, High-Performance Body

References:

1. Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 43(7):814-8, July 1994.
2. Tabata et al. Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and [spacing dot above]VO2max, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 28(10):1327-1330, October 1996.
3. Talanian, Galloway et al., Two weeks of High-Intensity Aerobic Interval Training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women. J Appl Physiol, 102: 1439-1447, 2007.

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Copyright 2006 www.careyforfitness.com by C. Carey Yang and Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC. All rights reserved.

 

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