When you walk into to a modern fitness center, you will undoubtedly encounter rows of cardio equipment with TVs plastered in front of them. Over the past decade, treadmills and ellipticals have become machines that would make any tech junkie proud. They now come loaded with iPod docks, HD radio tuners, TVs, and even internet access. Gym goers are eating this stuff up. Why? Because cardio can get boring in a hurry and all the lights and sounds distract from the fact that you have been running in place for the past 30min. It is all too easy to just set the machine to manual and watch TV, and as no surprise fitness levels don’t improve much and plateaus quickly. So what should you do instead? Try a cardio circuit.
Cardio circuit training is now starting to catch on. It not only keeps your workouts interesting, but ensures the development of different muscle groups and decreases the likelihood of overuse injuries. To create a simple cardio circuit, combine a treadmill, an elliptical, and a bike. Spend 5-10 minutes on each and then switch to the next piece of equipment, and can be completed as many times as desired. No equipment, no problem, you can create the same type of circuit using calisthenics. Try alternating jumping jacks, mountain climbers, and pushups, each for 1 minute. Start by doing 3 minutes on and 90 sec off, then progress to 6 min on 2 min off. Mix it up, and play with the rest periods to keep it interesting.
An added bonus of this style of cardio is that you will burn more calories vs staying on the same piece of cardio for a given time. How? If you’re on the treadmill without changing intensity, your body goes into “steady state” where it burns less calories/minute than when you started. When doing a cardio circuit where you’re constantly changing exercises, it prevents your body from reaching this “steady state.” It’s just like putting your car on cruise control; it uses less gas than constantly accelerating and decelerating. Give this a try and contact me with any questions you may have.