by Maggie Mangiel

Many of us have made some new year’s resolutions.  For most, changing our lifestyle and losing weight tops that list.  As a personal trainer, I see a lot of a new gym members; people who have never set foot in the gym and are completely alien in this new environment; therefore, one of the first exercises for them to undertake is aerobics exercises such as running, cycling, and rowing because aerobic exercise is the foundation for any fitness activity.  People find aerobic exercise less intimidating and self-explanatory enough, but sometimes people feel lost or don’t know which activities will benefit them the most and help them get to closer to their goals.  If you are one of the newbies, fear not. I’m here to give you some pointers on how to get the most out of your cardiovascular activity and start on building your foundation and confidence to move into the weight room; not to mention, cardio is one of the most important things you can do for your body, whether you want to lose weight, burn fat, or improve your health.  It trains that big muscular organ we so very much depend on, the heart.  There is no right or wrong cardio exercise.  Just decide on the type of aerobic exercise you enjoy or dislike the least.  Now it’s my turn to tell you what exercises would give you the most bang for your buck, the one that suits your goal, or the one that works for your busy schedule.

There are two approaches to cardiovascular activity, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and Steady State (maintaining the same low/moderate pace and tempo throughout the entire workout).  These two types can be performed on any of the machines, be it the elliptical, the treadmill, the bike (spin, stationary, or the real deal), the rowing machine, the step-climber, Jacob’s Ladder; or the good old pavement, stairs, tracks, or the swimming pool.  HIIT has gained a lot of popularity lately, especially among weight-lifters and people looking to shed fat quickly.  You’re probably wondering which one is best.  Well, truth be told, the best is a blend of both higher and lower-intensity cardiovascular training that is tailored to your body and your goals.  The difference in steady-state cardio is aerobic, which means it requires oxygen and is fueled mostly by stored fat.  HIIT, by contrast, is anaerobic, meaning the work intervals don’t rely exclusively on oxygen, and are fueled mostly by stored carbohydrates.

Counter-intuitively, HIIT makes you breathe harder, and burns more fat than steady-state cardio.  So if your goal is to burn fat, build muscle, and to build up stamina to withstand your weight-lifting sessions, then HIIT is for you.  An example of HIIT exercise is sprint intervals.  Here’s a sample of a HIIT Workout.

Warm-up for 5 minutes

Speed Burst                                                                         Easy-Pace Recovery

30 seconds                                                                       1 minute

30 seconds                                                                       1 minute

30 seconds                                                                       1 minute

30 seconds                                                                       1 minute

Cool-down for 5 minutes

This workout is a good HIIT routine that will leave you breathing heavy and torching some serious fat while working your core and building up your legs and glutes in a very time efficient manner.  Duration: 16 minutes, in and out has never been so fierce.  As you can ascertain from this example, HIIT is the MVP of cardiovascular training; however, it can take a toll on your body because it puts too much stress on your heart and the nervous system, and can leave you sore for at least 48 after each workout session, which always makes it harder to put in 100% the following session.

Steady-state cardio has long been a cornerstone in training programs because the vast majority of physical function from digestion to breathing to everyday movements like walking, standing, and sleeping are powered by the aerobic system.  I personally recommend for all of my newbie clients to work on a 30 min walk, fast walk, jog or run for 3-4 times per week for the first month to work on their endurance and get their bodies ready to handle more rigorous training.  One of the benefits of the steady-state cardio is that it doesn’t add too much stress to your central nervous system the way HIIT does.  It also helps your heart grow in capacity which leads your heart rate to drop substantially, both at rest and during exercise.  An example of a steady-state cardio workout would be a 30-45 minutes jog.

In summation, avoid doing HIIT consistently for months on end.  The most efficient way to achieve the best results is to be mindful of your needs.  Try periodizing your workouts, which means doing one thing for a period of 8 months or so then changing to a different program.  Or switch them on a regular basis; for instance, as much as you love your daily spin class, try to change it up by doing an hour on the elliptical every other day instead.  By doing so, you will reduce your chance of injury, stave off boredom and fitness plateaus, and stay lean and healthy.  Happy training, and let’s crush those goals!

Maggie Mangiel of Body On Track, for War Room Sports