FALLING BACK INTO THE SAME OLD ROUTINE?
Fall is here, and if you are like most, you may find yourself doing the same old, same old when it comes to your fitness routine. As the holidays approach and we are in the thick of Halloween candy, turkey dinners and overscheduled calendars, the common themebecomes fighting the bulge and finding time to squeeze in a workout. Sometimes we can be so busy that running from the car to the next thing on our list is our only exercise!
When time is tight, it is even more important to have short and effective workouts. By taking your workout up a notch with high intensity cardio variations, you can jump start your fitness routine so you look better, feel better and perform better throughout this fall and winter season.
MORE THAN JUST EATING WELL
Although concentrating on eating in moderation is always important, cardio exercises focused on interval training will help you get lean. Interval training focuses on intense bursts of exercise in your workout that not only strengthen your heart, but also burn body fat. The good news for your hectic schedule is that you don’t have to spend hours on the treadmill to see results. Industry research shows that shorter duration of high intensity exercise can be more beneficial than traditional endurance training.
Basic exercise science also supports that the harder you work, the more calories you burn each minute you exercise, and high intensity conditioning sessions speed your metabolism for hours after your workout session is over.
INCORPORATE CARDIO FOR GREATER STRENGTH AND MUSCLE DEFINITION
As a general rule, strength exercises build muscle. Cardio conditioning workouts, when coupled with proper nutrition, are the secret weapon to defining and showing off the hours spent in the gym. To create greater muscle definition in the common “problem” areas (arms, abs, glutes and thighs), it is important to develop those muscles with strength training and incorporate cardio conditioning to unveil your hidden lean and sleek muscles.
When your goal is to build muscle and lose fat, combining strength-training exercises with total-body cardio is the key to realizing the best results. Rather than a half an hour of walking on the treadmill followed by some strength training, combine the two into the same workout. Add one of the exercises below in between strength exercises to create a circuit. This type of cardio approach gives you the best of both worlds — athletic muscular strength and definition.
SOME FULL BODY CARDIO EXERCISES INCLUDE:
Boxing (bag work is fine, you don’t need to box!)
Jumping Jacks
Burpees
Jump Rope
These exercises allow you to build more muscle and burn calories, and get the most muscle tone and fat loss in the shortest time.
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Scott Baumann is the operating partner of Fitness Together in South Miami. “Where excellence in personal training meets privacy and luxury.”
www.fitnesstogethermiami.com
