How long did it take for cardio to get "easier"?

wannabthin1831

hi everyone, I'm 44; shooting to lose 32 lbs. very active because I'm an art teacher on my feet all day.I've been logging now for 20 days, 3xs/ wk cardio . First 2 weeks went for 30 mins. This week I've bumped it up to 40 mins and have noticed it seems so much easier to do it- I didn't expect it to be that way. I work Between 89-95% my max heart rate- I am breathing hard and sweAting a lot . See now that it takes close to 20 minutes before I am really feeling like its work. Curious to know other people's experiences.
- Thx chris aka wannabthin

Rogsman

I was "big" but when I started I slowly worked up to 85% HR in chunks of 10 BPM increases starting at 120 BPM, 35-45 minute sessions. It took about 3 months to do that safely.

Now I generally do two 35 min cardio sessions a week holding weight, 3 to 5 on a deficit to lose weight. My cardio sessions are usually tough because I don't let them get easy, but what did increase is my ability to recover from them.

85% should be your target rate for steady state cardio, it's fine to go above that for a few minutes (like a sprint) but not hold above the 90% level for extended periods. Check with your doc before doing that or research the "why". The best advice I received regarding cardio machines is "adjust resistance so that when you finish you couldn't have done another 5 minutes". It's a challenge to do that while maintaining a steady heart rate. If things become easy for you, change up the cardio. Pick a different machine, class, high reps with light weights. You should do this anyways after a couple weeks to keep your body adjusting.

SergeantSausage

It never gets easier. If it does, what's the point?

The idea is to induce stress to cause adaptation. That adaptation is what causes improvement in the cardio vascular system. Easy removes stress. No stress means no adaptation. No adaptation.means no improvement. No improvement means "what's the point", right?

What happens is you get stronger, better, faster, more endurance, etc but if you let up the intensity to where it's easy, you're just wasting time.

Don't let it get easy. If it feels easy, kick it up a notch.

wannabthin1831

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I didn't mean it was easy- I think I should have been more specific- my heart rate is up; I'm sweating; I can't hold conversation; I see it doesn't tax me mentally as much; I am recovering way faster heart rate wise when I stop. That endurance improvement after only a few weeks has been really surprising!

SergeantSausage

wannabthin1831 wrote: »

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I didn't mean it was easy- I think I should have been more specific- my heart rate is up; I'm sweating; I can't hold conversation; I see it doesn't tax me mentally as much; I am recovering way faster heart rate wise when I stop. That endurance improvement after only a few weeks has been really surprising!

Sounds like prime time to kick it up a notch, right?