Making the most of cardio...?

BronnersHarris

I'm hoping someone can give me some tips on getting more out of my gym session as I feel like I'm not getting as much out of it as I was.

I realise heavy lifting will be recommended and this will happen in about 4 weeks. I want to wait until I'm in Australia and my brother can show me how to do it all properly before I bring it to my gym. But in the meantime I have 4 weeks that I don't want to waste - and I am bridesmaid in 5 weeks so the bigger changes I can make, the better

At the moment I normally go to the gym 4-7 days a week (childcare dependant)

Monday, Wednesday and Friday I run. (Hoping to increase my fitness to be able to run 10k) I currently do about 30-40 mins at 9.5km/hr and then various cardio machines for a further 30 minutes.

On the Tues/Thurs I do a body conditioning class (similar to circuits) for about 55 minutes and then another 20 mins of cardiomachines.

Sat/Sun - I just do a mix of machines for about 70/80 mins. If I can't get to the gym, I do 30 Day Shred.

When I do the cardio machines I do try and push myself, for example on the cross trainer I start at level 5 and every minute I go up 3 levels, then the next minute back down two and continue this for 20 minutes getting up to level 13.
On the bike I do 10 minutes at level 4, but do 30 intense then 90 secs slower.
Wave machine - similar going up and down levels but normally 3 minutes on each level.
Then I do the rowing machine for about 5 minutes at the end (not very keen on this).

Anyone have any tips on ways I could push myself more on these machines? I'm not fussed on how many cals I burn, more just that I push my fitness level.

xx

sumeetn

sound ok to me :-)

RuthieCass

I think what you're doing sounds like you have the cardio down- maybe a little too much cardio. I would say that I think you need at least one complete rest day per week. So I would suggest taking it easy on Sat or Sun. If you feel like you're not getting enough of a workout on the cardio machines (not getting your heart rate up, etc.), just increase the intensity on the machines. Also, hopefully you are on a running plan that *gradually* increases your distance or speed?

You could also work in a few moves to increase your strength, maybe on days before running (and shorten or cut out your extra cardio time). There are plenty of ways to increase your strength using just your body weight. Squats, lunges, side squats, planks, wall sits, push-ups, and so on. I would say that you should incorporate more strength building exercises into your routine and increase cardio intensity before adding time or anything else.

BronnersHarris

I think what you're doing sounds like you have the cardio down- maybe a little too much cardio. I would say that I think you need at least one complete rest day per week. So I would suggest taking it easy on Sat or Sun. If you feel like you're not getting enough of a workout on the cardio machines (not getting your heart rate up, etc.), just increase the intensity on the machines. Also, hopefully you are on a running plan that *gradually* increases your distance or speed?

You could also work in a few moves to increase your strength, maybe on days before running (and shorten or cut out your extra cardio time). There are plenty of ways to increase your strength using just your body weight. Squats, lunges, side squats, planks, wall sits, push-ups, and so on. I would say that you should incorporate more strength building exercises into your routine and increase cardio intensity before adding time or anything else.

Thank you for your response. I am not on any running plan, just try increasing my time by 5 minutes a week and was thinking once I get to 10k I would then increase my speed slightly going back to less k's then slowly increase again so I'm going faster, and longer.

You're probably right about doing more strength work even without weights. I guess cardio machines are easy once you climb on, and so is following DVDs. Having to do strength work off my own back (self motivation) is a weakness but I guess I really should set up a plan and could do it on the mats half way through a gym sess to break things up a bit.

I'll keep working on increasing the intensity but not minutes on what I already do.

Cheers xx

Flixie00

Sounds OK to me but if you want to mix it up you could add swimming and calesthenics (lunges, squats, dips, press ups, sit ups etc). Calesthenics will help when you do start weights.