what now???? D:

ReinasWrath
ReinasWrath Posts: 1,173 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
helloz!
I have a couple of questions/ concerns about avoiding plateaus. When I started out regularly working out I stuck to the stationary bike to fill my cardio slot then I gradually increased intensity and time, After it got to be too easy I moved on to the elliptical then the tread mill and did the same gradual increase of time and intensity. So here is where my problem arises.. (Other than the exceptions like walking on a beach (because of the sands unsteadyness) and hiking up hill I assume that walking around outside is basically the same effect as a tread mill so taking my cardio outside wouldn't give much change, right?) I need to find a new challenging workout to fill my cardio time slot which I try to do for at least an hour a day.

I've been trying to build endurance for running and the same for the stair master ( the only other cardio machine at my gym) but I am having a lot of trouble being able to do either of those for more than a few minuetes so in the mean time I need to find a cardio routine to do to burn that big mass of calories until I can jog/ do the stair master for a long enough period of time that I need.

So here is my main question, since it has been a while since I have regularly used the bike would it provide a challenge now? I kind of assumed that the main prevention of plateaus is giving your body a variety of work outs so would just relooping them every few months and upping the intensity more and more give the same effect?

Also as a side note- I HATE the stair master machine!!!! D: (which I know, means I should do it more but GAWWW its murderous on me and I can safely bet that it will be quite a while before I can do that for an hour straight 0___0

Replies

  • slp2112
    slp2112 Posts: 107
    You could try "brick training" - i.e. do 10 minutes on three different machines back to back to back, so you're changing muscle groups all the time. Also, try doing high intensity interval training, or just interval training (e.g. on a spin bike, do 1 minute of working at 90% of your effort and then two minutes at active recovery. Repeat 10 times).

    Also, do you lift? Introducing plyometrics/weights/resistance into your workout could help a ton. Lots of people on here seem afraid of putting on muscle, which I don't get - muscle is much leaner than fat, so even if you don't drop weight but swap fat for muscle, you're going to look LOTS leaner. Also, many studies have shown that people who lift still burn a lot - it's called after burn, because muscles have to expend a lot of energy to repair themselves after a weight lifting session.
  • bobbie228
    bobbie228 Posts: 53
    I like the brick training with the lifting idea. DO 15-20 minutes of a good intense elliptical run or bike get off and do a few machines with low eight high reps and in a controlled but high paced set then go back to a cardio machine for another 20 minutes and then do a different set of weight machines. do this over an hour and a half or so and you should see great results. The idea is to circuit train with the machines so you keep your heat rate elevated but you will also burn muscle. I also like walk.run intervals outside. walk briskly then sprint then slow and repeat! lots of great apps for such training too!
  • LindseyC87
    LindseyC87 Posts: 178 Member
    Start high intensity interval training like someone else mentioned. I love it and sweat like the ****ens.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories