Disclaimer ©Copyright 2012, Hybrid Athlete LLC. All rights reserved. No duplication or reproduction of this document is allowed in any form without written permission from Hybrid Athlete LLC. The opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of Hybrid Athlete LLC. No claim or opinion in this guide is intended to be, nor should be construed to be, medical advice. Please consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet or exercise program. The food and drug administration has not evaluated any of the claims made in this book. The information or products mentioned in this document are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The respective authors of the document and Hybrid Athlete LLC make no representations about the suitability of the information contained in this guide for any purpose. The entire risk arising out of the use of its contents remains with the recipient. In no event shall the respective authors of this document and or Hybrid Athlete LLC. be liable for any direct, consequential, incidental, special, punitive or other damages whatsoever. By reading and following the principles in this guide, you acknowledge that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
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The Importance of Cardiovascular Training Cardiovascular exercise is any type of physical activity that requires the heart and lungs to work overtime in order to meet the body’s increased demand for oxygen. Cardio, as it is more commonly known, increases the breathing rate, raises heart rate, and helps to improve lung function. In order to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of moderately intense cardiovascular exercise five days a week, or 20 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular exercise 3 days a week. To achieve this baseline, one may choose to include running, cycling, swimming, rowing, or hiking in their exercise regimen. In an attempt to achieve healthy cardiovascular function and a desired bodyweight or composition, many individuals hop on a piece of cardio equipment at their local fitness facility. Once the treadmill gets going, people mindlessly trudge along for 30 to 60 minutes in hopes of sheading of few pounds or burning off the previous night’s happy hour. Although they have the correct intention behind their efforts, there are better techniques for burning fat and calories during cardio exercise. Even if you are not a “runner” or endurance athlete, cardiovascular exercise should still be a component of your training program. You do not have to log 5 mile runs or pound out 45 minutes on the trail to improve your stamina, endurance, or calorie burn.
Considering the Options When it comes to doing “cardio” our mind jumps to thoughts of a treadmill, elliptical, or running track. You lace up your shoes, put one foot in front of the other, and “run” until you are forced to walk. You make it back to your house or car dehydrated, and wake up the next day with knee and back pain. Sounds like fun, right? This scenario might explain why most people choose to neglect cardiovascular exercise, opting instead for an elliptical with a television attached. Fortunately, there are far more effective, efficient, and enjoyable ways of getting your cardio in.
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Steady State Cardio For the sake of this guide, we will define steady state cardio as running at a steady pace or heart rate over an extended period of time or distance. This is what we typically call running or jogging. Your body and its energy systems are being challenged, but you are not pushing yourself to exhaustion. It is likely that you are able to carry on a conversation and control your breathing and heart rate at this intensity.
PROS
CONS
CALORIE BURN 30 minutes of steady state cardio can burn in excess of 500 calories
TIME CONSUMING To see any results related to fat loss of body composition you will need to perform at least three 30 minute steady state cardio session per week
CONDITIONING Effective method of improving cardiovascular and general fitness
INJURY RISK A constant and repetitive running motion over an extended duration can create muscular imbalances and deficiencies
ENDURANCE Essential for success in endurance sports
BORING This type of cardio can become repetitive, redundant, and downright boring
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Interval Training An interval cardio session features exercise conducted at varied intensities over time or distance. This can include working at or near maximum output to fatigue the muscles and lungs; then allowing for a period of rest or lower intensity exercise before returning to an increased or maximum intensity. During an interval session, you are attempting to push yourself beyond the intensity of a steady state run. Here, your heart rate will be elevated, breathing will be irregular, and your running form may break down.
PROS
CONS
EFFICIENCY You are working at a higher intensity than usual resulting in a greater calorie burn in a shorter period of time. That means better results in less time helping to protect against
CHALLENGING For interval training to be effective you have to be willing to push beyond a comfortable pace or heart rate
boredom, injury, and overtraining
VARIETY Interval training can be combined with different types of exercise including, running, cycling, swimming, cardio machines, and even walking
INJURY RISK The intensity required as part of interval training can cause fatigue, naseaua, and potentially compromise exercise form
SEE SAMPLE INTERVAL WORKOUTS ON NEXT PAGE
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SAMPLE INTERVAL WORKOUTS TRAININGSESSIONS Basic Walk/ Jog Intervals
Hill Sprints
Track Workouts
TABATA Intervals
DESCRIPTION 1 minute of moderate or high intensity output (run/sprint) followed by 1 minute low intensity output (walk/jog). Repeat 8-12 times
Find a hill that takes 60-90 seconds to climb. Run hill at maximum effort, then walk or easy jog to start line. Repeat 8-12 times Head to the track and perform a 400 meter (one lap) all out sprint, followed by a rest period equal to half the amount of time it took your to complete the initial 400 meter sprint. Repeat 6-8 times This workout features 20 seconds of maximum output followed by 10 seconds of rest; repeated for 8-12 sets. This technique can be applied to all forms of cardiovascular activity including running, cycling, swimming, or rowing. Try kettlebell swings for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat 8-12 times.
Combine Cardio & Resistance Training
Studies have shown that 15 minutes of cardio intervals before your strength workout, followed by another 15 minutes after the workout will significantly increase calorie burn, maximum heart rate, and release of muscle building growth hormone. Instead of simply performing traditional cardio intervals or Fartlek’s on the treadmill, with periods of max effort followed by walking or jogging, fill the rest periods with a strength training exercise. After a proper warm-up, a sample workout would include 6 rounds of 60 second sprints on the treadmill. After your sprint perform 15 push-ups in round 1, 15 dumbbell shoulder presses in round 2, 15 body-weight squats in 5round 3, each up toleg 10 pull-ups 10-15x triceps dip in round 5, and lunges in roundin 6 round 4,
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SAMPLE INTERVAL WORKOUTS TRAININGSESSIONS
DESCRIPTION Working with kettlebells, at a high intensity, challenges the body to work in a free-standing position that engages the body in multiple plans of motion. When compared to traditional single-plane exercises such as running on a treadmill, kettlebell training creates an ideal environment for burning calories and increasing VO2 Max, training the heart and circulatory system to become more efficient in delivering oxygen to the body.
Kettlebells
A study conducted at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse led by John Porcari, Ph. D and Chad Schnetter, M.S. found that exercisers implementing high intensity kettlebell training can obtain a heart rate, VO2 Max, and calorie burn equivalent to running on a treadmill at a 6-minute mile pace. TRY IT 5 Rounds, As fast as possible 5x Turkish Get Ups (each arm) 25x Kettlebell Swing 10x Clean + Press (each arm) 25x Kettlebell Swing 10x Goblet Squats Head to an indoor cycling or spin class at your local fitness center. You will be getting the benefits of a cardio workout with significantly less impact on the knees and ankles, providing your body with a break from the impact and overuse injuries associated with running.
Spinning
TRY IT Start by finding the schedule for fitness classes at your local gym. Go prepared with a bottle of water and a towel. Plan on getting to your first class a little early to be sure you get a proper fit on the bike. Ask the instructor to help you with the set-up. Do not just walk in and jump on the bike as is; they are adjustable for a reason. Attend a couple classes, at separate times to see what different instructors have to offer. If you like what you see, consider picking up a pair of padded bike shorts and cycling shoes that clip into the pedals
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SAMPLE INTERVAL WORKOUTS TRAININGSESSIONS
Recreational Activities
DESCRIPTION Consider replacing running or the elliptical with recreation sports like soccer, pick-up basketball, or swimming. Recreation means fun and there is no reason your cardiovascular training cannot be enjoyable. However, I will offer a word of caution; soccer, basketball, and swimming might be more challenging than you think. You will be performing intervals (start and stop during soccer and basketball), plyometrics (jumping and lateral movement in basketball), and recruiting different muscles and energy systems (while swimming) than you are accustomed to.
To maximize your calorie burn and the utilization of stored fat as energy, consider adding fasted morning workouts to your training routine.
Fasted Morning Cardio
Start by having your last meal 2 hours prior to bedtime. Upon waking up in the morning, have a glass of water before throwing your shoes on and heading out for a training session. This session can include a short and intense strength workout or a steady state cardio effort of 30-45 minutes. Training in this manner can help to improve mobilization of fatty acids during exercise and increase insulin sensitivity afterwards. This means your body will have a positive hormonal response to your training, creating an environment that encourages the body to burn stored fat as a fuel source.
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Final Thoughts While cardiovascular training is an important part of health and fitness, it is important not to neglect strength training and healthy eating. You will never achieve your desired body composition or fitness level if you are not challenging your body with resistance training of some kind. Additionally, all of your workouts, be it strength or cardio, will be for not if you are not making an effort to eat real, nutrient rich foods while avoiding prepackaged, additive laden alternatives.
Resources For additional information, including training and nutrition manuals, exercise videos, and fitness products visit www.thehybridathlete.com.
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