How and when to do cardio for fat burning? Which cardio is more effective for burning fat? How to do cardio better

Cardio training is the training of the heart muscle. This program includes running, jumping, walking, cycling. Let's take a closer look at what features this training has, as well as reveal five myths and give a couple of tips so that the training brings success.

Cardio training has become increasingly popular lately. Sometimes, when visiting a fitness center during rush hour, it can be difficult to make your way to a free treadmill or exercise bike. However, many trainers argue that some guests, when practicing on their own, only waste time and energy aimlessly, and sometimes can even act to their detriment. How to get the maximum benefit from exercising on cardio equipment and what should you consider during training?
First of all, it should be remembered that Such exercises are not aimed at developing the muscles of the body, but at the cardiovascular system. Therefore, cardio training can only be beneficial if a person exercises correctly and regularly monitors his pulse. Otherwise, you can cause serious harm to your health.
Preparation
Before starting classes, be sure to find out your heart rate limits.: upper and lower stage. The most accurate way to do this is to undergo a computer examination, which will show the state of the cardiovascular system and give an idea of ​​​​the permissible blood pressure during exercise. To find out the upper and lower limits of your heart rate without a computer, you need to subtract your age from 220. If the resulting number is multiplied by 65%, we get the lower acceptable limit, and multiplied by 85%, we get the upper limit.
Despite the fact that almost all types of modern exercise equipment are equipped with a sensor that detects heart rate, experts advise using additional equipment. In order for the simulator to determine the exact pulse during a workout on a treadmill, for example, the athlete’s palms must lie motionless on the handrails, which is, in fact, very difficult to do.

For those who have a tendency to high blood pressure or have had problems with the cardiovascular system, experts advise purchasing a heart rate monitor, which will provide the opportunity to get the maximum result from your workout. After all, accuracy is important here: if the pulse is below the permissible norm, training will be meaningless; if it is higher, overload of the body is inevitable.

Myth one

“Cardio training is much better at burning excess fat than athletic training.”
In fact The shortest way to a slim figure is a combination of aerobic and strength exercises. Many women mistakenly do only cardio for two reasons. Firstly, it is believed that aerobic exercises directly use fat as energy fuel, while strength exercises use only blood sugar and glycogen (sugar “stored” for future use in the liver). And second: in 45 minutes of training, aerobic exercise “burns” much more calories than strength training of equal duration.
Let's figure it out. Yes, true - aerobics uses subcutaneous fat reserves as fuel, but blood sugar and glycogen also come into play! Science has proven: During the first 20 minutes of aerobic training, only blood sugar and glycogen are consumed. And only then does the burning of fat begin.
Yes its true - Aerobics “burns” more calories over the same amount of training time. However, there is another truth! Here it is: strength training significantly raises your resting metabolic rate. For those who do not understand, I will explain: at rest, our body gradually “burns through” our fat in order to provide energy for the physiological functioning of our body (heartbeat, digestion, breathing, etc.). Strength training dramatically increases the rate of fat consumption during rest, and the consumption itself depends on your muscle mass. For example, ten kg of muscle requires 500-900 additional calories per day, which is equivalent to one day of complete fasting per week!

The conclusion is: cardio training “burns” fat during training, but practically does not affect fat consumption during rest. well and strength training is not so strong in “burning” fat, but it seriously stimulates resting metabolism.

It is clear that by doing both, you will fabulously speed up your weight loss. There is nothing to compare with aerobics alone!

The following movie stars use cardio in their training:

Myth two

"The more aerobics, the better"
Let's turn to scientific facts. Scientists have discovered that Although aerobics “burns” fat, after an hour of exercise the body for some reason switches to muscle tissue. And instead of fat, protein burns with a blue flame in the fire of metabolism. After two hours of cardio training, the body loses up to 90% of leucine, an amino acid that determines muscle growth. Here's what the eminent professional Jay Cutler says: “Trying to gain “relief,” I decided to push the aerobics and extended the aerobic training to an hour and a half. Immediately the muscle strength dropped, they “shrank” and lost their usual elasticity. Since then, I have been doing aerobics for no longer than 45-50 minutes."

Myth three

“Start with cardio and then move on to strength training.”
It's just the opposite. For strength training to work, you need to use relatively heavy weights., with which you can do no more than 6-12 repetitions per set. If you start with cardio training, you will use up glycogen, and this will lead to a drop in muscle strength. As a result, you will not be able to develop the training intensity that requires muscle growth. You need to start with hardware, and this will greatly help your aerobics. Strength exercises will deplete carbohydrate reserves and therefore “fat burning” will begin not after a quarter of an hour, but almost immediately after the start of aerobic training.

Myth four

“Eat a cake? Nonsense, added twenty minutes of cardio, and the extra calories were gone!”
If you begin to chronically overeat, you will have to extend the duration of your aerobic training beyond a reasonable time. In the end, this will lead to overtraining, and that’s all. It's better to do this: increase the intensity, not the duration, of aerobics in the next two workouts. Then you need to return to your normal intensity level. However, the simplest thing is to subtract the extra calories you eat from your next meal.

Myth fifth

"Increasing your cardio and strength training with lighter weights will help you burn fat more efficiently."
As already stated, The best result in “burning” fat comes from a combination of aerobic and. However, in the case of hardware, the loads are different. Light weights do not stimulate the growth of muscle tissue, but its quantity, as you know, is a fundamental factor in “fat burning.” So, the main rule remains indisputable: you need full-fledged strength training with heavy weights (6-12 repetitions per set).

Answers to frequently asked questions about cardio training

  • How long does it take to train?

Experts of this weight loss method advise: at least 30 minutes three to five days a week. But we are all busy people and cannot always find these 30 minutes in our schedule. Especially when we work and want to spend time with our family. That's why you can combine cardio training with work. For example, ride a bicycle to the country house or to the supermarket. Or, when you come home from work and need to go downstairs or up to the top of a multi-story building, use your own feet and steps rather than the elevator.

What workouts are best for weight loss: running, walking, cycling?

Each of these types of loads will have its advantages. It all depends on what you enjoy, depending on your mood. This factor is key when choosing the type of cardio training; thanks to it, you both lose weight and do not become physically exhausted.

  • When should you do aerobics to lose weight quickly?

We recommend 2-3 times a week traditional cardio training at a moderate pace for 45-60 minutes, and two more times - interval training. You should do strength exercises at least 2-3 times.

  • What exercise regimen will help you maintain the lost weight?

So that the kilograms don’t decide to return, It is enough to train 3-4 times a week for 45-60 minutes at a moderate pace. Maintain your heart rate at 65-70% of maximum. Practice interval training only for variety.

  • Which exercise machine is the most effective?

The one you like! Weight loss is determined by the length of aerobic training. The more there are, the greater the weight loss. You can last longer on your favorite exercise machine, than on the one you can’t stand.

Earlier articles discussed and.

  • When starting training, you need to determine your goal: Active heart training or weight loss. In the first case, the training should be more intense (heart rate at 85% of the maximum upper mark), but shorter in time (on average 15–20 minutes. If the goal is to lose excess weight, then you need to prepare for a training session of 40–60 minutes, but with a lower intensity - 65% of the upper limit of the pulse.
  • It’s best to start with 10-15 minute sessions with low intensity.
  • When choosing a time of day for cardio training, it is worth remembering that the degree of load in the morning and evening hours is different. In the first half of the day, the intensity of exercise should be lower - approximately 100–110 beats per minute for beginners and 120–125 beats for regular gym visitors. Evening training should take place in a more intense mode with a pulse of 130 beats for beginners and 140 beats for advanced ones.

(38 ratings, average: 4,89 out of 5)

In this article we will touch on the topic of cardio training. If you want to reduce the subcutaneous fat content in your body to 10-12% or lower, it is very difficult to do this without cardio exercise.

It is known that in order to start fat burning you need to take in fewer calories than you burn. A balanced diet quickly starts the fat burning process. However, by adding cardio, you will do a double whammy and start burning fat more effectively.

Cardio training is any type of physical activity in which the main source of energy is aerobic glycolysis, i.e. oxidation of glucose and as a result of which the human respiratory and cardiovascular systems develop. The general nature of the workout is high intensity with minimal load.

What does cardio give:

  • Improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
  • Strengthens the heart muscle.
  • Strengthens health.
  • Speeds up metabolism
  • Helps to recover faster after training.
  • Burns subcutaneous fat.

It is fat burning that interests many. Let's figure out how to effectively burn fat while maintaining muscle. Let's take running as an example.

Running is a fairly effective method of losing weight. While running, the load is distributed evenly throughout the body and, due to increased heart rate and breathing, metabolism is accelerated and fat burning is activated.

Many people jog every day for 15-20 minutes in the morning or evening, but do not see results in the form of lost fat. The thing is that if the run was short, the body uses only glycogen and at the very first meal it replenishes its reserves. The body simply does not have time to get to fat as an energy source, and its burning does not occur.

The body can switch to fat as a source of energy only when glycogen reserves are depleted. During jogging, that is, at light or moderate intensity, energy for the muscles coming from glycogen lasts for an average of 30-40 minutes.

Those. in the first half hour of cardio you do not burn a single gram of fat.

Therefore, in order to actively burn fat during cardio, you need to jog for about 40-50 minutes.

There are many types of cardio exercises and they all have different effects on people. In order to effectively burn fat, cardio workouts must gradually increase in intensity, because the body gets used to and adapts to external stress over time. Those. monotonous moderate-intensity exercise is suitable for beginners; for more experienced, varied interval cardio with periods of high intensity.

Suitable exercises:

  • Jogging.
  • Inertial exercise bike.
  • Skiing.
  • Swimming.
  • Skating.
  • A ride on the bicycle.
  • Jumping rope, etc.

If you just walk for a long time or on a treadmill, generally doing low-intensity cardio will not make any sense! If, on the contrary, you fire yourself up so that your heart jumps out of your chest, this will lead to overwork of the heart muscle. Over time, heart disease may appear.

To really train effectively (and not harm your body), you should not allow your heart rate (HR) to go beyond certain limits. For this you will need a heart rate monitor.

Cardio workout formula:

220 – age = max heart rate

Your cardio workout should be between 70-90% of your maximum heart rate. For example, I’m 25 years old, let’s get the heart rate limits:

Upper: 220 – 25 = 195 x 0.9 = 175 beats/min

Lower: 220 – 25 = 195 x 0.7 = 136 beats/min

As you can see, using the formula is simple. It is suitable for anyone with any level of training. The only difference is that it is easier for a prepared person to stay within a given range for a long time.

Look at your heart rate monitor more often until you learn to feel your body 100% - this will come with time.

There is such a thing as an aerobic base - this is the basis of your cardio training. You need to spend the main part of your training at this value. Aerobic base is equal to 70% of the maximum heart rate (HR).

At the initial stage, you should conduct 3-4 workouts of 30-40 minutes each, being at the level of your aerobic base. Once you feel that the load has become easier for you, you can move on to interval methods.

To increase the intensity of your workout, switch to interval cardio.

Interval training is training that alternates periods of maximum effort and periods of rest. Using the example of running, it looks like this: you walk the first hundred meters at a fast pace, stretching your muscles, ligaments and joints. Warm-up is needed to increase blood flow to them and gradually increase the heart rate. Then start jogging, adjusting your breathing to an aerobic base. For the next 100 meters you sprint at 80% of your maximum pace.

After one rotation, return to the aerobic base. Continue to stay in it for 5-7 minutes. The second interval will be more intense with almost one hundred percent effort.

During interval training, special processes occur in the body - powerful explosive periods spend a large number of calories, so the body takes energy from glycogen broken down by the liver. After the transition to a moderately intense period (to the aerobic base), the liver tries to replenish glycogen and carbohydrate reserves by breaking down fats, i.e. fats are used.

After 20-30 minutes of interval training, you will feel like you have squeezed out all your strength. Fat will begin to be actively burned. Experiments show that after such a workout, active fat burning continues for several hours, but the muscles do not burn.

Alternate 3-4 intervals, each next more intense than the previous one. To progress your cardio load, run uphill, try other types of cardio - swimming, exercise bike, skiing, etc.

Cardio exercises should be regular. This is the only way to improve the entire blood supply system of the body. With periodic training, the body will perceive the load as a lot of physical stress and will get tired.

In order to achieve good results, you will have to do cardio often. How else would you like it? If you want a beautiful body, you have to sweat! 5-6 times a week for 40-50 minutes.

As your training level increases, the intensity of your training should increase. Those. If 3-4 alternations of intervals no longer exhaust you as much as before, increase the number of these alternations and the duration of each interval.

It is important to start and end cardio training with a gradual increase/decrease in heart rate - the heart does not like sudden changes in intensity. If you experience tingling in your side, continue training. Just reduce the intensity a little until these sensations pass.

Don't forget to drink during cardio exercise. Not only water comes out with sweat, but also useful salts and minerals. Therefore, it is better to use mineral water without gas or isotonic water.

When to do cardio?

There are two views on this issue. First, you can train at any time. The second is to train better when glycogen levels are low. This corresponds to the morning awakening and the end of strength training.

Immediately after sleep, insulin and glycogen levels are low. This means that fat will become the main source of energy for the body. Those. You do not need to burn glycogen for 20-30 minutes first. You save time.

Plus, a morning cardio workout is a sure way to recharge your energy for the whole day, due to the release of endorphins into the blood. The only condition is that you must enjoy training.

How to achieve this? Do cardio with your favorite music! It should charge and encourage you, give you strength and motivation. Believe me, it works!

After strength training, the muscles are warmed up and glycogen stores are also depleted. Medium-intensity 20-minute cardio exercise is a wonderful means of burning fat and accelerating recovery by dispersing blood throughout the body.

It is important to remember that cardio is an oxygen-consuming process. There should always be easy access of air to the body. This means that if you study at home, ventilate the room well.

If you do cardio outside, dress appropriately for the weather. There is no need to wear “a hundred clothes” on yourself in warm weather. You will simply sweat a lot, losing valuable minerals and salts, and the fat will remain with you.

Read other blog articles.

Cardio training for weight loss: how to do it correctly?


Are you planning to run to lose those extra pounds? Be sure to read this article so that cardio training for weight loss does not become a disappointment.

No, running, of course, like other types of cardio training, plays an important role in losing weight, for example, burning calories. And if you follow the rules of rational nutrition, the result (in the form of lost kilograms) can be seen quite quickly.

However, the effect of them will not last long and the treasured number on the scales or measuring tape may not appear if you do not follow a simple rule: for effective weight loss you need a combination of a variety of physical activity and proper nutrition.

What is cardio training

Cardio training is a type of physical dynamic activity lasting 20–60 minutes with a relatively low intensity, aimed at strengthening the cardiovascular system and increasing endurance. This type of training is necessary to maintain physical fitness.

Conventionally, all physical exercises can be divided into aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (strength). It must be emphasized that this division is very conditional. It is impossible to call any type of exercise aerobic or anaerobic in its pure form.

As with any other type of physical activity, before training you need to do a warm-up that will warm up your muscles, and after it - a cool-down, several stretching exercises to relax them.

Cardio exercises include fast walking, climbing stairs, running, dancing, swimming, various types of games, aerobics, fitness, skiing, rowing, exercise equipment, etc.

An important condition when performing cardio exercises is to maintain a given heart rate throughout the entire workout.

The benefits of cardio training

During exercise, blood circulation increases and the heart pumps more blood per contraction, resulting in improved functioning of the cardiovascular system.

If such training is carried out regularly with the same intensity, the body gets used to it, endurance increases when doing exercises. If it’s hard for a beginner to train for 20 minutes, then for a trained person, fatigue from the load will come later.

During exercise, the body requires more oxygen, so lung volume increases, which also has a positive effect on endurance. Consequently, breathing will become deeper and more correct, which will help burn more calories.

Reduced anxiety and stress levels: During training, the amount of endorphin, the hormone of joy, increases. And if you’re in a good mood and there’s no stress, then you don’t need to binge on anything.

Losing excess weight, by burning subcutaneous fat, and muscle strengthening.

Rules for performing cardio training

  • Before starting exercise, you should consult your doctor, especially if you have health problems or are overweight.
  • The duration and intensity of the load must be increased gradually, then the body will not have time to get used to it and the weight loss process will not stop (plateau phase).
  • Before training, be sure to warm up and stretch after. This will prepare you for the load and speed up recovery after it.
  • During exercise, you need to monitor your heart rate using a heart rate monitor, for example. This is important, since a low heart rate will not bring results, and a high one can harm your health.
  • Training should be fun. Feeling bad? Stop exercising.

How to exercise to lose weight

Cardio exercises for weight loss are good because they can be done in the gym, on the street or at home, and they are suitable for both beginners and professional athletes.

The benefit of cardio training for many girls is achieving an ideal figure.

To lose weight, you need to do cardio 3-4 times a week for 30-45 minutes. Subcutaneous fat begins to burn only 20 minutes after the start of training, provided that the heart rate is maintained in the range of 60–80% of the maximum permissible heart rate.

subtract your age from 220 beats per minute;
multiply the resulting number by 0.6 - the lower norm;
multiply the resulting number by 0.8 - the upper normal heart rate.

For example: 220-37=183; 183*0.6=109.8, rounded to 110 - this is the lower heart rate;
183 * 0.8 = 146.4, rounded according to the laws of mathematics and we get 146 - this is the upper norm.
It turns out that a person aged 37 years without any special health problems needs to train within these limits - 110–146 beats per minute.

The average heart rate during training is within 120–130 beats per minute.

The intensity of the exercises and the training time must be gradually increased, as the body gets used to the load and stops burning fat - a plateau effect. To speed up metabolism, it is very advisable to add anaerobic (strength) exercises to aerobic training, then the process of burning calories will continue after the workout.

Cardio exercises can be done at any time of the day: morning, afternoon or evening. It depends on your daily routine and personal preferences.

Cardio training is carried out in a well-ventilated room or outdoors, since oxygen is actively used during exercise.

Types of Cardio Training

The best type of cardio training for beginners and overweight people. To start losing weight, you need to walk quite quickly and for a long time, since the intensity of this exercise is low. Beginners should start by walking at a normal pace and gradually increase their speed. Or alternate walking at a fast pace with a normal step - interval loads.

You can exercise outdoors and in the gym. Probably the most popular type of training. This can be running on a machine, on the spot, interval running or jogging - it depends on your capabilities and preferences. There are restrictions: not suitable for overweight people, as this can result in serious injury. When running, it is important to monitor your pulse, breathing and well-being.

Dancing- good because they are suitable for any person. Dance classes are a great option for girls who have recently given birth. You can do such cardio training in a group or individually, in the gym or at home.

Zumba is very popular - a fun and energetic workout that includes elements of different dances. During the lesson, the maximum number of muscles is worked out, including the abdominal and pelvic muscles.

Tested for myself: the training is quite intense, at first it is difficult to remember the movements. But the result is worth it - your mood improves immediately, your heart rate is suitable for burning fat. There are no restrictions for classes. You can dance in the hall or at home, fortunately it’s not difficult to find a video course. I’ve been training for two weeks, and there’s no result in the form of lost kilograms yet.

(treadmill, exercise bike, rowing machine, ellipse)- It’s better to practice them with a trainer. It is easy to get injured when working on your own. In addition, the instructor will give recommendations and ensure that the workout is performed correctly.

Suitable for almost everyone. All muscles of the body are developed. Minimal load on the spine. To achieve your goal, you need to exercise 3-4 times a week for an hour.

Bike helps strengthen the heart, leg muscles, and develop endurance. You can also exercise on the simulator. At the same time, the load on the knees is less than when running.

What do cardio workouts give you?

The main thing that cardio training is for is that it is a great way to get in shape, improve your health, increase stamina, gain a good mood and self-confidence.

For exercise to bring results, choose a type of load that will make you enjoy the exercise. If running is too boring and monotonous for you, choose group classes in dancing, fitness, step aerobics and others. The good news is that aerobic exercise includes many types of exercise.

Don't forget about proper nutrition even when playing sports.

Take care of your well-being, a beautiful figure is good, but health is more important.

Cardio training is the fastest and most effective method of combating excess weight, volume and the formation of a beautiful body. This is a whole range of health techniques that help not only lose weight, but also develop endurance, strengthen the heart and fortitude.

Choose cardio training in the gym or at home, depending on the amount of free time and money.

Cardio training is suitable for beginner athletes.

Cardio training for weight loss

During intense physical activity without the use of weights, ventilation of the lungs actively occurs, the cardiovascular system is trained, the metabolic process improves and, of course, fat burning increases.

By combining cardio training with proper nutrition, you can achieve the desired results in a short time. But you should remember that the fat burning process begins after 20 minutes of active cardio training.

Workout programs at home and in the gym

There are many cardio training programs, each of which is good in its own way. Below we will look at the 5 most popular programs.

  1. Long-term training to burn fat deposits.
  2. This is an intense, long-distance steady-state workout. Long-term training is training with the same load for a long time without rest.

    A good example of steady-state cardio training would be running at a constant speed or cycling.

  3. Interval cardio training.
  4. Interval training is much more intense than continuous training. With such a load, fat is burned faster and more actively. Interval training alternates levels of difficulty and allows for short rest periods. This can be running with alternating speeds, provided the sequence is repeated in a certain time period (20 - 40 minutes).

  5. Fartlek.
  6. One of the varieties of interval training, which is more suitable for physically fit people. Here too, speed and tempo alternate, but the alternation is not sequential. High intensity is followed by anaerobic work, low speed and recovery periods.

  7. Super circuit training.
  8. This is an aerobic regimen that involves alternating cardio training with aerobic weight training exercises. Training according to the super scheme is the most effective option in the fight against fat and excess weight in the shortest possible time. Such loads provide not only a reduction in volume, but also maintain muscle tone throughout the body.

  9. Cross training.
  10. This type of load involves alternating cardio training, varying in duration and load. For example, you spend 20 minutes on the treadmill, then 10 minutes on the exercise bike, and finally 10 minutes on the elliptical. Also, types of load can be alternated every day.

Through long-term research, a training system for quick and harmless weight loss was established. We recommend using . Using it you will get excellent results in the fight against excess weight.

All about exercises for the lower and upper abs. Everyone wants to have beautiful six-pack abs.

Cardio Exercises

Below are the most popular and effective types of cardio training:

  • a ride on the bicycle;
  • elliptical trainer;
  • swimming;
  • step - aerobics;
  • rowing;
  • walking;
  • boxing;
  • badminton;
  • yoga.

When to do cardio

Firstly, it is better to do cardio training in the morning, when your body is full of energy and does not feel tired. The exceptions are when people feel better in the afternoon or evening, or simply do not have the opportunity to exercise in the morning.
How to choose to do cardio or strength training first? The procedure for combining cardio and strength training is as follows:

Cardio training should be done before strength training if you want to lose weight.

Cardio after strength training is essential if you want to gain muscle mass, tone up, and strengthen your heart and lungs.

A good option would be this combination - cardio at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of strength training. With this option, you should take into account that the duration of one cardio period should not exceed 20 minutes, otherwise your body will be exhausted.

Duration of training

Those who want to lose weight quickly must learn one important rule: you cannot overdo it either in cardio or strength training. You need to exercise moderately, gradually increasing the load and duration of the workout.

The optimal training time for beginners would be 40–60 minutes three times a week, then you can increase the number of workouts to 4–5.

Pros and cons of cardio training

Pros:

  • Cardio training burns fat faster than other workouts;
  • cellulite resolves;
  • the muscles responsible for breathing are strengthened;
  • Cardio training is good for the heart;
  • heart rate at rest decreases;
  • all muscles are strengthened;
  • blood circulation improves;
  • metabolism improves;
  • blood pressure decreases;
  • the risk of diabetes is reduced;
  • lung volume increases;
  • the risk of heart attacks is reduced;
  • mental state improves;
  • cardio training is suitable for men and girls.

Minuses:

  • excessive stress on the cardiovascular system, joints and ligaments in some types of cardio training.

Proper nutrition

While doing cardio training, you should not forget about nutrition. The diet should contain fewer calories and also be filled with all the necessary vitamins, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

At the same time, you should not severely limit yourself in food, much less starve. Otherwise, you will not only not lose weight, but also spoil your stomach and lower your immunity.

Approximate daily diet

In the morning, your breakfast can be boiled eggs, omelet, cottage cheese, natural protein shake, fruit, cottage cheese casserole, yogurt, milk porridge, bran. The main task of breakfast is to saturate the body for the whole day.

For lunch, it is best to eat soups, meat, fish in addition to vegetables. It should be remembered that meat and fish are good boiled and baked, as well as steamed.

Dinner should consist of proteins. This is cottage cheese, white meat, white fish, nuts, and a natural protein shake.

Don't forget about snacks. Snacks can include fruits, vegetables, dried fruits and nuts.

Correct breathing

When doing cardio training, you need to breathe frequently and shallowly. Many experts advise inhaling every third step or inhaling and exhaling in 2 counts. In any case, your breathing should be light and shallow, but this is only during interval and short-term training. If you are running a distance, you should breathe deeply and infrequently. Focus on inhaling fully, and then exhaling as fully..html Arm training with dumbbells at home.

When doing cardio training, you should wear comfortable clothes and shoes. If you ignore this, you can get quite serious injuries.

You cannot overdo it with the load. Do everything gradually and in moderation, constantly increasing the time and load of your training.

Do not give preference to only one type of training and load. Alternate them, change them, try something new, don’t let your body get used to it.

If you feel body pain or tired and tired, give your body a break for a few days.
Before starting cardio training, be sure to warm up for 5-10 minutes, as your muscles should be warmed up.

Drink plenty of water. But you should drink water only during periods of recovery during training, otherwise the load on the cardiovascular system greatly increases.

Lead a healthy lifestyle.

The main task of cardio is to train the heart muscle, improve ventilation of the lungs, and saturate the circulatory system with oxygen, which promotes fat burning. Cardio exercises for weight loss include all types of aerobic exercise (cross country, swimming, walking, circuit training). What are the main misconceptions of beginners about this type of load?

What are the advantages and features of cardio training compared to other types of physical activity?

The benefits and high effectiveness of cardio training for general strengthening of the body and development of physical fitness are obvious to both beginners and professionals. Often in gyms there is a situation where a queue forms near the treadmills. However, according to experts, excessive cardio exercise can bring not only benefits, but also harm. What is important to consider when doing cardio training to burn fat? How should you exercise on exercise machines to get the maximum benefit?

Cardio exercises focused on training the cardiovascular system can bring positive results if you regularly monitor your heart rate, otherwise you will only cause harm to the body.

Preparatory stage

Before starting training, check your heart rate limits. To obtain the most accurate results, you can undergo a computer examination. This will allow you to clarify your blood pressure limit during training. An alternative way to calculate your optimal heart rate is to use the following formula: 220 minus your age. 65% of the indicated value is the lower limit of the heart rate, and 85% is the upper limit.

To monitor heart rate, all modern exercise bikes and treadmills are equipped with special sensors. To take measurements, simply place your hands on the handrails while exercising on the treadmill. To get the most accurate results, you can use auxiliary measurement sensors built into bracelets, watches and other devices.

5 misconceptions about cardio training

  • Myth #1: Cardio training for weight loss brings greater benefits than lifting weights. Beginning athletes come to this misconception because of the belief that aerobic exercise burns fat faster. According to studies, the best effect is obtained from a combination of cardio and strength exercises. In 20 minutes, aerobic exercise helps burn glycogen deposits in the liver. After this, the body begins to gradually break down fats. Strength training produces better long-term results because it burns fat for several hours after exercise and increases your metabolic rate while you're resting. To ensure the functioning of internal organs, the body begins to extract energy through the breakdown of fats. Increasing muscle volume increases the daily calorie intake. Cardio exercise burns calories quickly, but does not increase your resting metabolism. By combining aerobic and anaerobic exercise, you will achieve the best weight loss results.
  • Myth No. 2. The maximum amount of aerobic exercise will lead to better results. With a high cardio load, the body switches to the breakdown of muscle tissue to supply energy to the functioning of organs and systems. During a 2-hour workout, the body loses 90% of the amino acids responsible for muscle growth. That is why it is not recommended to practice aerobic exercise for more than 1 hour.
  • Myth No. 3. You need to start your training program with cardio. This belief is wrong because cardio burns glycogen and reduces the muscle strength needed to perform strength exercises. By starting training with hardware, you increase the effectiveness of the program and your own endurance.
  • Myth No. 4. If you exceed your average daily caloric intake, it is enough to add cardio exercises to use up energy. Increasing the duration of training leads to excessive stress. That is why it is necessary to increase not the time spent in the gym, but the intensity of training. It is much wiser to follow the diet. If overeating occurs, you need to subtract the excess calories from your next meal.
  • Myth No. 5. Increasing the number of repetitions and reducing the weight of dumbbells and barbells promotes weight loss. The best effect is guaranteed by a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Light weight does not lead to muscle growth. To get maximum benefit, the program should include strength exercises with heavy weights and low repetitions (6-12).

Important rules for effective cardio training

  • Cardio exercises lasting 45-60 minutes should be done 3-5 times a week.
  • When choosing the type of cardio training (running, jumping, walking, swimming), be guided by your own well-being and preferences.
  • Do interval training twice a week.
  • A set of sports exercises should contain 2-3 strength training sessions.
  • During exercise, maintain your heart rate at 65-70% of the upper level.
  • To prevent the pounds from returning, you need to do cardio at least 3-4 times a week.
  • Combine exercises to develop the cardiac system and lose weight. In the first case, the intensity of the load should be maximum (up to 85% of the upper limit of the heart rate), and the duration of exercise should be no more than 20 minutes. For the second training option, choose a moderate pace with a load of no more than 65% of your maximum heart rate.
Please enable JavaScript to view the