Add Variety To Your Cardio

Posted by Tim on Aug 6th, 2011 in Featured, Workouts | 0 comments

The body thrives on variety. That’s one of Fit True’s mottoes so say it with me now: “The Body Thrives on Variety.” Variety in nutrition, variety in activity, and variety in intensity levels are what makes the body change. No variety equals no adaptation equals no more change. YOU MUST GIVE YOUR BODY A REASON TO CHANGE.

People are guilty of not giving the body variety when they repeat the exact same workouts with weights week after week. But if you want to see a real example of no variety and no results just turn your head towards the cardio section of your gym, or check out your friend who logs in the same miles at the same paces week in and week out.

There’ll be some suggestions to add a little flavor to your cardio workouts in a bit, but first. . .

A little physics lesson

In physics, whether we’re talking about the human body or a machine, there is a natural tension between speed, power, and energy usage. These three are always fighting each other. If you want to increase speed or power WITHOUT INCREASING ENERGY USAGE the other one will have to give. That’s why sports cars don’t haul freight and power lifters don’t set distance records. Freight trains don’t set speed records and distance runners are not known for feats of strength. The Space Shuttle had giant fuel cells (that’s what they were called) that were even bigger than it was to get its massive mass into space fast. You can increase speed or power but not both unless you increase fuel consumption also. For humans, food is fuel. Got the physics? Good. Let’s move on.

And a little tip

Start thinking of yourself as having four paces:
1 = a walking pace
2 = a jogging pace
3 = a running pace
4 = a sprinting pace
If you want to get creative you can subdivide each of those paces into “slow,” “normal,” and “fast.” So, with the physics lesson and the tip out of the way. . .

Here’s some new cardio ideas

Mix Up The Exercises
If you’re going to go on and on with the rest of the hamsters on the cardio equipment AT LEAST switch up the pieces of equipment. Not just between workouts, but within the same workout. So instead of a half hour on the tread mill do ten minutes each on the bike, elliptical machine, and tread mill. This is the bare minimum of variety you should be doing.

Pole to Pole
Rather than logging in “X” number of miles day in and day out why not vary your pace throughout your workout with those new paces suggested above? One simple way to do that is to use things like phone poles, utility poles, intersections and road signs as markers to change your pace. Use all of the markers or some combination like phone poles only or intersections and street signs only. The different work outs you could come up with now should be endless. All running the same route!

Minute to Minute
Weather not good enough to run outside or stuck in a gym with all the other hamsters? Do not fear. Timed Intervals can take the place of Distance Based Pole to Pole intervals. Hop on some piece of cardio or pull out that nasty jump rope and go for different paces for set time periods. For example one minute or two minute intervals. Add in some Mix Up The Equipment and that’s variety.

Sprint/Calsthenic/Stretching Interval
A personal favorite of mine. All you need is 50 to 100 yards of running space.
Sprint/run the distance at between 60 and 80% of your capacity. Stop and do one form of calsthenic such as-

* 10-20 pushups
* 10-20 situps
* 10-20 burpees
* 10-20 jumping jacks
* 10-20 high knees
* 30 sec planks
* 15 sec side plancks X 2
* or make up your own.

Then do 15 to 30 secs of one form of LIGHT stretching like-

* quads
* hamstrings
* hip flexors
* lower back
* shoulders
* lats
* bis/tris
* neck traps

Then sprint your self back. Pick another calisthenic followed by another stretch. Keep the exercises and stretching random as you repeat the Sprint/Calisthenic/Stretch circuit. Try to go through them all.

I actually do all four over the course of a week. The Pole to Pole varies from week to week as sometimes I’m jogging and running and others I’m walking and sprinting and others I’m jogging and sprinting. My Sprint Calisthenic Stretching can be anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes with lots of burpees and push ups one time and lot’s of sit ups and high knees another.

I hate doing cardio, but variety sure does help a lot.

How about you? What does your cardio variety look like? Give us your suggestions in the comments below.