Cardio Training - All you need to know to lose weight and look great

Cardio training is one of the best things to do to get fit, lean and healthy. Cardio training improves the cardiovascular system and helps the heart to beat more efficient and slower. Participating in regular cardio workouts will also help you burn fat and get the body of your dreams.

Let's look more in detail at cardio training - how to incorporate it, how it can help you get fit, cardio training for weight loss and also some great ways to make sure that you get all the cardio training in that you need.

Why Is It Important To Do Both Cardio & Weight Training?

It is important to include both cardio and weight training in your workout program.

Here's why: cardio exercise involves using your large muscles like those of your legs, and weight training keep those muscles strong, flexible and able to perform the cardio training as well as the day to day movements.

Doing too much cardio may cause your body to start burning muscle fibers for energy, so to combat that effect, weigh training is a very important part of any exercise regime (to rebuild muscle). Aim to get about 3 cardio training sessions in a week, as well as 3 weight training sessions.

You can include fun exercises like swimming, hiking or playing tennis to count towards your cardio training session for the week.

How Can I Improve My Fitness With Cardio Training?

By doing regular interval training for no more than 30 minutes at a time. Interval training is one of the best ways to burn body fat and increases your fitness levels. This is because when you take the intensity really up, you are performing at your peak aerobic levels and that is the best way to increase your fitness levels.

Why Is It Best To Do Cardio Interval Training?

Cardio interval training burns the most fat from all the different types of cardio training, and it also puts your muscles at the least risk of being burned away with excessive cardio. This is because when you do cardio training for too long a time at an intensity that is too high; your body produces lactic acid in the blood and in the muscles.

This lactic acid shows that you are using energy faster than you are able to produce it, so the body sheds some of the lean muscle fiber. This formation of lactic acid can also lead to discomfort and fatigue - factors that can hinder your next cardio training sessions.

But when you do interval training, there are peaks in your cardio training session where you are performing at your aerobic threshold - the place of maximum oxidation. This means that at those peaks, you will burn more fat while still keeping your lean muscle mass (your fat burning furnace) and improving your fitness levels.

How Does One Do Interval Cardio Training Then?

This is how you would do it: warm up for 5 minutes by briskly walking, then you gradually take the pace up each minute until you break into a run (your aerobic threshold). Repeat it until your 20 or 30 minutes are up. You can get a sample interval cardio training program at body for life cardio training

How Is Cardio Training Helpful For Weight Loss?

If you do regular cardio training, you increase your cardiovascular fitness level - your ability to use oxygen from the air to aid the oxidation (burning) of fat and carbs. So the more cardio training you do, the fitter you become and the better your weight loss abilities. Just don't overexert yourself (it can have the reverse effects) and to also include weight training, as lean muscle is a fat burning furnace.

Should I Do Cardio Or Strength Training First?

It really doesn't matter whether you do cardio or strength training first. I would actually rather recommend to have both a separate cardio and weight training day, or to do cardio circuit training where you combine cardio training with weight training. Make sure not to do cardio training for more than 30 minutes at a time and to weight train your whole body - upper and lower body and also abs.

What Does Cardio Circuit Training Involve And Why Is It So Good?

Cardio circuit training is a combination of cardio training and weight training. You would do a few minutes of cardio (usually 5 minutes), to take the intensity up to your maximum aerobics threshold and then while you are resting, you would do some weight training exercises like lunges, crunches, squats and arm exercises.

Exercising like that is really what I call multi-tasking. It helps you maximize your fat burn by staying in your maximum aerobics threshold the whole time. It also helps by building lean muscle mass, which will further increase your body fat burning abilities, in addition to also increasing your strength and fitness levels.

How To Do Cardio Training At Home

You don't need a fancy gym contract to do cardio training at home. All you need is yourself, a pair of good trainers (or flippers for swimming) and lots of motivation and energy. Here are a few ways that you can do cardio training in the comfort of your own home:

If you want to use minimal workout equipment:

Running/walking

All you need is yourself, a pair of good trainers and a safe place to run in. It is one of the best ways to improve your cardio fitness levels with little to no equipment.

Swimming

If you have access to a pool, swimming is a low impact way that will still ensure that you burn calories and improve your fitness levels.

What Are Some Great Cardio Workout Dvds And Videos?

Exercising with a workout DVD is such a fun way to get cardio training in, in the comfort of your own home. Here are a few that might interest you:

So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit: Cardio Funk

With this cardio DVDyou will dance the pound off while you get fit. It includes a warm up, hip hop dance, contemporary and disco dance exercises and a cool down.

Click here for more information about the Cardio Funk exercise DVD

Gold's Gym Cardio Workout for your Wii

With this cardio workout game, you use your Wii remote to box, run and do other cardio training exercises. The difficulty levels are changeable to match your fitness levels.

Click here for more information about the cardio training game

The Firm Body Sculpting System 2: Maximum Cardio

This cardio training DVDcombines cardio training with weight training for a high energy workout where dance moves, cardio moves and weight training are combined for the ultimate fat burning workout.

Click here for more information about the cardio training workout DVD

Tips For Your Cardio Training Workouts

Having a few pointers will make sure that you get the most out of your cardio workout and that you don't hurt yourself. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when cardio training:

• Dress correctly for your workout - wear comfortable clothes and good training shoes
• Have a good warm up - Make sure you warm up before your workout
• Choose interval training - Interval training is best and can be performed with any cardio training.
• Make sure you have the right exercise shoes - Shoes can really make a difference - so pick wisely
• Maintain hydrated - Drink enough water to stay hydrated.
• If you exercise outside make it safe - Make sure you are visible and that you have some pepper spray with you if you live in a dangerous area
• Remember to stretch after your cardio training - Stretch all your muscles after exercising

Where Can I Find A Free Cardio Training Program?

Fitness Magazine has nice cardio training programs, you can check it out by clicking on the link.

Conclusion

Cardio training is such a good workout, but it is a pity that so little of us get time to do cardio. But you would be surprised at how much cardio training you can get in without even trying. While doing formal cardio is important, and we have to make time for it, you can get free cardio training in without even really noticing it. You can do this by taking the stairs, by walking your dog or chasing your children, by going on more nature hikes and by taking up a new sport like tennis or squash.

Doing that will ensure that you get extra cardio minutes (even hours in), making the rest of your scheduled cardio training sessions easier to reach, because you have to do less of them. So grab a water bottle, get moving and become leaner and fitter today!