The beginners look at cardio training.
The first thing to understand about Cardio training is that there are different forms of cardio with different benefits. Similar to strength training with weights.
Cardio does not always mean jogging, running, or biking at a steady state for 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60 + minutes x amount of times per week. Cardio also means sustaining weight training for long periods of time (similar to Cross fit training), hiking, HIIT, and martial arts.
These all reap different benefits but ultimately work towards the same goal – developing a greater cardiovascular system.
Depending on the type of athlete you are, you need to begin thinking about specifically what you are training for and where you are right now. Training for a ½ marathon will not help your 40-yard dash time nor help you win a judo championship. Anyone that tells you this is lying or simply doesn’t know any better. What does help you is looking at the specific parameters of what you’re training for and training specifically for that.
When beginning your cardio training, think about high impact versus low impact activities
A low-impact activity will make your body less sore and let you sustain longer periods of exercise. On the other hand, a high-impact activity is more demanding of your body. This, more than likely, will not let you sustain exercise for a longer period of time.
The high-impact activity will have benefits for your muscles, bones, and functional movements, but can only be sustained so many days/week. The low-impact activity will be more beneficial for your cardiovascular system in the beginning, with higher impact training improving your cardiovascular system in the future.
So, start with low impact activities more frequently (biking and walking are great examples), and include higher impact activities less frequently (jogging, running, side to side movements) in the beginning stages of your cardio training.
Some things to think about your new training program:
- What strength training do you need to implement.
- Time spent at moderate intensity.
- Time spent at a high intensity.
- What you are training for and what exercises will help the most.
- How many days/week can you train.
- How long do you have to train for it each day.
If you have a medical history that can be worsened from exercise, contact your doctor to start on the right foot.
Check out our beginner interval program that combines low and moderately high-impact activities to get you started on the right foot! Enjoy the program and stay strong.
www.trainerize.me/profile/kinesioathletics/William.Russell/
