cardio 101: four failproof formats to fortify your heart
Let’s get the tough stuff out of the way: if you aren’t doing at least 2-4 concentrated cardio sessions a week AND/OR walking a lot throughout the day (10k is a non-scientific estimation but a good target to hold you in check), you are not feeding your Longevity Account. That is, the wellness bank account that you can deposit from as you grow biologically in age–to enjoy all the activities you so dearly love.
Just as grip strength is a strong indicator of one’s health and wellness (a stronger grip strength is correlated with lower rates of all-causes of mortality–specifically, preventable diseases), cardiovascular health is a strong nod to a more vibrant, vital, and well–volitional, lifestyle. Cuz, when you are fit, you have a greater reserve of readiness to tap into on all fields of life.
sweat equity: get back what you put in.
Just keep in mind, cardio training is important for these reasons:
Better blood flow
Higher levels of creative thinking and executive functioning
Better hormonal flow
More robust prana
Supercharged sex drive
Increase in feel-good hormones that support motivation, inspiration, and
Better breathing
^You could likely add your own reasons to this list. In fact, I encourage it as a journaling prompt: Why is it important for you to train your cardiovascular system? You’re welcome ;P.
gauging your training intensity
Going “easy” and going “hard” is altogether a very subjective experience. Use the tech-free, self-attuned barometer of RPE and the concomitant ranges set forth below for your easy and hard intervals.
RPE (rate of perceived exertion)
-allows you to tap into your individual perceived effort level on any particular day/in any single training session and/or set
-easy is the first number indicated, hard is the second number indicated
Beginners-easy = RPE 3, hard = RPE 7
Intermediate-easy = RPE 3 or 4, hard = RPE 8
Advanced-easy = RPE 4, hard =RPE 8/9
An additional note on gauging intensity: Day to day, your perceived intensity may change. Don’t compare to yesterday or tomorrow, simply feel into what truly resonates in the session you are engaged in. For longer sessions, your perception of intensity may move as you move–move at your perceived effort level for each interval.
how long to train for
Week by week:
Intensity matters.
In lower heart rate zones, beginners (in the first year of being on a regular, 30+ min/day exercise plan) aim for 2 hours cumulative per week. Experienced and fitter individuals aim for 4 hours cumulative per week. Knowing this, you’ll want to supplement these higher intensity sessions with walking and other lower intensity exercise to meet your cardiovascular needs.
Session by session:
The following four formats are designed for you to work anywhere from 10-30 minutes. 8 minutes is sufficient for Tabata-style.
Even the minimum of 8/10 minutes gives your cardiovascular systems a strong enough stimulus for improved aerobic wellness, your brain and body an endocannabinoid rush, and–when graced with an affirmation or two, your mindset a major lift.
what forms of cardio can you do?
Sweaters’ Choice! Bike, run, row, ski-erg, jump rope, swim, etc. This said, more plyometric (jumping and explosive) exercises will fit best in exclusively the 30 For 30 and Tabata formats.
the four failproof cardio formats
TABATA
Thank Mr. Tabata, a Japanese speed skating coach, for this one. His speed skaters increased their VO2 max (aerobic capacity) by working in near alactic (without oxygen) zones for 20 seconds and resting completely for 10 seconds. Each of their workouts was 8 minutes. You will alternate between 20 seconds going hard and 10 seconds going easy and/or resting completely.
Extra tip: Perform this style of conditioning when you are well-rested and ready to hammer it.
CHUTES AND LADDERS
You’ll climb time ladders in this format. Give this solid 10-minute example a go:
Ladder 1: Hard for 0:30
Chute 1: Easy for 0:30
Ladder 2: Hard for 1 minute
Chute 2: Easy for 0:30
Ladder 3: Hard for 1.5 minutes
Chute 3: Easy for 0:30
Ladder 4: Hard for 2 minutes
Chute 4: Easy for 0:30
Ladder 5: Hard for 2.5 minutes
Chute 5: Easy for 0:30
SONG ALONG
Peloton crushes it at choosing totally rad playlists–but so can you. Diversify your workouts by implementing your own starred songs on Spotify by using the built-in song structure to guide your intervals. We are not going too far into the weeds here, musicians. Simply use each verse to go at an easier pace and each chorus to go at a harder pace. 4-8 songs and you’ll be sweating like a really fit pig and flying like a saucer in space.
30 FOR 30
Not only the name of an epic ESPN series, the 30 For 30 conditioning technique is as simple and effective as it gets. Alternate going easy for 30 seconds with going hard for 30 seconds.
Extra tip: If you are performing longer stretches of cardio, consider working in a slightly gentler span. For example, for a 10-minute spurt, you may reach between a full 4 and a full 9–keeping the overall intensity higher. For a 30-minute spurt, you may reach between a lower 4 and a lower 9–keeping the overall intensity calmer while stretching your stamina.
what if you are new to cardio or feel unfit to do it?
You are not new to cardio—you are a human and a mover. We are made to walk for long stretches of time…that’s cardio without thinking.
In today’s society—especially if your diet is destructive, people are needing to do more and more cardio to combat their diabetic systems. You will save yourself a lot of precious time if you build solid nutritional habits. With solid nutritional habits, you’ll need less of a minimum effective stimulus of cardio to bolster all key markers—subjective and objective, of your wellness. If you need more customized guidance for your workout plan and lifestyle wellness, you can contact me here and schedule a session with me.
You Got This.
Follow these secure, tried-and-true conditioning formats to jumpstart your heart in a positive direction. All workouts can be tailored to your particular fitness goals by simply choosing your intensity. You are the captain of your own ship! I’ve given you a guide for how long to work for and how to choose your outputs.
Remember, it is not about finding time to take care of your conditioning needs; rather, it is about dedicating time. We all have the same 24 hours to work with each day. I hope this article inspires you to choose to dedicate just a small chunk of your day 3-4x a week to bettering your bloodstream and heart, brain and muscles, and genetic blueprint.
You can choose you,
Abby