Cardio: Mix It Up!

G'day all,
Here is a quick cardio tip to help you burn extra fat and stay motivated!

Instead of doing your usual, 20-30min run on a treadmill or cross trainer at the beginning of your workout, try and break it up into smaller sessions of about 10 minutes.

By doing, say, 3 of these 10min sessions at the beginning, middle and end of your workout, you are still working out for the same amount of time, but you're actually keeping your heart rate in a more constant, elevated state, for a greater period of time, than if you were to do a single 30 minute session (see diagram). It is also less difficult to try and sustain the high intensity of the run, using shorter sessions.

This also helps stop that 'time drag' feeling, that can often be a turn off to any cardio workout. Try doing a 5min warm-up walk followed by a 10min run, have a 10-15min 'break' with what you would normally do after your run, (ex. free weights), another 10min run, 10min 'break' - (ex. free weights), 10min run followed by 5min cool down walk and some stretches.