Cardio!

So, yeah. I got off of my workout routine, and now it is all I can do to make it to my 2x per week training sessions. I have done zero cardio for the past month, unless you count yard work and swimming for 15 minutes. I received this e-mail from the Cooper Clinic today, however, that encouraged me to get back on my horse and go! (Figuratively speaking, of course)

Resist The Cardio Blues

08/04/2009


Aerobic exercise is a great way to burn stress, manage your weight, strengthen your heart, and prevent disease.

With all the documented research on the benefits of aerobic exercise, people often skip this important part of training. Three reasons people tend to cut their cardio routine is boredom, physical impairments, and a lack of time. Usually the hardest part of the workout isn’t the workout—it is finding the motivation to do it.

Motivation has to come from within. Making the cardio portion of your fitness regimen the most enjoyable element isn’t as hard as you think. To keep the cardio blues from invading your workout, try some of these tips and find out what activities motivate you to get that heart pumping.

Outdoor activities:

•Shoot some hoops. Grab some friends from work and head to the local park for a pick up game to burn off some calories and stress from the office.
•Buy some inline skates. Skating really gets the heart pumping. It's a good option for individuals with knee problems.
•Take a hike. The scenery alone will make your workout more enjoyable. Hiking gets your heart pumping and muscles working in a different way than running or walking in your neighborhood.
•Train with a goal in mind. Whether it’s a 5K, 10K, triathlon or other fitness event—the first thing you need to do is sign up. Second, create a playlist with all of your favorite music on your MP3 player—it will motivate you and keep you going longer. Third, start your training program. Training with a goal will push you mentally to continue your workouts and push yourself hard each day.

Indoor activities:


•Exercise DVDs. Put together an exercise DVD library. These can help turn a room in your house to a gym for the day. Make sure to include dance and kickboxing DVDs to ensure you get aerobic exercise.
•Attend a new group exercise class. Not only could the class spark a new interest, but you could meet a new workout partner. Zumba—a Latin inspired dance class—is a great class that gets your heart pumping and hips shaking.
•Play a video game. This statement may seem like an oxymoron, but who says your children are the only ones that can enjoy your Nintendo Wii. Look for fitness games that get the whole family involved and cause you to break a sweat.
•Play with the kids. Grab the kids, put on your socks, and play sock skate tag on your wood or tile floors. With your socks on, simulate ice skating on your floor while trying to tag your kids. This is a great workout for your legs, glutes, and abs.

In the day-to-day routine, we get caught up with moving from one thing to the next missing one important aspect—having fun. If your workout needs a fun factor, focus on aerobic activities you enjoy doing the most. Think of sports or activities you did as a child or adolescence and do them as an adult. If you are having fun, chances are you’ll beat the cardio blues.

By: Meredith Rosson, Youth Director, Cooper Fitness Center, Dallas.