30 Minute - Cardio Routine Advice

JamesU2005 · 25 Jul 2010 at 18:31

Just looking for an idea of what the best Cardio Routine would be for use in a Gym, for 2 days a week.

Currently do Weight Training Mon, Wed and Fri.

Want to use Tues and Thurs as my Cardio days.

Require a 30 minute routine to help lose this flab and weight.

Any pointers would be great. Such as the best equipment, resistance etc.

Starting from scratch so my fitness is not brilliant.

lemonkettaz · 25 Jul 2010 at 18:37

I'd recommend interval session on a cross training machine.

I've done it the last few weeks it's great, however fell off the wagon last week, mates graduations and that.

But I'm back on it tomorrow hardcore for a month.

3 x 60minute sessions, I either use cross ramp or cross trainer. I'll leave the running for the tarmac.

JamesU2005 · 25 Jul 2010 at 19:34

So when you say interval session do you mean like HIIT?

So the Cross Trainer soley for 30 minutes?

lemonkettaz · 25 Jul 2010 at 19:50

Not sure exactly what HIIT is..

But i'll do for example.... 2mins medium resistence, or say casual, then 2mins higher resistence.

I try and make it so it builds up though.. so towards the end the intense parts will be harder than at the start if you get me.

I try and keep the harder bits all the same amount of time as well.. so I'm not doing one hard part in 3mins and another hard part in 10...

This way it keeps the tough bits tough

Not the best explanation

lemonkettaz · 25 Jul 2010 at 19:51

Some machines will have an interval session as an option. I do my own though.

JamesU2005 · 26 Jul 2010 at 07:27

Anyone else have any recommendations?

RimBlock · 26 Jul 2010 at 08:11

Boxing, skipping, exercise bike, spinning, swimming, circuit training, cross trainer (as lemonkettaz mentioned).

Ideally it would be a rotation of a number of them so you are using different muscles and so the body cannot fine tune as easily.

HIIT is High Intensity Interval Training. Simplest description is a period of high intensity activity for a short period of time followed by a short rest (not stop) repeated a number of times. One description of how this could be done is by running from one lamp post to the next at full speed. Walk slowly back to the first lamp post. Repeat XX number of times. The difficulty is hitting a sufficient level of effort for it to have max benefits. Sufficient is usually the 'gonna puke, passout' level.

RB

JamesU2005 · 26 Jul 2010 at 08:59

Would you recommend perhaps two different machines with 15 minutes each?

Or perhaps Tuesday 30 minutes on Cross Trainer then on Thursday 30 minutes on Bike or Treadmill?

What ever the quickest way of reducing fat.

RimBlock · 26 Jul 2010 at 10:56

JamesU2005 said:
Would you recommend perhaps two different machines with 15 minutes each?

Or perhaps Tuesday 30 minutes on Cross Trainer then on Thursday 30 minutes on Bike or Treadmill?

What ever the quickest way of reducing fat.

The problem is that it will take 20-30 minutes for the body to switch to fat burning mode with steady state cardio (heartbeat at 80% max - someone correct me if I am wrong as it has been some time with the heart rate).

HIIT or just interval training it would be doable.

If you are only doing 30 minutes I would say rotate on different sessions. Rotating in the same session is usually if your butt has gone to sleep on the bike etc

. It would also be more fro steady state cardio.

Note though, if you are not too fit then you may want to get a basic fitness level before starting HIIT. Also need to remember loosing fat is about diet and exercise and it takes time. Rushing can get you unwanted side effects like loose flappy skin.

RB

Stromatolites · 26 Jul 2010 at 11:00

Yes you do have to do roughly 20-30 mins for the body to start its 'burn mode' although you are always burning calories, its just done better after that time.

JamesU2005 · 26 Jul 2010 at 11:04

So will it not be beneficial at all for my goals 30 minutes of cardio?

RimBlock · 26 Jul 2010 at 11:10

Stromatolites said:
Yes you do have to do roughly 20-30 mins for the body to start its 'burn mode' although you are always burning calories, its just done better after that time.

Sorry, I was not clear. I meant for someone to correct me on the heart rate being 80% for fat burning.

Whilst you are using energy during the first 20-30 minutes, you are using up your glycogen stores rather than burning the fat stores.

Regards
RB

RimBlock · 26 Jul 2010 at 11:12

JamesU2005 said:
So will it not be beneficial at all for my goals 30 minutes of cardio?

It will improve your general health and burn calories off the food you have eaten and should burn a little fat. As you get fitter and healthier you can move on to interval training and HIIT which will cause better fat loss over a given time if done correctly.

RB

kai · 26 Jul 2010 at 12:02

I am trying to shape up for Holidays and looking to loose the fat i have put on during my bulk. I am currently doing Cross Trainer 600w level 25 for 30 minutes - 900+ calories.(average) every other day.....

JamesU2005 · 27 Jul 2010 at 07:39

Thanks well I will stick with the Cross Trainer for 30 minutes plus five for warm up. I'm limited to time because it's my lunch break.

Unless anyone else has different advice.

tezmo · 28 Jul 2010 at 11:22

+1 for intervals here. It would take half the time and have twice the benefit. If its not balls out, its not really cardio!

Fop · 28 Jul 2010 at 12:00

JamesU2005 said:
Would you recommend perhaps two different machines with 15 minutes each?

Or perhaps Tuesday 30 minutes on Cross Trainer then on Thursday 30 minutes on Bike or Treadmill?

What ever the quickest way of reducing fat.

Unfortunately there is no real easy or quick way (at least none that doesn't end up biting you on the bum later).

Diet is probably the most important thing to get right first (sadly there's just no getting away from it).

Then cardio is up to you - HIIT is great, but will be hard if you're doing it right, and if you're not doing it right you're probably wasting your time with it. Personally in the summer in Europe I'd just get outside and run with HIIT thrown in, plenty of time for cardio inside in the colder months.

At the end of the day stick with something you can stick with or mix things up if you get bored, it's always better to be doing something than nothing. There's no magic cardio unfortunately, as much as some might technically use slightly more calories per hour in laboratory conditions, the reality is most large muscle group/full body cardio will give most people similar results for similar intensities put in. It's intensity and consistency that you need to worry about.