CARDIO! Tips That Make a Difference

Ah yes...Cardio...to some degree and context, we all love to hate it!

Performing cardiovascular exercise can be fun and is mentally and physically rewarding in many ways.

However, most people find it a challenge to perform it regularly. Let's be honest...the main reason is because it can be boring, not as mentally stimulating as, say, lifting weights and to some, feel like a complete waste of time. This leads to a lack of motivation and total abandonment of one of the keys to achieving and maintaining a lean body. In addition, when you are dieting to lose weight or to prepare for a competition, it can be very difficult to pull that extra energy to get that cardio session going.

Sure, not everyone needs to perform cardiovascular exercise to stay lean. Some people are born with the "lean gene" and everyone's body composition (proportion of fat to muscle) is different, which reflects their metabolism as well. It is important to remember that every body is different, and no two people will require the same amount and type of cardio to sculpt their body the way they desire.

Nonetheless, no matter how much you can "get away with" little or no cardio exercise to have that lean, rock solid physique, everyone should do it not just for their appearance, but for their heart and overall health.

Below are four basic tips that can really make a difference in your efforts to sticking to that cardio! These are concepts that I live by, and have helped me get through many grueling hours of training.

1. TIMING

Try to separate your cardio sessions from your lifting sessions. If you cannot, always make

sure you perform your cardio AFTER LIFTING. Cardio before lifting can hinder your

strength and therefore, negatively affect your strength training.

*Remember...the first 15-20 minutes of cardio is the hardest because your body is working to generate ample oxygen flow. Once you get past those 15-20, expect a surge of energy and from there, smooth sailing!

2. DIVERSIFY

Always seek to change up your cardio program as much as possible to keep your body

from getting too acclimated -- this can lead to plateauing, just like with a lifting program.

You can do this by changing your cardio modality (treadmill, elliptical, stair climber, bike,

cross country running, sprint training, swimming...), the intensity, duration or the program setting (if on a machine).

3. MUSIC

Having tunes that naturally motivate you and get your blood pumping can really do

wonders for exercise, especially cardio. Some people cannot afford to constantly update

their music, but it can be a great tool and investment in your performance...especially if

it is a challenge for you to get motivated.

*A good trick that I do is that I try to match my pace with the songs I am listening to. This

can help burn extra calories as some songs will have a faster pace than others, which means

you will be performing a sort of interval-style training. In addition, time will seem to go

by faster because of the mental work required to match your body's pace with the beat of

the song.

4. JUST DO IT!

When it comes down to it, you have to quit analyzing the fact that you absolutely HATE

cardio and accept that it just has to get done. There is a quote I came up with years ago in

regards to doing cardio that goes a little something like this...

"If you did it when you first thought about doing it, you'd be done by now."

Don't think about it, just get up, do it and get it over with! You'll feel much better after,

and in the grand scheme of things, it is only a tiny percentage of your entire day.

I hope these tips help you as much as they help me! :o)

NickiC