Best cardio?

[Aubrey]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me (preferably from experience) what the most effective cardio activity is.

Thanks to the winter, I feel extremely out of shape & have put on some pounds.

I LOVE running, however it isn't exactly the safest thing to do in my area. :(

I'm thinking about riding my bike and jumproping...do those sound like good choices?

To me, they both seem somewhat easy because I enjoy them. Additionally, I was thinking about jogging in place for long periods of time in my house...lol it doesn't sound too fun, but whatever gets the job done. :P

Ughhhh, I just gotta get moving! I'm sick of feeling so lazy and flabby!

[goettling]

I heard that if you jump rope, that can burn the most calories. I would say running though. :D Could you invest in a treadmill?

How about getting some dvd's for cardio in the house. I have several and do enjoy step.

I knew a girl that I used to work with that just cranked music and danced in her house. She was fit. That would be more fun than jogging in place.:D

[barrylove]

Boy if my new agent knew what I do for free on this site he would kill me! LOL
Anyway, here is some input to your problem.
Riding bike is great. When riding work on changing up the intensity while riding. Meaning after a five minute warm-up crank up the gears and go faster for about 2-3 minutes (whatever you can handle) then back down to a low gear for 1 minute. Continue this as you ride and for as long as you ride. LOOK FOR HILLS AND USE HARDER GEARS!
Next - in your house: Jogging in place is great, but gets boring. Start with a walk around the room, pumping your arms with soupd cans in your hand.
After a 5-8 minute warm-up job in place for 2 minutes. From there you can perform one of my inventions ( :) ) - 3-6-9's!
Start at the bottom of your stairs and jog up 3 stairs then come back down, turn around and go back up 6 stairs and come back down, turn around and go back up 9 stairs and come back down. Do this 5-8 times.
Next! :) Grab those soup cans and find a chair or go to the front of the couch. Squat down until your butt touches the chair or couch at the same time raising your arms out front until reaching shoulder height (front shoulder raises) as you squat up the arms come down, BUT not all the way. Your amrs should stop about 4 inches in front of your thighs to keep the resistance on the shoulders. Do this 30-50 times! If the cans get heavy you can either stop (not recommended) or put the soup can down and just raise your arms.
THEN! put a sneaker in the middle of the floor. Standing on one side of the sneaker perform single-leg hops side to side for a total of 30-40 hops. Remember as you hop the leg not landing should be off the ground and the knee as high as your hip. the leg landing should always be 'soft' = slightly bent. Try to concentrate on landing like a feather.
NOW YOU CAN TAKE A BREATHER! Then repeat as often as you like. Don't be afraid to throw push ups in their somewhere. If you can't do a push-up on the ground then do them against the wall or hands on a chair.

Now that you have an idea of what you can do at home, you may be able to make up your own workout also.

Good luck and let me know how you liked the workout!

Oh, as far as the bike riding goes. You can also stop at a park and do some jumping jacks, jump up and down off a curb or bench, push-up on a bench and get back on your bike! ALWAYS add intensity.

Enjoy!

[SerafinaC]

lately i've been putting on a good drum and bass mix and dancing up a storm.

i rotate through different cardio exercises so i don't get bored... a few months ago it was the elliptical, then running, now dancing like a mad-woman.

[zoebird]

interval training, no matter what you do, is the best kind of cardio.

[Random]

If you like to run, maybe you could join a running group or find some running buddies? I love running and I have a big dog, so I feel pretty safe. But I know that it isn't fun to be afraid. If you're not in a REALLY terrible neighbourhood, I'm sure that there are other women just like you, who enjoy running but don't want to go alone.

Another option would be to find a high school or middle school with a track. I often run on a local school track after work.

Hmmmm...of course all this is assuming that you don't live in a really dangerous neighbourhood. I live in a mid-sized canadian city, so I'm kind of naive when it comes to "bad neighbourhoods". Where I live, the bad neighbourhood is a 2 or 3 block zone that has a few pan-handlers and a few doped-up punks...but it's also crawling with tourists and I've never felt unsafe walking there.

[barrylove]

interval training, no matter what you do, is the best kind of cardio.

ABSOULTEY CORRECT!!!!!!

[purrpelle]

I have a question about cardiovascular training. (not for weight loss)

overall, is interval training by istself the best way to train? I would think a mix would be better. for example, one day of intervals (walk/run/sprint combo)
one day of moderate intensity endurance training (45 minutes of jogging-75% of max HR) one day of low intensity-almost a recovery day- (45-60 minutes of walking) and one day of high intensity (30 minutes of a fast run) then back to intervals.

i totally agree that interval training is the way to go for burning calories and to train the heart to work and recover quickly and respond to stress faster, but if you were training for endurance, would this be your only way to train?

I train mostly interval sprints because my sport requires explosive power, but i still throw in a long jog for endurance.

any thoughts?

[Aubrey]

Boy if my new agent knew what I do for free on this site he would kill me! LOL
Anyway, here is some input to your problem.
Riding bike is great. When riding work on changing up the intensity while riding. Meaning after a five minute warm-up crank up the gears and go faster for about 2-3 minutes (whatever you can handle) then back down to a low gear for 1 minute. Continue this as you ride and for as long as you ride. LOOK FOR HILLS AND USE HARDER GEARS!
Next - in your house: Jogging in place is great, but gets boring. Start with a walk around the room, pumping your arms with soupd cans in your hand.
After a 5-8 minute warm-up job in place for 2 minutes. From there you can perform one of my inventions ( :) ) - 3-6-9's!
Start at the bottom of your stairs and jog up 3 stairs then come back down, turn around and go back up 6 stairs and come back down, turn around and go back up 9 stairs and come back down. Do this 5-8 times.
Next! :) Grab those soup cans and find a chair or go to the front of the couch. Squat down until your butt touches the chair or couch at the same time raising your arms out front until reaching shoulder height (front shoulder raises) as you squat up the arms come down, BUT not all the way. Your amrs should stop about 4 inches in front of your thighs to keep the resistance on the shoulders. Do this 30-50 times! If the cans get heavy you can either stop (not recommended) or put the soup can down and just raise your arms.
THEN! put a sneaker in the middle of the floor. Standing on one side of the sneaker perform single-leg hops side to side for a total of 30-40 hops. Remember as you hop the leg not landing should be off the ground and the knee as high as your hip. the leg landing should always be 'soft' = slightly bent. Try to concentrate on landing like a feather.
NOW YOU CAN TAKE A BREATHER! Then repeat as often as you like. Don't be afraid to throw push ups in their somewhere. If you can't do a push-up on the ground then do them against the wall or hands on a chair.

Now that you have an idea of what you can do at home, you may be able to make up your own workout also.

Good luck and let me know how you liked the workout!

Oh, as far as the bike riding goes. You can also stop at a park and do some jumping jacks, jump up and down off a curb or bench, push-up on a bench and get back on your bike! ALWAYS add intensity.

Enjoy!

WOW! Thank you so much! I printed out your post. :)

I tried the 3-6-9's right after reading it, since the stairs are right by my computer - they're so fun! MUCH better than simply running up & down the 15 stairs in my house.

I rode my bike this morning on the hilly trail near my house, and had to come home after 15 minutes due to riding in the hardest gear the entire time - stupid me. Plus, I had to ride against the wind on my way back...it was a killer. I think I'm gonna go out again later & change up the gears. I'm going to try your entire workout ASAP and I'll be sure to give you some feedback. Thanks again!

[barrylove]

WOW! Thank you so much! I printed out your post. :)

I tried the 3-6-9's right after reading it, since the stairs are right by my computer - they're so fun! MUCH better than simply running up & down the 15 stairs in my house.

I rode my bike this morning on the hilly trail near my house, and had to come home after 15 minutes due to riding in the hardest gear the entire time - stupid me. Plus, I had to ride against the wind on my way back...it was a killer. I think I'm gonna go out again later & change up the gears. I'm going to try your entire workout ASAP and I'll be sure to give you some feedback. Thanks again!
GOOD JOB!
I am glad you like it!!!!
Do yourself a BIG favor......keep doing it. If you stop, you are only letting YOU down.

You should be very proud and keep up the good work!

Barry

[mayuko]

Best Cardio:
I did your mom last night.

ebola

[barrylove]

Hmmmm....
that is strange..shouldn't that be anohter thread?

[mayuko]

It's totally on-topic.
It was a WORKOUT, my friend.

ebola

[angiedawn404]

Personally, the elliptical is my favorite. . . I do it every time I work out (workouts are 1/2 weight training and 1/2 cardio). Joining a spin class is also a great way to burn calories fast. As far as what you an do outside, I don't really know... I walk sometimes but the location I'm at doesn't allow for a very safe place to walk or run.

[barrylove]

It's totally on-topic.
It was a WORKOUT, my friend.

ebola
Gotchya.....Insulting someones mom is on topic
Sorry for my misunderstanding, I should know better
Again, I am very sorry

[Gnome Chomsky]

thanks.
finally, the respect I deserve. :)

ebola

[Maliaka]

When I was a member of the YMCA, using their elliptical machines helped me lose the most weight, and also the treadmill and walking/jogging around their indoor track.

If you don't want to join a gym, I suggest workout DVD's. Tae-bo is the best I've ever used! There are countless Tae-bo workouts and Billy Blanks is quite cute and motivating and makes it all seem so easy, which makes you want to work harder. But any cardio videos, as long as they are in key with your fitness level and challenge you, are good choices!

Good luck to you! And good for you for getting off your butt, I should do the same, haha. :)