There are two types of people in this world: the ones who love cardio, and the ones who loathe it. If you’re someone who avoids a treadmill at all costs or gets winded after walking up a flight of stairs, you might be one of those people who actually hate cardio…
But don’t you worry, I have exactly what you need to get your cardio in without boring yourself to death on a treadmill or elliptical. This quick cardio workout is completely painless, doesn’t involve any machines, and will help change your perspective about cardio once and for all! Better yet, you’ll be finished in only 20 minutes!
We’ll also cover a few important topics about cardiovascular training, including:
- How long should a cardio workout be?
- What’s the difference between aerobic vs. anaerobic cardio workouts
- The best supplements for cardio training
- Quick cardio workout
How Long Should A Cardio Workout Be?
A common misconception about cardio training is that it requires a lot of time and dedication. And while this does ring true for some forms of cardio (like marathon running), it doesn’t apply to all of them.
So, how long should a cardio workout be exactly? There is no one answer to this question, as there are a few forms of cardio workouts that all have different requirements. But cardiovascular exercise can generally be broken down into two different categories: aerobic and anaerobic exercise.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Cardio Workouts
The primary difference between aerobic and anaerobic cardio workouts for women is that aerobic exercise needs a steady supply of oxygen while burning both fat and carbohydrates for energy, whereas anaerobic exercise doesn’t use oxygen and only burns carbohydrates for energy.
Aerobic exercise is commonly associated with lower-intensity cardio like jogging or any other steady-state exercise that you can do for a prolonged period of time (over 2 minutes) and anaerobic exercise is associated with activities that require short bursts of intense movements, like sprinting or weightlifting which can last for only a few seconds and up to two minutes at a time.
3 Reasons This Quick Cardio Workout Is A Must-Try
What makes this particular quick cardio workout special is three-fold:
- It can be structured to be either aerobic or anaerobic cardio training! This gives you a ton of flexibility and freedom to select which type of cardio is best suited for your needs.
- It accelerates fat loss! When you combine resistance training with cardio training you are essentially killing two birds with one stone. This quick cardio workout helps you build lean muscle, which helps you burn more calories at rest.
- It’s good for your health! In general cardio training increases your lung capacity, reduces stress and your risk of certain diseases, burns calories for weight loss, strengthens your heart, bones, and muscle, and even helps you sleep better.
The Best Supplements For Cardio
If you’re looking for the best supplements for cardio, look no further. No matter what type of cardio you’re interested in, a good quality pre-workout supplement is essential.
Taking a pre-workout supplement, like SkinnyFit Jump Start, will give you the boost of energy you need to increase your endurance and stamina. Just take one scoop with 8 oz. of water 15-30 minutes before your cardio workout, and you’re good to go! Just be prepared for an awesome workout and lots of sweat! 💧
The “I Hate Cardio” Cardio Workout
For anaerobic cardio training, perform 20 seconds of the exercise at maximum intensity, rest for 10 seconds, and then complete 8 rounds of that exercise before moving to the next exercise. (You should be focused on one exercise for a total of 4 minutes.) Repeat for all exercises.
For aerobic cardio training, complete 1 minute of each exercise at a steady pace and move to the next exercise until all 5 exercises are completed. This is 1 round. Complete 4 rounds total and rest as needed.
Equipment needed: Just a small step stool will do! No stool? Use your stairs!
- Jump Squats
- Squat Jacks – Alternating Floor Touch
- Speedy Toe Taps
- Speed Skaters
- Burpees With Push Ups
