quick question re cardio

Seraphina

ok, i do about an hour's cardio work when i go to the gym, but i do 15 mins on the treadmill, stepper, bike and some other thing i dont know the name of.

anyway just wondering, is there anything wrong with changing around like that? everyone at the gym seems to stick at one thing for ages, is there something i dont know?

does swapping about make any difference on the effectiveness of the workout? i just find staying on one thing too boring! i keep up a good pace the whole time, and there's no messing about between machines, its just straight from one thing to another.
is there anything wrong with this?

Pherekydes

An hour of cardio is an hour of cardio, whichever way you slice it.

20 Times 20 Times

You should use the cross trainer as well do a program on it to make it fun , its great for building your fitness , and buring fat , its better then the thread mill for burning the calories

AARRRGH

Seraphina wrote:

everyone at the gym seems to stick at one thing for ages, is there something i dont know?

Remember: most people in the world are sheep who are terrified of doing things differently. And most people in the gym quit after a few weeks.

Ignore the sheep and do what makes you feel good/motivated.

joc_06

dont mind the machines. get yourself 400m of grass and sprint i, take 90sec break and go again. do 4 in total the first night and 2x a week for a few weeks.

then either up the reps or lower the recovery time.
either way 400m runs are one of the best fat burning sessions you'll ever find

g'em

joc_06 wrote:

dont mind the machines. get yourself 400m of grass and sprint i, take 90sec break and go again. do 4 in total the first night and 2x a week for a few weeks.

then either up the reps or lower the recovery time.
either way 400m runs are one of the best fat burning sessions you'll ever find

omg, what is your obsession with 400m sprints? All you're really doing is interval training, which is probably the best way to do cardio, regardless of the levels your're doing it at- 400m or 100m or a two min run or a four min run, whatever the case may be. All depends on the individual.

So OP, no theres nothing wrong with it at all, but try not too maintain the same pace on each machine. Try using an interval program or one that combines lots of different resistance levels so you're constantly changing and your muscles are always challenged. You don't need to go flat out all the time either, moderate cardio will burn a higher % of fat cals

PJG

Hi Seraphina,

Really what you’re doing is cross training. That’s the best way to train, by changing machines you will be working different muscle groups and changing the intensity/workload. Result leaner all round.

I find this way of training more enjoyable, any more that 20 minutes on one machine and I’m bored so changing around keeps me working out longer.

I usually do the following

Rowing machine
Cross trainer
Stepper
Bike

In that order for one week and change the order the next (keeps the muscles guessing).

Cheers

joc_06

g'em wrote:

omg, what is your obsession with 400m sprints? All you're really doing is interval training

because its the perfect interval distance/time run plus you have distance and times to improve against
most effective fat burner i've seen

Transform

joc 06 - its certainly NOT the best fat burner i have ever used and i have trained 1000's of clients. Main reason realates to the excessive lactic acid produced and thus your body's inability to burn fat during this intensity.

What seraph is doing is ok however my question is

What distance, level and number of steps (on stepper)?

Also and more importantly are you doing any resistance because without you will just look flat!

joc_06

Transform wrote:

i have trained 1000's of clients.

you're not beating that drum again are you?
:rolleyes:
have any of them ever achieved anything?

copacetic

joc_06 wrote:

you're not beating that drum again are you?
:rolleyes:
have any of them ever achieved anything?

ffs lads don't start a cat fight!

you both have good info to give but are also both often full of it!
joc your info always seems to be based on what people who want
to be strong and cut should do, maybe you should broaden your
info a bit?

Transfrom, you have good info but can be much more than a bit
condescending...

enjoy reading both your posts though, keep up the good work though...

thirtyfoot

To suggest to someone to run a set of 4 x 400m sprints with 90 sec recovery is madness, especially without knowing their background, ability etc, and without correct conditioning built up over a long period of time.

Stick to your cross-training in the gym, its more fun, as 400m reps in a cold wet field in the middle of an Irish winter certainly isn't.

joc_06 - as a matter of interest what kind of times are you getting for your 400 sprints, in my book a "sprint" is balls to the walls 100%, and if you can carry off a session of 4 of those over 400m with 90 secs recovery, then you are a legend?

Transform

joc_06 wrote:

you're not beating that drum again are you?
:rolleyes:
have any of them ever achieved anything?

ohhhhh and just when i was starting to like you and all!!

only joking - the following is one of the body fat scores for a client of ours (was logging her workout when i read your reply so easiest one to pick)

Date Score
26/11/04 29%
28/1/05 25%
1/4/05 23%
29/6/05 19.5% Upper 13mm, Mid 13mm Lower 22mm
Tuesday 4/10/05 19.4% Upper 15mm, Mid 13mm, Lower 20mm

Slow and steady progress. When you are just 19 years old and a girl getting into great shape has done so much for her confidence.

I can post at least 20 others (without names of course) that all prove my methods work. This is NOT to say my methods are the only way to work, i use sprints also but getting someone to train like that every time is a disaster.

Sorry if i seem condescending i just get annoyed when i hear silly questions time and time again that have an obvious answer to anyone who is honest with themselves.

My humble apologies