Today everyone who works out knows the importance of cardio. Whether the aim is for getting fit, shedding off body fat, or getting trim for a bodybuilding show, one thing is common, you have to work up a sweat. With so many options on the table it’s hard to know where to start

Define Your Goals

Is your aim in an exercise program to:

• Train your cardiovascular system (improve your hearts output range/lower your resting heartbeat)
• General Fitness (to feel good/have more energy/stay trim without getting obsessed with body fat percentages)
• Lower your body fat (can include preparing for a bodybuilding or fitness show, or general body building assistance routines for fat burning)
• Athletic Performance (improving your speed/power/time or distance- or to compliment another sport such as martial arts or even sedentary sports like Golf)
• To combat age deteriorating effects (arthritis/high blood pressure – or just to generally “keep loose”)

Within these key areas you also have diverse training patterns. If you are a runner for example and perform short distance events HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) can be incorporated into your training routine to increase your running speed on the track. This can be performed on the likes of a treadmill in the gym or home, and the benefits will carry over towards the track.

New Training Philosophies

This is the modern era of training where new philosophies about how to work and stress your body are emerging nearly every day of the week. They are not all tied to the indoors neither.

Among water sports for example wakesurfing has become really popular. It also provides you a fun way (if you can coordinate your balance, stamina and strength as well as swim) of getting into shape and is great for your stamina, strength and coordination.

Treadmill Training

The treadmill is a multi use tool for all types of cardio training. That does not mean it is the best but the benefits and versatility it offers is hard to beat. You can perform all types of cardio related running on a treadmill. You can perform HIIT, hill climbing (ascent + descent), the slow cardio long distance burn, cardiovascular BPM or Zonal training, and general all round fitness routines.

The treadmill might not be as challenging as taking an Insanity class or pushing a prowler full of weights around, but when you want to quickly jump into a routine the adaptability of a treadmill is hard to beat. They are also not as expensive as the used to be. You can see an analysis of the top Weslo Cadence treadmills for sale here. Weslo are one of the best selling treadmills for sale and they cost just under the $500. That is why many people have one in their homes.

Want to perform a quick hill climbing session ? – hop on build up to a steady speed slowly then raise the ramp.  Does the day’s session demand a tough challenging run?– hop on and perform a HIIT style routine. Work up to a good speed then ramp up the speed pretty quickly and hammer into a high speed run for 30 secs – then lower the speed back down to jogging pace and rinse and repeat.

Versatility as mentioned earlier is the key. You don’t have the same options when the weather is bad outside, and when you are not looking forward to a commute to the gym.