Who is ready to work on their cardio? There are some of us that love to run and some of us that aren’t the biggest fan. Regardless, the effort that goes into strengthening your cardio is the same. For some people, the idea of going from not running at all to then wanting to work on their cardio is daunting. The good news is you can actually improve your cardio fairly quick. Most studies show that within three to four weeks, you can improve your VO2 (this is your maximum rate of oxygen consumption, which determines your cardiovascular strength) somewhere between 20 and 30% using interval training. Let’s go over a plan on how to strengthen your cardio!
10 Exercises You Can do to Strengthen Your Cardio:
- running
- power walking
- swimming
- dancing
- jump rope
- high-intensity sports
- cycling
- yoga
- burpees
- boxing
If you are running, try this:
Play with your speed. Challenging yourself more during exercise allows your heart rate to rise without exhausting yourself. This is where intervals can be fun. Like, running hard for 30 seconds for one interval, with a minute of walking in between, and then as these become easier, pushing for 45 seconds during the interval, with one (or two) minutes of walking or jogging in between.
If you are cycling, try this:
Again trying for intervals here. (Are you seeing the trend?) Pedal for 40 seconds with a cadence of 80 and as much resistance as you can tolerate, followed by 20 seconds with a 100-stroke cadence and no resistance. Repeat 10 times. The idea here is to pedal as fast as you can at a hard cadence, then take the cadence off and increase your speed during your active rests.
If you are doing yoga, try this:
Find a class that is titled power yoga or something similar. This will probably be a more intense yoga practice that will keep your body moving with your breath at a higher heart rate. Additionally, you can try and hold more challenging poses, like Warrior 2, for as long as you can to build up that heat and heart rate in your body.
If you are jumping rope, try this:
If you are skilled at jumping rope, then you can play with your speed. Just like the intervals we mentioned before, try jumping rope as fast as you can for 30 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest or 10 seconds of slow jumping. Repeat at least 10 times. If you are still new to jump roping, then just try and jump rope the best you can for 60 seconds with a 30-second rest. Repeat at least 10 times.
If you are doing burpees, try this:
Complete 100 burpees as fast as you can. Every time you complete 100 burpees, try to beat your time from before.
The idea behind each of these types of cardio is to just do it. You can stick to one of these for a month or you can mix it up. Keep consistent, at least 2-3 times per week, and be sure to check back in with yourself at the end of the four weeks to acknowledge your stronger cardiovascular system.
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