A frequently asked question is "why do I need to do hard cardio to achieve my weight loss goals?"
There are a few key answers to this. Hard cardio ideal for anyone who is starting an exercise program with the goal of weight loss/ and or looking to improve their cardiovascular endurance. Especially for the time poor society will live in at the moment.
During hard cardio you will burn a high amount of carbohydrates, then a prolonged burn during rest after exercising. Due to the heightening of your metabolism there is a strong after-burn effect.
However there are negatives to training this way as well. The required intensity for a hard cardio session can't be maintained for longer than 30 minutes. If you argue that you have had a hard cardio session go for more than 30mins… well sorry to say, you're probably not training hard enough. It is uncomfortable and you should not be able to hold a conversation at all during the exercising time.
Frequency of hard cardio is a factor as well, as you shouldn't exercise at this intensity any more than 3 times per week as our bodies can only handle so much stress and you will be doing more harm than good. This can have an adverse effect which will run the risk of losing your health and increasing risk of injury.
Although hard cardio is a fundamental part of your training plan it only makes up 25% of your cardio requirements. It can be a huge adjustment for someone returning to an exercise program for the first time in years. Take it slow, as it is a far more injury prone method of training. If you have access to a heart rate monitor your hard cardio zone is usually between 160-190 beats per minute. Contact a Vision Personal Trainer to get your accurate zone as age and fitness are changing factors.
Low intensity cardio is the main suggested exercise and should make up 75% of your cardio requirements. It allows you to exercise for a longer period of time, allowing you to help reach your required amount of cardio without having to exercise more than once a day. This type of training will also make sure that you reach the peak fat burning time which is between 30-90 minutes and continue to burn stored fat for an extended period which can last for hours. If you have access to a heart rate monitor your low cardio zone is usually between 120-150 beats per minute.
I hope you do really well with your cardio and achieve your set targets!
Curtis Riley
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
