Please help me increase my cardio!

My trainer told me last night that I need to increase my cardio. I do 30 mins on the eliptical and 30 mins on the bike. He says its not enough....even though I feel like Im sweating my but off when Im done.

Should I go for longer time on the machines or at a higher level?

He wants me to do sprints on the treadmill...no way jack....this mama dont run...at all!!

I really thought I was doing well until my session last night and he hit me with this....

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

I'd get a new trainer! lol

In all seriousness, 60 minutes of cardio is just plenty. How many times a week are you doing an hour a day?

There is NO need to do more than 60 minutes a day. In fact, it's not even necessary to do THAT much. When i had lost the most of my weight I was doing 3 twenty minute HIIT sessions per week along with my weight training and dieting. That was IT. I used to be a spinning junkie...taking 3 classes a day. TOTALLY silly. I would NOT do more than 60 minutes a day but I would try new things. I definitely would do sprints or interval training either on the treadmill, the bike or the elliptical.

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

I am with my trainer for one 30 mins session a week, then I do 30 mins of cardio after that. Then we had been going at least 4 more times a week, and I alternate, all cardio one day, weight training and cardio the next.

I think Im jsut going to try and do the sprints on the eliptical and see how that goes.

thanks!

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

New trainer for sure.

Maybe he just wants you to pick up your pace?

Because 1 hour of cardio is more than enough. A lot of trainers say you shouldn't do more than that...

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

I just posted on the workout log about a new App. I'm using while on the elliptical. It's a HIIT timer and it works out to be LESS time on the machine b.c you are working harder. Higher resistance and b@lls to the wall, all out through the sets with 8 sec. rests in between.
I did it for a total of about 21 mins.

I can't see how a trainer would suggest more than 60mins of cardio...but I'm not a trainer so who knows?

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

I would suggest perhaps walking at a faster pace to keep your heart rate up.

Cardio is for fat burning....Maybe just do 40-60mins on just one machine instead of switching to the bike on the same day?

Do you walk on an incline? Do you set goals for your self?

I found it better when I start off on Monday I would say I am going 30 mins on the treadmill and then burn 300 calories...and then Tuesday I would try and beat my time and calories from Monday...and so on...

Make it fun and like I am competing with myself.

HTH

ETA: Can you try walking for 2mins. and then run for 1 min or even 30 seconds when you first start out, then walk for 2 and run for 1 min and so on until you reach 40mins?

ETAA: MY goodness I just saw you lost so much weight when I went to your profrile! that is amazing KEEP IT UP!

Message edited 5/25/2011 9:22:50 AM.

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

J9...I just downloaded that app.

Say I want to do 30 mins on the elipitcal, with 2 min sprints....How do i set the app for that? or do I just have to keep resetting it everytime I am done with 2 intervals?

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

Posted by Lisa

J9...I just downloaded that app.

Say I want to do 30 mins on the elipitcal, with 2 min sprints....How do i set the app for that? or do I just have to keep resetting it everytime I am done with 2 intervals?

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

I had downloaded the free app...not too good, so i went and got the full version for .99. I like it better!

i am going to try it tonight at the gym. Ill let ya know how it works.

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

Posted by J9-13

I just posted on the workout log about a new App. I'm using while on the elliptical. It's a HIIT timer and it works out to be LESS time on the machine b.c you are working harder. Higher resistance and b@lls to the wall, all out through the sets with 8 sec. rests in between.
I did it for a total of about 21 mins.

Could you please tell me the name of the App that you use for HIIT?

Thanks

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

As other posters mentioned, I think it's plenty of time that you are investing in cardio but he probably wants you to vary your workout. Doing 30 minutes of bike riding at the same pace, same distance, same amount of time every time you workout is not good quality cardio. Your body will just get used to that and hit a plateau so I assume that is what your trainer was talking about.

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

Posted by lisa0807

Posted by J9-13

I just posted on the workout log about a new App. I'm using while on the elliptical. It's a HIIT timer and it works out to be LESS time on the machine b.c you are working harder. Higher resistance and b@lls to the wall, all out through the sets with 8 sec. rests in between.
I did it for a total of about 21 mins.

Could you please tell me the name of the App that you use for HIIT?

Thanks

The free App. is "A HIIT TIMER"

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

Posted by Lisa

I had downloaded the free app...not too good, so i went and got the full version for .99. I like it better!

i am going to try it tonight at the gym. Ill let ya know how it works.

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

I bought the one called HIIT workout Timer. Ill let you know how it is

Message edited 5/25/2011 11:35:31 AM.

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

I just realized that I have another free one. It's called Tabata Sport Interval Timer.

I never used it though.

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

Yup, I agree with everyone that it sounds like plenty.

Once I got a heartrate monitor, I really started to see a difference in how I worked out. I started by keeping myself in one zone (130 - 145) and then changed it up to do interval training. 130 to start up to 150 for short bursts.

Also, if you find your heartrate isn't what it should be on the treadmill, you can increase the incline like they said but also you can do shoulder-level punches. I do about 100 for a minute, take another minute or two to cool down, and then do it again.

Re: Please help me increase my cardio!

60 min of cardio is plenty. What's really more important is intensity over duration. Just make sure you're working to your target heart rate or 60-80% of your max.