Dusk & Rubies: 7 Ways To Up Your Cardio Workout This Week

We love a good cardio session! We feel less stressed, more energized, and more confident after we've got our blood pumping. And, when added to your gym routine, cardio can significantly assist in your fitness progress. So fitties and newbies here are 7 ways to get the most out of your cardio workout this week.

[Photo @running_momma]

1. Add some plyometrics

Plyometrics, or as it is more commonly called Plyo, is jump training. Originally a form of exercise designed to help Olympic athletes, the idea behind Plyo is that by jumping you are conditioning your body with dynamic resistance which builds strength, and tones quadriceps. This explosive workout also torches fat. Add just a few moves to your cardio routine and you will see results within two weeks!

For More On Plyo Visit: HERE

2. Change up your speed

Interval training is one of the easiest steps you can take to instantly burn more during your cardio workout. What is it? It is a series of both slow and high intensity exercises or periods. Add interval training in three easy steps.

1. Choose any cardio machine

2. Find a speed you feel comfortable with

and a higher resistance or incline than usual.

You should not be out of breath.

A good way to test is to make sure you are still able to sing.

3. After 3 minutes of your initial speed,

increase your speed and lower your resistance for 2 minutes.

Complete this pattern 6x for a workout of 30 minutes. And voila!

For More On Interval Training Visit: Here

3. Try a new form of cardio

Don't burn yourself out on the treadmill, or the bike! Remember classes like Zumba, and Kickboxing count as forms of cardio too. It has been proven that the more you condition your body the harder it is to lose the weight and blast the fat, so shake things up with a new form of cardio. And, for those of you were were wondering, fencing counts too.

[Photo @thesquatgirl]

For More On Spinning Visit: Here

4. Use the Chorus Method

As a long distance runner I came up with this method of training and coined the phrase "The Chorus Method" to help up the ante of my own workouts. Piggybacking off the idea of interval training, the chorus method is another way to burn more calories in less time. For fitties you can do this on every song, but if you're a newbie I suggests trying this method on alternating songs of your playlist.

The Chorus Method: every time you hear the chorus of the song turn up your workout to turbo mode, meaning sprint, run as fast as you can, or increase the incline to as high as you can go. Do this for the length of the chorus, which is usually short approx. 30 seconds, and then go back to base for all other parts of the song. It is really easy to do, and because you're only turbocharging during the chorus you have time to recover.

[Photo @duskandrubies]

5. Attack That Incline

Women in particular are so afraid of weights, or anything they think will bulk them up that they forget sometimes that with the right mix of little to no resistance and the proper weight regimen they'll be more slender, toned, and their bodies will run more efficiently. Muscle burns more calories than fat. After you finish your cardio routine do a steep uphill climb for 10 minutes, you will undoubtably feel this is your thighs, glutes, and core.

[Photo @fatjack79]

6. Side Step It Out

Every move you make flexes a certain muscle, or works a certain area differently. Remember side steps, and karaoke drill you probably did in high school to warm up before a big game? Well add all of this and back peddling to your workout to target diverse areas of the body. If you can, you can even try to do these moves on the treadmill, or the step climber as we see in the video posted on instagram.

[Photo @fitsperation]

7. Sing it!

Did you know singing during your workout is a great conditioning and improves your stamina? Well, it does! We don't mean to have you belting out cacophonous sounding melodies in your local gym, but rather we suggest trying to sing under your breath...for no one to hear.