“For years, I wasn't a gym person, but also wasn't doing much on my own because I struggle to be self-motivated for exercise. Over the past year+, I've basically become a gym person at Movement Workshop because of the supportive and attentive coaching. Having to work out at home during the pandemic is hard, though. I was worried that I would slide back into old habits, but the coaches are as supportive as ever, providing thoughtful programs based on the limited workout tools I have at home (and letting me rent a couple items for the duration). I've also had text, email, and video conversations and workouts with the coaches, which has helped keep me on track, which in turn reminds me that working out really does make me feel better. And feeling better during the uncertainty and stress of this kind of global disruption has been so helpful.”
how do you "DO" cardio?
Cardiovascular exercise goes way beyond just increasing your heart rate and feeling out of breath. Whether you are tacking “cardio” onto the end of your strength workout, hitting a group class, or programming a conditioning day into your weekly routine, there are many factors to consider when training your heart. Since the New Year typically means more people hopping on and off treadmills, ellipticals and stairmasters, it’s a good idea to educate yourself on the best approach to cardio in order to see results and keep yourself motivated to stick with it.
Think about it this way: when we strength train, we want to establish a baseline of good movement before lifting progressively heavier loads. Similarly, when conditioning, we want to establish a baseline of aerobic capacity before we put too much stress on our systems. Basically, if you want to train hard by placing a high demand on your heart, be sure you’ve spent the necessary time building a good aerobic base to avoid crashing and burning hard.
The truth is, most people will probably benefit by just checking the general sweat box for a SHORT period of time. But, like everything in fitness, one-size doesn’t fit all. If you want to make real, sustainable, lifelong changes to your health and wellness while at the same time limiting your risk of injury, here are a few factors to consider when determining your individualized approach to cardio:
#1. Cardio does not stand alone. Most people will see the biggest improvement in how they feel and perform when they couple cardio with strength training. It is nearly impossible to significantly increase your aerobic threshold without a good baseline of strength.
#2. Know your resting HR. If you are an active adult, your resting heart rate can be a good (but not the only) indicator of overall health, so knowing it is a good place to start. Your true resting HR should be taken first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. If yours is below 60, congratulations. You’ve earned the right to train at a high intensity when needed. If you are between 60 and 80, you are in the normal range, but would probably still benefit more from low level conditioning than a HIIT class. If your resting HR is above 80, let’s get to work on building up your strength (which will essentially be conditioning too).
#3. Recovery rules. Anyone can get into the red zone (some more easily than others). The real question is, how quickly do you recover from the red? In the minute immediately following a high intensity effort, your heart rate should drop at least 30 beats if you have a decent aerobic base. If not, you need to spend more training time in your aerobic zone. Generally, this means working at an effort where you can hold a conversation. Boring, but necessary.
#4. Consider your goals. Always move with purpose and measure your progress. The gym is no place for aimless wandering, so if you’re not sure what to do, ask! A purposeful approach to cardio will yield results that can be measured by your ability to sustain higher levels of power output for longer periods of time, specifically control your heart rate within a variety of training zones, and recover quickly from high intensity efforts.
It really doesn’t matter if you are training for the Olympic Games or the game of life — a healthy, high-functioning heart will improve your performance and enhance how you feel each and every day.
If you’re looking to dive a bit deeper, a great resource is James Breese’s book Maximum Aerobic Power. A must read, in our opinion, for anyone who aspires to move with purpose and live with strength :)
don't throw garbage workouts in the trash
Many people think in one dimension when it comes to workouts. (But not you - you’re smarter than that.)
What’s the buzz? High intensity. But what if your system can’t handle a high intensity effort due to external factors? Maybe you are underslept, undernourished, injured, overstressed or overtrained. Sometimes these circumstances are the facts of life. So how do we ever make progress toward our goals if the facts of life are keeping us from the HIIT workout we crave? Logically, we address the facts of life.
We’ve all been in the gym and felt like absolute garbage. (Maybe EVERY time you go to the gym you feel like absolute garbage... This is an issue, let’s talk later.) Rather than throwing the workout out with the detox water, what if there was a smarter way to spend your time at the gym that actually made you feel better for having gone? Isn’t the main reason we go to the gym to feel better anyway?
When face-to-face with a trash session, those who tend to take an all-or-nothing approach to exercise will either ignore all the warning signs and attempt to generate max efforts with minimum energy OR make an excuse to skip it all together. Go hard or go home.
The problem here is that you WILL go home. And there’s a chance you slow down your recovery so that you continue to feel like garbage more often than not. This really isn’t helpful. And as we all get older, this REALLY isn’t helpful.
Learn to adjust the intensity of your training session based on how your body feels. Understand how your body moves and increase your body awareness so you can easily recognize when something is off. Continually evaluate exercise risk vs. long-term reward. And above all, always work at your day’s capacity.
So what can you do when the tank feels empty? Take a walk. Do some low-level, slow, steady cardio at 30-50% max effort. Foam roll. Breathe. Take a recovery class (we’ve got some good ones!). Take a nap. Take a bath. Get a massage. Eat some vegetables. Sauna. Move slow and flow. Take some time for yourself and enjoy it!
And when should you train at a high intensity? When your energy systems are fully charged and ready to go. You will FEEL it. You will feel pain free, you will feel strong, you will feel ready.
Unsustainability, when it comes to consistent, regular exercise, is an epidemic. Over 80% of people who join a gym do not consistently enter the doors. But it’s more than just a lack of sticktoitiveness that sidelines the general population. We aren’t thinking about our physical activity and movement in the most beneficial way.
Gym time is your time. Rethink how you spend it. Move with purpose, live with strength.
movement matters
Welcome to The Movement Workshop:
Human movement is complex and adaptive. Our lifestyle, habits and patterns have a long-term effect on our movement quality. Just like repetitive motion, stress or inactivity can have a negative effect on our ability to move, purposeful movement can have an overwhelmingly positive effect- from improving athletic performance and reducing injury risk to improved function and quality of life at any age. A better understanding of how our bodies move will enable us to effectively individualize our exercise programming, and ultimately, live our lives to the fullest. Whether you are 18 or 81, you will benefit from the lifelong strength that results from good movement.
Move with purpose, live with strength.