10 More To Go, But No Progress Part 2: Cardio Training

So by now you should be incorporating some of the weight training techniques mentioned in the first part of this article and seeing some progress. That is great, keep it up, but don’t stop there. Overcoming that plateau can be difficult and requires dedication in all areas of your fitness program. Not only do you want to focus on making changes to your strength training workouts, but also to your cardiovascular training. There are three main components of cardio training to focus on that will help to shed those last few pounds: frequency, intensity, and type of cardio exercise.

First, take a look at what you’re currently doing. Maybe you hop on a treadmill or an elliptical three times per week for 30 minutes. Each time you work at the same speed for the same length of time on the same machine. Your body has adapted to this program, hindering further progress, and maybe you are getting a bit bored with it as well. No wonder you aren’t seeing the results you desire.

A great way to get out of this rut is to focus on the frequency of your training. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends participating in moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three days a week. How many of us are really doing this? If you are only completing cardio exercise three days a week at a moderate intensity, then step it up and have a goal to reach those five days per week. Wherever you are at now add an extra day or more. Those extra days are extra calories and your midsection will thank you.

Furthermore, you can also focus on intensity. Research has shown that working at a harder intensity for a shorter period of time burns more calories than working at a lower intensity for a longer time. So try working a bit harder, and if you need to shorten the duration of your workout then do it, just keep that intensity up throughout the whole workout. Another great technique to incorporate is interval training. First, start with a five minute warm-up to get the blood flowing and your muscles ready for the workout. Next, pick up the pace and push as hard as you can for a minute. After, that minute is over, slow back down for one to two minutes, or however long it takes you to recover and repeat the fast interval again. The key is to changing your speed and intensity every few minutes and to really push yourself during that tough interval. Keep doing this until you have completed your desired duration and end with a cool-down to get the heart rate back down. Remember, the harder you work the more calories you will burn and the more you will challenge your body.

Lastly, try changing the type of exercise you participate in. Give your body a new challenge by trying new and different machines or activities. If you always use the treadmill, try an elliptical or a stair climber. If you generally work out indoors, take it outside and try walking on a hilly terrain or taking up a new sport such as mountain biking, hiking, or tennis. Not only will this challenge your body and help you to shed those last few pounds, but it will prevent boredom in your routine.

10 More to Go, But No Progress! Part 1: Strength Training Variations

You have been training hard, going to the gym consistently, eating right, but somehow you cannot seem to lose those last ten pounds of bodyfat. Wonder why you are working so hard but not seeing the desired results despite your efforts? For many, it’s easy to fall into the trap of performing the same routine over and over without providing variety or challenging the body in new ways. When this happens your body will adapt to the routine and will no longer be overloaded, thus creating a plateau to further fat loss. Your progress will diminish and you will fall into a standstill. This can be very frustrating and luckily there are a variety of techniques at hand to help you lose those last few stubborn pounds and reach your goal.

The best way to avoid a plateau is to incorporate variety into your strength training routine. You want to be constantly utilizing different exercises, equipment, and techniques. There are many ways to do this. For example, try to rearrange the sequence of exercises you perform. If you always perform bicep curls then tricep extensions followed by shoulder raises, why not perform that same sequence backward. Furthermore, a favorite of mine is to change equipment selection. If you always use machines, change it up and use dumbbells, resistance bands, cables, or barbells. This will require you to work your muscles from different angles and in addition, recruit stabilizer muscles for an increasingly well rounded routine. Lastly, challenge those muscles by trying different exercises for the same muscle group. If you generally do a set of lunges for your legs, try doing squats instead. Or if work out twice per week, doing one set of exercises one day and a completely different set the second day is a way to challenge the body from workout to workout. Just those small changes will lead to that desired result.

Another way of changing up that same old routine on occasion is to vary the sets, repetitions, or speed of movement when weight lifting. If you generally perform two sets of each exercise why not challenge yourself one day and perform three. The extra effort will be worth it. Furthermore, you can also make changes to the number of repetitions by using slightly more weight and performing fewer reps. Lastly, try slowing down your speed of movement and really focus on that working muscle. If you generally take two seconds to lower a weight, try doing it for four seconds instead. These techniques will increase the intensity of your workouts, causing you to really push yourself to a new level.

All of these changes to your routine create a new and different challenge for your body and aid in avoiding adaptation to the same old exercise regimen. The key is in the variety of exercises, equipment, and techniques that you choose. Utilizing these ideas will help you to progress rather than stay in the same place with your fat loss goals and finally lose those last few pounds.