Cardio training is an effective way to burn fat at home. Cardio training at home - program, exercises Duration of cardio training for weight loss

Hello friends. Cardio training for fat loss can work very effectively if done correctly. We can lose weight at different speeds, maintaining muscle to a greater or lesser extent, which is what we will talk about today.

Are you bored?

Yes, yes, I know, I haven’t posted for a long time...

There's a lot to do, friends. Regular readers and subscribers noticed this. Thank you for your concern and for writing emails to In contact with And Instagram. I'll tell you soon what I've been up to.

In the meantime, I’m correcting myself)

Traditionally, before summer, I consider it very important to post more materials about losing weight and drying the body, because... It is in the summer that most people want to look beautiful, fit and sexy.

It so happens that our muscles look much more beautiful without excess fat, so many athletes, sportswomen and ordinary people really want to get rid of fat deposits on the body first.

Many athletes gain “dirty” muscle mass in the fall and winter so that, as they say, they have something to dry before the summer and have something to show off on the beach, including me.

Although now, I am increasingly coming to the conclusion that I want to look fit all year round, like most people, because... I am very motivated by permanent results in the mirror, and not just short-term attractive appearance in the summer.

You know, when the idea to write this article came to my mind, I wanted to create not just something banal and typical, like: “Jump your legs in this direction, and then in the other for 30 minutes a day and you will lose weight,” but something... something that is truly worthwhile and useful for you.

I would like you to begin to understand the mechanisms of aerobic exercise. This way you can more effectively manage your weight loss process.

Therefore, today I will consider very pressing issues related to cardio exercise, the answers to which are confirmed by experiments and scientific research.

Cardio exercises and differences from anaerobic exercise

There are many cardio exercises and several types of physical activity that can speed up fat loss. We will definitely talk to you about them.

First, let's define what a cardio load is and how it differs from a strength load.

(AEROBIC) is a low-intensity exercise that requires a large amount of oxygen and a certain amount of fat and carbohydrate reserves. For example: Walking, running, swimming, cycling, skiing, etc.(ANAEROBIC) - this is such a moderate and high-intensity load, for which oxygen is not needed (hence the name - anaerobic, i.e. oxygen-free). To provide energy for this load, carbohydrates are needed in the form of glycogen reserves. These are any strength loads from bodybuilding to weightlifting, etc.).

Conclusion: The most important difference between these types of exercise is that during anaerobic exercise carbohydrates (glycogen) are burned, and during aerobic exercise fat reserves are burned.

This does not mean that any of these loads are better. This only makes it clear that these types of loads have their own DIFFERENCES.

During cardio exercise we can observe the following effects:

• Fatty acid oxidation (fat burns directly in small quantities);
• Increased blood circulation (the number of capillaries increases);
• Increasing the number of mitochondria (the energy stations of our cells) and fat-burning enzymes;
• Conversion of glycolytic (power) muscle fibers into oxidative (endurance);
• Reducing the energy consumption pool in a calm state (energy efficiency increases);

Power load has the following effects:

• Increased oxygen consumption after exercise;
• Increasing the amount of glycogen in muscles and enzymes;
• Increasing the efficiency of muscle contraction (by optimizing the position of muscle fibers in the muscle mass - the body begins to position muscle fibers more efficiently to make it easier to overcome the load);
• An increase in overall energy consumption (glycogen is wasted, metabolism is accelerated, muscle growth, etc.);
• Conversion of oxidative (endurance) muscle fibers into glycolytic (power) fibers;

Isn’t it amazing how the body is able to transform while performing this or that physical activity?

As you may have noticed, these two types of loads conflict a little with each other.

The more you train in the gym, the less your endurance (one type of muscle fiber is converted into another).

On the other hand, the more you run, the smaller and weaker your muscles become.

What should you do then and what type of physical activity should you choose for effective weight loss?

Why do I say specifically for weight loss? Because if you are planning to gain muscle mass and want to find out, then I don’t see any point in thinking about cardio training in the near future, with rare exceptions.

If your goal is a beautiful, athletic, lean appearance, then the best option would be to use TWO TYPES of physical activity at once: aerobic and anaerobic.

• Strength training (anaerobic) will allow you to maintain more muscle and increase overall energy expenditure, while accelerating fat burning (due to lower blood sugar).
• Cardio exercise (aerobic) will allow you to start burning fat DIRECTLY (fat will slowly burn), lowering glucose levels and training endurance.

By the way, reducing glucose levels is a very important factor for more effective fat burning, because the faster the reduction and utilization of glucose occurs, the lower the blood sugar, the faster lipolysis and fat burning occur.

Despite the fact that strength training greatly increases total energy expenditure during and after exercise, it almost does not increase glucose utilization.

There are two experiments on this:

• Experiment No. 1: This experiment showed that if an athlete uses aerobic training along with strength training, then glucose utilization occurs much better than when he uses only strength training.
• Experiment No. 2: This experiment showed that the amount of glucose utilization in athletes of strength sports and people leading a sedentary lifestyle does not differ from athletes engaged in cardio endurance training.

The following conclusion suggests itself. For the most effective fat burning and maintaining the beautiful shape of our muscles You MUST use cardio exercises along with strength training.

We’ll talk to you a little further about those cardio exercises that we can do at home and in the gym, but for now let’s tell you which cardio will be better for burning fat.

Which cardio burns fat better?

Here we need to decide with you the goals that are facing you.

In general, we can divide cardio exercise into two types:

1. High intensity (very fast running).
2. Low intensity (fast walking).

If we talk about long-term goals, then, perhaps, a high-intensity load (very fast running) works better, and if we are talking about fat burning at the moment, then a low-intensity load (fast walking) works better.

Here, as they say, “a double-edged sword”:

• The higher the intensity of your cardio, the more carbohydrates (glycogen) you burn and the less fat you burn.
• The lower the intensity of your cardio, the more fat is oxidized (burned) and the less carbohydrates (glycogen) are oxidized.

On the other side:

• The higher the cardio intensity, the more the subsequent energy expenditure for recovery increases.
• The lower the cardio intensity, the lower the subsequent energy consumption for recovery.

We have a certain contradiction. Where there are advantages in one type of cardio, there are disadvantages in another.

We can burn fat, but in this case we will burn very little of it.

Here are examples:

As we can see from the example above, with low-intensity cardio (fast walking), it is fat that burns, and with high-intensity cardio (very fast running), only glycogen (carbohydrates) burns.

But if you burn glycogen reserves, then blood sugar drops and the body begins to oxidize fats.

Additionally, high-intensity cardio burns more calories during recovery than low-intensity cardio.

For those who missed the thread of the conversation, I will answer the main question, which cardio will be better for burning fat.

This will depend on your goals, desires and time allocated for fat burning.

• If you want to burn fat by any means, as quickly as possible, without paying attention to the loss of muscle and strength, then you can do HIGH INTENSITY CARDIO, i.e. run fast or pedal a bike uphill at a fast pace, etc.
• If you want to preserve muscle, you don’t have a critical amount of subcutaneous fat and you started drying out in advance, then you can do LOW-INTENSE CARDIO, i.e. walking at a brisk pace, for example.

What about interval running?

For those who don’t know, interval running is, roughly speaking, alternating high-intensity and low-intensity cardio.

If the intervals of low-intensity cardio are too short, then we are talking about purely high-intensity exercise, which will burn predominantly glycogen.

If you do this kind of running after strength training, then I don’t see the point in doing intervals at all, you can just use high-intensity cardio, because. you will have a high-intensity strength load, followed by a high-intensity cardio load.

You will lose a lot of muscle, but you will undoubtedly lose weight faster.

If muscle is important to you, then interval cardio is not your method.

When is the best time to do cardio?

• Best time for CARDIO workout = MORNING;
• Best time for STRENGTH training = EVENING;
• Good = if you have the opportunity to do two workouts (morning and evening);
• Ideal = CARDIO and STRENGTH training on different days;

Now a little more detail.

Cardio training in the morning is good because your glycogen reserves are depleted and your body begins to burn fat reserves even at high intensity, because. there is low blood sugar.

In the evening, strength training is preferable based on our biorhythms.

There are many studies that confirm that strength training in the evening is much more effective than in the morning for a number of reasons:

1. In the evening (16:30 – 20:00) our body experiences a peak of energy activity.
2. In the evening, all our muscles are better stretched, blood circulation works better, the body functions more stable, and concentration is stronger.

There are a number of experiments by Professor Seluyanov that confirm that before a fat cell burns, it needs to be broken down into glycerol and fatty acids, after which these FAT DROPS get into the MUSCLES!

The "fat drops" (fatty acids) are then used as energy during low-intensity cardio.

Conclusion: Burning of the fat cell does not occur directly! First, it breaks down (lipolysis), then the fat drops in the muscles burn (fat burning).

So, when you have spent drops of fat from the muscles during low-intensity cardio, you need 30-50 minutes for the next fat cells to break down and the next portion of fatty acids to get into the muscles for further use.

And then, this is provided that you have a constant calorie deficit and low blood sugar.

In practice, without external stress, the breakdown of fat and migration of fatty acids into muscles can take up to a day or more.

You and I know how to stimulate this process.

During strength training, stress and pain stimulate the production of catelocholamines - adrenaline and norepinephrine, which break down fat cells into glycerol and fatty acids, which are burned during low-intensity cardio.

It has been proven that free fatty acids can remain in the muscles for 60-80 hours, i.e. more than 3 days.

Conclusion: Thus, we have several best periods for cardio training:

1. MORNING = great time to do fasted cardio because... Blood sugar levels are low and the body immediately begins to break down fat reserves.
2. ON A DAY WHEN THERE IS NO STRENGTH TRAINING = this way we will not neutralize the results of strength training (we will not wash away the growth factors produced during strength training) and will effectively burn fat, because Free fatty acids after strength training remain in the muscles for another 60-80 hours.
3. BEFORE STRENGTH TRAINING = This way we destroy less muscle mass and burn fat more effectively.

I would like to talk in more detail about the third point, namely about cardio before strength training.

After all, most people do cardio and strength training on the same day.

There is a popular pattern in which people do cardio after strength training to achieve better fat burning while their blood sugar levels are lower.

As I said, this strategy is VERY BAD for muscle mass, because... all growth factors are washed away during cardio.

Why is that bad?

All this happens with a caloric deficit, when there is no question of muscle growth, in addition, this does not allow even the previous muscle volumes to be maintained, because. growth factors are destroyed.

As we know, muscles are very voracious things that spend a lot of energy. If they also burn, then the body begins to consume less energy at rest, which means it slows down fat burning.

There are a number of experiments (for example, Morits Schumann, Milan Sedlyak, etc.) that confirm the effectiveness of cardio before strength training and its safety for muscle growth.

Experiment: Conducted on 42 men who had not exercised for the past year. Training took place 2-5 times a week for 6 months. People did both strength and cardio training. 10 participants did not train and did not change anything in their lifestyle - this was the control group.

Scientists have been trying to figure out the best way to exercise in the morning or evening, and in what order to do cardio and strength training.

It's not complicated. The graphs have the following symbols:

• m – training takes place in the MORNING (from 06:30 to 10 am);
• e – training takes place IN THE EVENING (from 16:30 to 20:00);
• S – strength training;
• E – cardio training;

For example, mE+S means that the training takes place in the MORNING (m), starting with CARDIO (E), then strength training (S).

Results:

The figure shows the enlargement of the vastus lateralis muscle that was observed on the scan. As we can see, the increase in muscle mass when training in the evening is GREATER than when training in the morning (m

The following graph shows the change in endurance of athletes, depending on what type of load they start training with, cardio (E) or strength (S).

As we can see, the endurance results of athletes of the third group (eE+S) changed the most, i.e. who trained in the evening, starting with cardio loads and ending with strength training.

Conclusions:

1. Working out in the evenings is more effective at building muscle mass than working out in the morning.
2. Workouts that start with cardio develop endurance more effectively + contribute to the destruction of muscle mass to a lesser extent (group 3).

Those. it's simple.

• If you have a choice to train in the mornings or evenings, choose IN THE EVENINGS.
• If maintaining muscle mass is important to us, then we first do low-intensity cardio, then strength training.
• If we don’t care about muscle mass, our goal is to lose weight faster, then we do strength training first, then HIGH-INTENSITY or INTERVAL cardio. All this in conditions of CALORIE DEFICIT and LOW SUGAR LEVEL in the blood (we are on a diet).

Low-intensity cardio after strength training is also a valid option, but less effective than cardio before strength training, because... we burn muscles to a much greater extent, thereby reducing the basic energy expenditure of our body (since the main “eaters” of energy - muscles) are reduced.

On the other side, The experiment was conducted on people who did not exercise for a year, i.e. their ability to grow muscle mass as a percentage is higher than that of training NATURAL athletes (any stress on their body can cause growth, to a moderate extent).

Therefore, the conclusion about the growth of muscle mass can be practically neglected, but this is important from the point of view of maintaining more muscle volume. You're unlikely to gain weight by doing cardio, but doing it before strength training will help you retain more muscle.

How are you there? Not too loaded with information? Is everything clear?

If you have questions, ask in the comments. I tried to make the article as simple and understandable as possible for everyone. I hope it worked.

Now, let's look at a specific cardio training scheme in the gym.

Cardio workout to burn fat in the gym

We are faced with the question of how to most effectively build a cardio workout in the gym.

We know that the stress of strength training stimulates the production of catecholamines: adrenaline and norepinephrine, which effectively trigger lipolysis (the breakdown of fat).

Therefore, we will use cardio training together with strength training:

1. 1-1.5 hours REST (wait for fatty acids to enter the muscles);
2. 30-50 minutes of low-intensity cardio (burn free fatty acids in the muscles);
3. 15-50 minutes STRENGTH (high-intensity anaerobic exercise to trigger lipolysis);

This scheme is designed for those people who have a lot of free time (for example, if you are a student or unemployed).

For all those less fortunate in terms of time, I suggest working according to the following scheme:

1. In the morning: 30-50 minutes of low-intensity cardio (burn free fatty acids in the muscles). You can walk down the street on an empty stomach at a brisk pace;
2. BEFORE STRENGTH TRAINING: 30-50 minutes of low-intensity cardio (burn free fatty acids in the muscles);
3. 15-50 minutes STRENGTH (high-intensity anaerobic exercise to trigger lipolysis);
4. We change clothes: 30-50 minutes of low-intensity cardio (burn free fatty acids in the muscles). You can walk down the street towards the house at a brisk pace;

Experiment! Think about how you can add more cardio into your schedule. I'm sure it can be done.

Attention! Remember that fat burning will be most effective when your blood sugar levels are low, so I suggest you use or. Or do this scheme in the morning on an empty stomach.

Attention! Strength training should be in the medium rep range (6-12 for men and 8-15 for women), and the last sets should be done in a pumping style for 20-30 reps (partial amplitude possible, UNTIL THE BURN). Lose weight and do high reps.

If you are just starting to train in the gym and don’t know which strength training to start with, then I suggest you download my free system for choosing an individual training program, which will help you choose a training program depending on your gender, age, fitness and genetics:

Why don't I tell you what kind of cardio you should do?

Because it doesn't really matter that much, especially if you're training in a gym that's full of cardio-friendly equipment.

You can do:

1. Walking fast on a treadmill.
2. Riding an exercise bike.
3. Ellipse (such a machine with pedals and handles, depicts walking with poles)
4. Swimming in the pool.

Any aerobic low-intensity activity.

Heart rate and its control

As I said, it doesn’t really matter which cardio machine you choose for your workouts, it’s important to PAY ATTENTION to your heart rate (heart rate).

As a rule, your heart rate should be in the range of 110-160 beats per minute.

At this heart rate range, your body will be highly oxygenated, making it more efficient at oxidizing fatty acids.

Monitoring your heart rate is very easy. Almost every exercise machine has special pads on the handles, by holding which you will immediately know your heart rate.

Or, if you have very ancient exercise equipment in your gym, then buy a heart rate monitor or a wristwatch that allows you to control this parameter.

Heart rate (HR) should be calculated individually, depending on your age, fitness level and other individual characteristics! It is very important!

If for a young trained person a heart rate of 160 beats per minute is the norm, then for a 50-60 year old woman such a heart rate will be disastrous.

The most accurate formula IN THE WORLD for calculating the MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE heart rate is this:

HR max = 205.8 – (0.685 * age)

• HRmax is the maximum allowable heart rate for a given person.
• age – a person’s age in years.

For example, for me, a 27-year-old trained person, this formula gives a number approximately equal to 187 beats per minute.

Someone will ask: “Nikita, but this figure is not in the range that you said to focus on 110-160 blows?”

Yes it is.

1. First: You must understand that this formula is derived EMPIRICALLY, i.e. based on EXPERIMENTAL DATA. It is not universal, although it is quite accurate.
2. The formula determines the MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE number of heartbeats, i.e. that moment when your body works to the limit, which can be risky for older athletes (you can severely overload the heart). For example, for 50-year-old athletes the figure is 153 beats/min, which is clearly a lot for the AVERAGE value, but acceptable for the maximum. Feel free to reduce the resulting value by 15-20% and get a rational heart rate for you.

If for some reason you can’t do cardio in the gym (you don’t have equipment or you’re embarrassed), then you can do it at home. Cardio training at home to burn fat is not as easy to build as in the gym, but still, I will give you some specific practical tips.

By the way, strength training can also be done at home, as I talked about in the article.

So you can start changing your body right at home.

The most difficult thing is to ensure the desired heart rate range at home.

What we need:

1. A heart rate monitor (a very cheap luxury product sold in stores or on Aliexpress) to monitor your heart rate.
2. Exercise mat (optional, but very handy).
3. A little free space.
4. Fresh air (for better oxygenation of the body and burning of fatty acids)

How to do cardio at home:

1. Jump rope (the easiest way, if the ceiling and space allows you).
2. Hoop. A very effective thing, especially if you can twist it for a long time.
3. Exercises in place (for example, slow running in place, various bends, lunges, stretches).

It’s not very convenient to do cardio at home, because... you need to control your pulse and exercise without a break for a relatively long time (30-50 minutes), but you can if you want.

Here, for example, are the exercises that can be performed on the spot without interruption.

Running with alternate steps onto the platform:

Various swings and plank stance (more difficult):

The most important:

1. You must provide a sufficiently long, continuous, low-intensity load. IT DOESN'T MATTER what it is.
2. Open a window in the next room or balcony (if it’s warm) so that oxygen helps your body oxidize fatty acids.
3. Control your heart rate in the range of 110-160 beats per minute. If the number of strokes decreases to 60-90, then the body burns glycogen instead of fat.

How to speed up fat burning and burn fat in difficult places

You can speed up fat burning with a few simple steps and supplements.

By the way, I already wrote about why fat is stored in different places at different rates in the article.

Multiply, fat is stored in our body at different rates due to different concentrations of adrenergic receptors in the tissues.

• Where there are more BETA-2 adrenergic receptors, fat is stored worse (face, hands, calves, etc.).
• Where there are more ALPHA-2 adrenergic receptors, fat is stored better (hips in women, stomach and sides in men).

So, for example, women have 9 times more ALPHA-2 adrenergic receptors in their thighs than BETA-2 adrenergic receptors. Thus, fat is stored there very intensively.

There are substances that block alpha-2 adrenergic receptors and activate beta-2 adrenergic receptors. For example, yohimbine partially blocks alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, thereby reducing the storage of fat in the body.

Also, clenbuterol stimulates beta-2 adrenergic receptors, causing better fat breakdown in the body tissues.

By the way, I have cool articles with my experience in using these drugs:

There are also prohibited drugs, such as ephedrine (you can go to jail for it). Ephedra increases the release of norepinephrine, which leads to activation of beta-2 adrenergic receptors without activation of alpha 2 adrenergic receptors. Fat is not stored, fat burning goes faster.

You can also add pumping and running (cardio) to your strength training. This will begin to change the concentration of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors towards beta receptors.

This is why pumping leads to accelerated fat burning. In addition to releasing the stress hormones we need, it increases the number of type 2 beta-adrenergic receptors for better fat burning.

So, a real diagram of how to burn fat in the most difficult places:

All this will work as a supplement to your main diet! We remember that to burn fat we need a constant calorie deficit and low blood sugar.

conclusions

Well, friends. The article turned out to be detailed and cool, in my opinion. What do you think?

Let me, as usual, summarize all of the above for better understanding of the material.

• CARDIO exercise (aerobic) – a lot of oxygen, fat burning. Fast walking, cycling, etc.
• STRENGTH exercise (anaerobic) is an oxygen-free way to provide energy and grows muscles. Gym.
• During anaerobic exercise, carbohydrates (glycogen) are burned, and during aerobic exercise, fat reserves are burned.
• To effectively burn fat and maintain the shape of our muscles, we MUST use CARDIO + STRENGTH.
• We choose training IN THE EVENINGS.
• Preserving muscle mass = do low-intensity cardio first, then strength training.
• It doesn’t matter about muscle mass, we lose weight faster = do strength training first, then HIGH-INTENSITY or INTERVAL cardio.
• Most importantly, during cardio we keep our heart rate: 110-160 beats per minute.
• Certain actions can speed up fat burning (pumping, yohimbine, clenbuterol, l-carnitine, coffee, etc.)

That's all for me today, friends. I hope you now understand how cardio training should be done to burn fat and better preserve muscle.

P.S. Subscribe to blog updates. It will only get worse.

With respect and best wishes,!

Of all the ways to combat excess weight, fat-burning cardio training is considered by most experts to be the most effective for the body. Cardio exercises (and in record time!) not only create a beautiful and toned body, but also have a powerful healing effect on the body. After all, intense fat-burning aerobics is, first of all, therapeutic - it’s not for nothing that its name contains the Latin word “cardio”, that is, “heart”. And how our heart functions is how the tissues are supplied with oxygen, the metabolism works and, as a result, excess fat is broken down. As a result, cardio training strengthens the cardiovascular system, develops endurance, relieves constant fatigue syndrome, allows you to lose weight without grueling diets, and even improves your mood.

There are quite a lot of different methods of such exercises, and most of them do not require visiting a prestigious fitness center. Cardio training at home for burning fat can be no less effective - all you need is a balanced approach to increasing loads and... a good mood!

What is cardio training? First of all, like any other, it is one of the types of physical activity that leads to increased energy consumption. However, if during strength exercises, also called, acid quickly accumulates in the muscles, energy during cardio training is released due to the oxidation of glucose - and, therefore, is aerobic and not so much building muscle mass as burning fat as much as possible.

For this reason, the list of the most common types of cardio includes such simple and familiar things as:

• engaging in any active games;
• swimming;
• cycling;
• fast walking;
• and for girls there is also aerobics and dancing.

All of the above activities are characterized by a fast pace and very short pauses - which, with a completely gentle but long-term load, has a beneficial effect on the body, gradually breaks down fat cells, makes muscles elastic and a slim figure.

Fitness center or “your own doctor”?

And yet, how is it different at home from what fitness centers offer? The latter, of course, are rich in their capabilities - and therefore attract clients with classes on multifunctional exercise machines, specialized treadmills, as well as dozens of types of aerobics and dance under the guidance of experienced instructors.

However, from a medical point of view (and especially in the fresh air) it is no less effective. You just need to decide on a suitable set of exercises, and also combine it with a reasonable diet and a healthy lifestyle.

What kind of cardio training can be mentioned first of all for those who prefer to be “their own doctor”? First of all, long cycling and jogging, so popular in the West. Their main advantages:

• combining business with pleasure;
• no connection to gym time;
• powerful ventilation of the lungs;
• no additional costs whatsoever.

Other benefits of cardio

Other (but no less important and fundamental) advantages of cardio for both men and women include:

• rapid burning of fat deposits (including cellulite in particularly problematic areas);
• normalization of pressure;
• increase in lung volume;
• normalization of breathing;
• strengthening the heart muscle;
• increasing the elasticity and strength of ligaments and the muscular skeleton;
• normalization of the nervous system and psychological state in general;
• a multiple reduction in the risk of diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

At the same time, almost all types of cardio exercises are absolutely safe, and are not recommended only for people with obvious contraindications to them (those who have recently undergone surgery, those with heart disease in the acute stage, those suffering from certain disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and some others).

We work out without exercise equipment

Having high-quality exercise equipment in your own apartment is undoubtedly a pleasant thing, but not accessible to everyone. However, their absence does not mean that building a slim, healthy and beautiful body without them is something unattainable. After all, our grandparents managed without them, being content with daily exercises with the window wide open and jogging in the parks.

Moreover, it is impossible to say which cardio burns fat better (carried out in an expensive fitness center or in your own home or garden), since the main role here is played not by the place, but by the attitude to the exercise and the goal.

Warm-up

The first mandatory stage of training is. In many ways, it resembles regular morning exercises, and requires from 5 to 10 minutes. free time. The list of movements for it usually includes the following:

• active bends forward/backward and left/right, combined with arm swings;
• jumping in place and to the sides;
• imitation of “boxing punches” with alternate throwing forward of hands clenched into a fist;
• push-ups;
• pumping the press using an ottoman (at home) or a bench (outdoors);
• jumping rope, twirling a hoop, etc.

At the same time, both the technical side of performing the exercises and the number of repetitions of each of them are important - and the best way to study this science clearly is with the help of appropriate videos.

Interval Cardio

A more “advanced” stage is the so-called “interval” cardio, which consists of alternating both the pace of exercises and the degree of their load on the muscles. This “ragged” rhythm pursues the achievement of three goals at once - a general strengthening effect on the body, maintaining the tone of the entire muscular skeleton and losing excess weight. As a result, the body’s reaction sequentially goes through the following stages:

• rapid burning of excess fat (2-3 weeks);
• normalization of metabolism, sharply reducing the likelihood of the appearance of new fat deposits (from 1 to 2 months);
• accelerated absorption of produced insulin (3-4 months);
• stable (including immune) and sculpted body (on average about six months).

With interval cardio, the primary load on certain muscle groups is usually performed alternately (for example, on the cervical and shoulder muscles on one day, the back and trapezius on the second, the lumbar and abs on the third, the thighs and calves on the fourth).

Jumping and running

If regular jogging does not raise any questions, then the proposal to “run in an apartment” confuses beginners. However, in cardio, not only its classic version is practiced, but also several specific ones - the level of loads for which is no less.

• The first of them is, but usually carried out to the accompaniment of “groovy” music and accompanied by active movements of the body and arms. This kind of running is somewhat reminiscent of dancing and uses a huge number of muscles.
• Run with your knees thrown up as high as possible, trying to touch the palms of your outstretched hands with your kneecaps with each movement.
• Overlap is more similar to jumping, since with each movement the heel must strike the buttock. At the same time, the hands are also not in their usual position, but clap above the head.
• Jumping with a squat - a low jump up, followed by landing on your toes with a quick transition to a squat all the way to the floor and throwing your arms up.

Cardio + strength training

Another option for quick weight loss, combined with a complex that includes both cardio and strength exercises. In the first case, the burning of fat cells occurs directly during exercise, in the second, the replacement of fat tissue with muscle tissue is a post-effect. As a result, excess weight is dealt a “double blow”, which in a fairly short time leads to the construction of not only a slim, but also a moderately sculpted figure.

It remains only to remind you that regular exercise must be combined with healthy sleep, proper nutrition and abstinence from smoking, alcohol and other unpleasant habits. Of course, if you care about a beautiful figure and a healthy heart.

Do you need to study a lot?

There are no strict instructions on this matter, but the minimum number of training sessions is considered to be at least once every 2 days (otherwise, they simply will not bring the desired effect). Moreover, maintaining an already formed body “in shape” requires no less effort.

The optimal duration of classes is about 30-40 minutes (since the first 20 of them do not burn fat, but only carbohydrates).

What will we eat after cardio?

The topic of nutrition after classes is still open. Some experts insist that you should not eat immediately after prolonged exercise. The latter claim that it is food eaten literally within the first 10-20 minutes that can restore energy loss as much as possible.

Be that as it may, following either the first or the second recommendations, you need to understand: you should start “loading” new calories into the body with something liquid and rich in carbohydrates (for example, any berry juice). Then, after some time, it should be followed by proteins - and also optimally not in solid, but in powder form. And only after 2-3 hours you can indulge in energy drinks such as coffee or chocolate.

It is widely believed that the best way to lose weight quickly is through serious food restrictions.

But after breaking the diet, the extra pounds quickly return.

If it is difficult for a person to adhere to proper nutrition throughout his life, then you can turn your attention to cardio training for burning fat, which can be done at home.

What is cardio training and are they suitable for losing weight at home?

Cardio exercises are a set of exercises designed to strengthen the cardiovascular system. It includes the following types of exercises:

• walking;
• warm-up on special exercise machines;

With the help of the complex, it is quite easy to lose weight at home, since many exercises can be performed without special equipment. The effect of cardio for weight loss is that it stimulates the burning of excess deposits.

This type of training forces the body to spend a huge amount of energy, which it extracts from fat reserves.

In order for the classes to give maximum results, you must adhere to some rules during their implementation:

• at first, do physical activity no more than 2 times a week;
• exercise for at least 20 minutes.

Be sure to check out:

Effective weight loss exercises at home for men and women

Before starting a workout, you should consult your doctor about the possibility of doing it. The intensity of the load is increased little by little so that the body does not have time to get used to it and the weight loss process does not slow down.

Before classes, first do a warm-up, and after that do stretching exercises.

Important! Cardio training involves constantly monitoring your heart rate during physical activity. This is done using a special device. If a person feels unwell during a workout, it should be canceled immediately.

For beginner girls and young people

A set of exercises for beginners involves light aerobic exercise aimed at improving endurance.

The following types of exercises can be performed at home:

1. Push push-ups. This type of exercise is not much different from classic push-ups. The difference is that at the top point you need to push with your hands, throwing your body up. It is better for guys to lean on the floor, for girls - on a bench or sofa.
2. Jumping up. Squat with legs wide apart as deeply as possible, and hands folded behind the head. From this position make a sharp jump upward.
3. Lying point-blank lunges. You need to sit on your tiptoes and place your arms straight in front of you. During the jump, the legs are thrown back, resting on the palms. Then, using a jump, they return to the starting position.

For beginners, your own body weight will be enough for regular training. Weights are not used in the initial stages.

An approximate complex designed for beginners:

• standard squats – 20 times;
• push-ups – 10 times;
• lying lunges - 10 times;
• jumping up – 15 times;
• jumping in place – 30 times.

You need to work according to the presented system in cycles, that is, in several approaches. To normalize your heartbeat, after exercise you need to stretch your muscles. The complex starts with 5 minutes and gradually increases the duration of the load to 40-50 minutes.

Male complex

Also suitable for representatives of the stronger sex who want to correct their body weight.

To achieve the desired result, it will be enough for them to regularly perform the following types of exercises:

1. Running up and down stairs. The duration of the load is 7-10 minutes with a rest break of 60 seconds. Jogging can be replaced by exercise on an exercise bike. In this case, the duration of the exercise is reduced to 5 minutes.
2. Quick push-ups (15-20 times). After completing the complex, rest for 30 seconds and do another 2-3 approaches. If your level of physical fitness allows, then the exercise can be complicated: do push-ups with cotton.
3. Wide squats. The legs are placed wider than the shoulders, the back is straightened. Do deep squats without lifting your heels off the floor (up to 25 times). You can complicate the exercises by jumping up or clasping your hands behind your head.
4. Plank. During the complex, a man should rest only on his forearms and socks brought together. It is important that during exercise the spine is parallel to the floor. Hold the plank for a minute and then take a break of 30 seconds. For men who constantly practice cardio training, you can complicate the complex: alternately lift your right and left legs in the “Plank” position or lift your forearms off the floor.
5. Burpees. It is considered one of the most difficult exercises in the men's complex. It is performed from a position on all fours so that the knees are in contact with the chest. The legs are sharply pulled back so that the body assumes a lying position. After this, they return to the starting position and jump up with their arms outstretched.

Burpee

A set of exercises for cardio training for men:

• burpees – 20 repetitions;
• wide squats – 30;
• push-ups from the floor – 25 times;
• bar;
• running with high knees – 2 minutes.

Exercises are done 2-3 times with stops until breathing is completely restored.

If training takes place at home, then you need to select exercises that suit your abilities. In this case, doctors and trainers will not be able to control the level of physical activity.

Features of women's programs

The difference between women's cardio training and men's is that most exercises are aimed at working the lower body. The most problematic areas for the fairer sex are the hips and buttocks, so the emphasis is primarily on them, as well as the stomach and sides.

This allows women to reduce their body proportions without gaining muscle mass.

Suitable complexes for girls:

• intense jumping, including jumping rope;
• exercise “bicycle”;
• running in place;
• lunges;
• various swings of the lower limbs.

Types at home for women:

1. "Jumper." Feet are placed together, arms are lowered. When jumping, the lower limbs are shoulder-width apart, and the upper limbs are raised upward. They return to their starting position without delay. The number of repetitions is about 10-15 times. This type of exercise requires a lot of energy and is ideal for burning extra calories. will tighten the inner and outer thighs.
2. "Skater". The body is tilted forward, legs are shoulder-width apart. As you exhale, lunge with your left leg and touch your foot with your opposite hand. The upper limb of the same name should be retracted. Similar movements are repeated for the other side.
3. Jumping "Star". Sit in a semi-squat position, rest your hands on the floor, bend your legs at the knees. As you exhale, make a high jump up, simultaneously spreading your lower and upper limbs to the sides. When lowering, the arms and legs are brought together again.

Approximate cardio complex for women:

• running in place with your shins overlapping – 20 times;
• jumping rope – 2 minutes;
• speed skater exercise – 25;
• running with high knees in front of you – 20;
• jumping “Star” – 10.

Professionals recommend that beginners do cardio at the same hours. A person must be absolutely sure that at this moment he will have time to train. The effect of classes is visible only if they are carried out regularly.

In the morning, experts recommend giving preference to low-intensity cardio exercises - walking up the stairs, rollerblading, cycling. These types of training are permissible only if the person does not have obesity or problems with the musculoskeletal system.

Yoga or any aerobic exercise routine is also suitable for morning workouts.

Important! In the first hours after waking up, trainers do not recommend doing squats, jumping or exercising with weights. This will prevent injury to ligaments and joints, since coordination of movement is worse in the morning than in the afternoon.

In the evening, cardio can be done at any time. If exercise is carried out less than 2 hours before bedtime, then preference is given to low-intensity types of physical activity: yoga, swimming pool, walking.

Fitness expert, fencer and coach Maxim Peresvet

Cardio exercises will depend on your goals. For example, to lose weight in your body, I recommend running with proper nutrition. Training is performed 5 times a week. It is better if the maximum load occurs in the morning. On the first day they run a distance of no more than 3 km, and gradually increase the distance to 8 km.

For those who regularly do cardio, I advise you to alternate idle jogging with weights. Beginners are prohibited from using these devices, as the risk of sprain increases.

Before purchasing a trainer, you need to consult with experts. Don't buy the cheapest treadmills.

Diver and fitness trainer Sergei Knyazevich

S. Knyazevich. Facebook profile photo

For effective weight loss, I recommend combining strength training with cardio. The first complex is performed before cardio, otherwise the effectiveness of training will be reduced. I myself conduct classes for up to 40 minutes, since prolonged physical activity increases the risk of catabolism.

It is very good to do cardio on an empty stomach when losing weight. Heart rate during exercise depends on age. The average for ordinary people is 135 beats/min, for athletes – 150 beats/min.

Cardiologist Elena Kobeleva

Exercising not only allows you to lose weight, but also has a beneficial effect on the state of the cardiovascular system. With regular cardio exercises, a non-obese person can quickly bring their heart rate back to normal after a walk or jog. Situations in which it is necessary to quickly restore your pulse occur almost every day.

The formula for calculating the maximum permissible heart rate is 220 minus the person’s age. The submaximal indicator is no more than 85% of the previous value. The optimal heart rate is equal to the submaximal value multiplied by 80%. For a 30-year-old person, the optimal heart rate is calculated as follows: ((220 – 30) * 0.85) = 130 beats/min. Exercising at this rhythm will allow you to lose weight and strengthen your heart muscle.

Useful video

Cardio workout to burn 500 calories in 45 minutes:

Main conclusions

Cardio exercise can be used as a means of losing weight at home.

The complex for men is mainly designed to work the abs and upper torso.

Experts advise regularly performing a set of cardio exercises for weight loss every day or at least regularly, since only in this case it gives results.

In the morning and before bed, preference is given to low-intensity exercise to minimize the risk of injury and avoid overstimulation before bed.

Experts believe that the optimal heart rate at which cardio training is carried out for beginners is 135 beats/min, for professionals – 150 beats/min. For each person, the indicator is calculated using the formula: ((220 – age) * 0.85) * 0.8.

Aerobics can bring quick results. During exercise, the organs require more oxygen, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. That is why such elements are included in cardio training. Most often, aerobics includes fast walking or leisurely running, skipping rope, cycling and dancing, as well as volleyball and tennis. To achieve your goal, you need to choose exercises and learn about the technique.

The effectiveness of aerobics at home

Regular practice can bring many positive results. For example, weight loss and figure correction, as well as:

• improving the health of the blood supply and preventing the development of fatal diseases, in addition, blood pressure is reduced to the required level and the pulse is normalized;
• development of more resilient breathing;
• strengthening the skeleton and improving the elasticity of the muscular system;
• normalization of sleep, thanks to which the body will recover faster.

In addition, there is an improvement in mood and even relief from depression. One of the problems that worries many is lethargy and chronic fatigue. Aerobics also allows you to get rid of these unpleasant companions. Constant sports activities help increase life expectancy.

Rules for doing cardio at home

It’s not enough to learn the basic exercises and start practicing on your own. In the gym, a trainer will monitor your technique. It is recommended to study the rules for home training and adhere to them.

It is highly undesirable to practice with all your might. Beginners try to give their best during the first lesson, unaware that they are causing irreparable harm to the body. After the first classes, the body feels weak and mildly painful for several days, which is normal. You should avoid overstraining your muscles and do not exercise forcefully. You cannot exceed the number of approaches - it is better to do everything correctly and slowly, enjoying the sport. The same applies to the number of classes per week - for a beginner athlete, 3 times are enough with an average duration of about 40 minutes.

During training, there should be no strong burning sensation in the muscles, strain or pain. Such sensations indicate that the element is being performed incorrectly. This can affect your overall health or cause injury to ligaments or joints.

Do not exercise on a full stomach or before bed. The ideal time to practice is in the evening, but not earlier than 2 hours before bedtime. If you give your body physical activity right before bed, it may consider this a wake-up call and have difficulty falling asleep at night. In addition, the muscles will not have time to contract and begin to recover before the body falls asleep. After an evening's work, a bad mood, pain in the torso, and lethargy are guaranteed in the morning. It is recommended to exercise in the morning, for example, 1.5-2 hours after a light breakfast.

Morning workout for weight loss makes it possible to correct your figure and achieve lightness in your body. It is not recommended to use dumbbells, weights or perform strength exercises to build muscle mass. This way the figure will only gain muscles and lose its feminine contours. If the problem area is the abdomen, then more than half of the allotted time should be devoted to exercises in this area. Aerobics allows you to perform elements anywhere and without sports equipment. In addition, you need to take short breaks to exercise during the working day. You can get rid of extra centimeters by stretching, twisting, jumping, running or brisk walking.

To lose weight, it is not enough to exercise every day; you need to reconsider your diet. Sweets, flour, fatty and spicy foods should be excluded from the menu. Such products store fats and delay the removal of moisture. The last meal before bed should be no more than 2 hours in advance. There is no need to adhere to the erroneous opinion and not eat after 6 pm - on the contrary, this will cause the body to experience stress and store fat deposits for the future. It is better to divide the daily diet into 8 small meals and eat every 2-3 hours.

Special attention should be paid to the room where physical education takes place. It should be quite spacious, with plenty of light and preferably a mirror (this way you can monitor the technique of the elements). If several people are working in the room at once, it is better to provide a flow of fresh air, but not a draft. You should not exercise barefoot on a slippery floor (laminate or tile) due to the high risk of slipping. At home, it is recommended to exercise on a carpet or buy a special sports mat made of soft, springy material.

Exercises for home practice

There are several main areas of aerobics: dancing, step, aqua and slide aerobics. The type is selected based on your own preferences and goals.

Running and jumping

Doing this at home is problematic, but there is a way out - running in place, and at a fast pace. It is recommended to turn on the music and move to its beat, using your hands. The second option is to add high knee lifts to running and touch them with your palms during the sport. One effective activity is to run with your heels touching your buttocks, while you also need to use your arms, clapping in front of you.

Jumping in place is no less effective; it is possible to perform small jumps with your feet together and apart. It is also necessary to work with your hands: during a jump, the clap is made above your head.

Jumping up

This element is a complex of running and jumping, since jumping is performed between sets of other exercises. This cardio allows you to generate energy, tone your buttocks and lose excess weight, and also does not require a lot of space. Technique: straight posture, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the belt. You need to sit down a little, reaching your palms to the floor and jump sharply up. You should land carefully on the balls of your feet, with your knees bent at this time.

Jumping while lying down

The exercise is similar to the previous one, but you should still pay a little attention to the technique to avoid injury. From the starting position, you need to squat down, place your hands in front of you (as in a push-up) and transfer your body weight to your palms, jumping sharply back. The element is then repeated in reverse order. After 1 jump, it is allowed to perform jumping or running.

Kicks

The element is borrowed from kickboxing and has several options: sideways, forwards and backwards. Body position for execution: legs are slightly bent at the knees and stand shoulder-width apart, arms are also bent at the elbows, and palms are clenched into fists. You need to position your hands as if they were protecting your face from blows. You need to strike forward and backward with your heel, pulling your toe toward you, and to the side with your toe. This cardio exercise requires a large space, since all the force is put into the blows.

Aerobics elements, step and dance movements

This is the most affordable and effective method for losing weight, and it also improves your mood. To perform it, you need to learn several movements from aerobics and step. You can complete your workout by dancing; you don’t have to learn any movements, just relax and move rhythmically.

What is cardio training

Cardio exercises allow you to quickly get rid of excess fat, maintaining muscle mass and improving your body appearance. In addition to this, classes have the following advantages:

• developing endurance, the ability to endure heavy loads without getting tired, because long-term training burns fat deposits faster;
• improvement of the cardiovascular system and relief from dizziness, arrhythmia and high blood pressure;
• weight loss, since with intense cardio the body spends more energy: in the first 20 minutes glycogen (a polysaccharide from the liver that provides energy) is spent, and then subcutaneous fat is used.

Cardio training often consists of running, exercise on a stepper and jumping, but it is also possible to exercise on an exercise bike, shuttle running, walk quickly or simply jump over a jump rope. Classes last from 30 to 60 minutes in the fresh air or in a well-ventilated room with an air temperature of no more than 20 degrees.

In addition to the advantages, there are also disadvantages of classes, one of them is contraindications. It is strictly forbidden for people with problems with the heart and circulatory system (hypertension, stroke, heart attack). If you are overweight and have varicose veins, it is recommended to choose a different type of exercise. In addition, you need to sensibly assess the condition of the muscular and skeletal system. Intervertebral hernia, arthrosis and calcium deficiency are an obstacle to full cardio performance. For such diseases, it is necessary to give a small load to the body under the supervision of a specialist.

Exercises to burn fat

There are many exercises to get rid of extra pounds and improve your health. All of them can be performed independently without the help of a trainer.
Walking is the simplest method that can be used by overweight people. Approximate calorie consumption per hour is up to 400. Walking is also useful for recovery after surgery or serious injury. Warm-up in the form of brisk walking will have a positive effect on the quality of your workout.

Cycling or using a stationary bike at the gym will help you use more energy and reduce stress on your knee joints than running fast. You can exercise both for beginners to lose weight and for professionals, for example, to achieve relief.

It is possible to replace running and walking with winter sports. Skiing will be an excellent cardio workout for burning fat tissue. Such exercises have a good effect on the muscles of the legs, arms, back and abs. In addition, fresh winter air saturates the organs with oxygen, which affects the effectiveness of exercise.

The elliptical is an affordable exercise machine for home workouts. An elliptical apparatus will help out those people for whom neither skiing, nor running, nor dancing are suitable. Its action is similar to movements when skiing or climbing stairs: the foot presses on the exercise machine (as if walking on the stairs), then the ellipsoid returns it back and requires you to make another effort to lower it. At the same time as your legs, you can also pump up your arms by working them on the handrails. The load on the joints is lower than with other exercises, and the training efficiency is higher.

The stepper is available for installation and practice at home, it comes with handrails or a display and without everything. Using the machine I work different leg muscles: buttocks, calves and thighs. A more complex version of the projectile is a rotary stepper, which allows you to work the back and shoulder muscles. However, it is not always convenient for beginners: for intense training you need to move a lot and rhythmically, and the muscles get tired quickly.

Other options for cardio are rowing on a special machine, swimming in a pool or river, etc. With rowing you can burn up to 800 kcal, with swimming – 600, and with skipping rope – about 1000. Such activities do not overload the muscles, but develop endurance and elasticity of the body.

High intensity interval training. The essence of the classes is to change short intense loads to less difficult ones. For example, 20 seconds of fast sprinting and 1 minute of fast walking. The duration of the workout is about 10 minutes, but sometimes it reaches 60 minutes for professionals. HIIT burns approximately 9 times more fat than regular exercise.

Nutritional Features

Proper nutrition during physical activity plays a huge role. If you continue to eat according to your usual pattern, eating sweets, fatty foods and starchy foods, you will have to wait a long time for the results of your exercises. Exercising to improve your health does not require you to follow a strict diet; you just need to adjust your daily diet. Losing weight requires radically changing your attitude towards food. With intense cardio, do not forget that your appetite increases, so you should not refuse meals.

The diet must contain animal proteins (chicken, turkey, dairy products, fish) in up to 70% of the entire menu. The second important element for building muscle mass is carbohydrates - up to 20% are required (beans, cereals, vegetables and unsweetened fruits, cereals). The smallest share is fats, their share is only 10%. It is better to eat various nuts and oils, but within 30 grams per day.

For a post-workout or between-meal snack, consider choosing low-fat dairy products, citrus fruits, apples and non-starchy vegetables. An important rule is that carbohydrates are consumed only before exercise, and proteins after it.

The volume of fluid you drink per day should be at least 1.5-2 liters of water per day, depending on body weight. You are allowed to drink not only clean water, but also table mineral water without gas.

Workout Sequence

Effective cardio training takes place in several stages. First, you need to do a warm-up to warm up your muscles and prevent possible injuries. The main stage includes several intense exercises. The last stage is the final elements, which take place at a slower rhythm.

Warm-up

To warm up the muscles you need to spend at least 5-7 minutes. It is recommended to perform each exercise 10-15 times. The body should not get tired at this time, otherwise further elements will be performed incorrectly and will not bring the desired result.

1. Reverse lunges. To perform this, you need to stand up straight, then take a middle step while inhaling back with your right leg and perform a squat. The back remains straight, hands on the belt, the knee of the left leg is above the foot. As you exhale, the right leg returns to its original position, and the exercise is repeated the required number of times. After which the leg is replaced by the opposite one.
2. Squats with raised arms. Squats should be performed with one leg shifted to the side. When lowering, your arms touch the floor; when raising, they reach up above your head.
3. The gluteal bridge has several options. Starting position - lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms relaxed and lying on the floor. When inhaling, the pelvis and back lift off the floor, reaching the prima line, and the buttocks tense. Then the body returns to the starting point without relaxing the buttock muscles.
4. Shoulder touch plank. The last element of the warm-up is performed in a lying position (the position resembles push-ups), with one hand lifting off the mat from time to time and touching the opposite shoulder. When doing the plank, you need to pay attention to your back and abs; the muscles should not be relaxed or allowed to bend.

Basic movements

The main part of cardio takes the longest time. You must choose it based on your physical fitness, well-being and body endurance. It is worth remembering that training cannot last more than an hour without rest.

1. Climbing exercise. The basic stance is a plank, with your palms under your shoulders and your abs tense. You need to remain in this position as long as you have the strength. Then you need to bend one leg and move it as close to your hand as possible. Then return to the starting position and repeat the element with the opposite leg.
2. Burpee. Having taken the initial standing position, you should squat down and rest your palms on the floor. Having fixed the arms, the legs are sharply thrown back and a prone position is assumed. You need to do a push-up and return to a sitting position, and then jump up and clap overhead.
3. Jump squats. The aerobic element is performed in the usual way several times.
4. Skier jumps. While standing, you need to move your arms and legs at the same time; the movements are reminiscent of skiing with bouncing. A simpler option is to step in place with movements of the upper and lower limbs.

Finishing poses

It is impossible to interrupt the lesson abruptly so that the body does not experience stress. The load decreases slowly, this phase takes 10-15 minutes.

1. Downward dog - an exercise taken from yoga, helps to achieve smooth movements. Ideal execution: palms and feet on the floor, pelvis stretches upward, body resembles a triangle. The neck is straight, the head looks down, the muscles are relaxed. The arms are a continuation of the body and form a straight line. If you cannot do it correctly right away, it is permissible to use a chair, leaning on it with your hands.
2. Cat and cow. Basic stance - on all fours, hands under shoulders, knees hip-width apart. Cow pose - while inhaling, the body smoothly bends down, the head looks up. As you exhale, cat pose - the torso smoothly rises up, forming an arc, the head is lowered down.

At this point you can complete the training. Warm-up and cool-down time is necessarily removed during any physical education. First, the body prepares for the load, the muscles warm up and become ready for work. After the load, you should do several gentle exercises to relieve tension in the muscles - this will help the body recover faster.

Circuit training

The term means a set of up to 10 exercises, repeated several times in a circle. You can choose them individually, as well as the number of approaches. The lesson should be held at a fast pace without interruption. Allow a few minutes between laps to rest.

The advantages of circular exercise are rapid weight loss, the ability to exercise independently at home, suitable for both men and women. In addition, beginners can easily perform the exercises, gradually increasing the load. Cons – muscle mass does not increase.

Rules for circuit training

• A long duration of fitness training is not allowed, otherwise the body begins to burn the tissues of the muscular system, the optimal time is 30 minutes;
• You can’t take a long break between exercises, a maximum of 10-15 seconds to restore breathing;
• number of repetitions – at least 10 times of each element in 1 round;
• warm-up and cool-down are required;
• when using weights, weight is added gradually;
• The lesson should begin with the simplest exercise.

The program is selected individually, in general it should look like this. Cardio exercises for the abdominal muscles (burpees, fast running with knees up, jumping jacks), legs (side jumps, lunges, sumo squats with jumping) and arms (push-ups, pull-ups and dumbbell presses). To reduce the size of your waist and get rid of the sides, you can add different types of twisting, turns and planks. Lunges, squats with a load, leg swings, and bridges will help pump up the muscles in your legs and buttocks.

To achieve a good result, you need to work individual muscles. For example, in the first week, work on the chest and arms, in the second – on the stomach, in the third – on the buttocks and legs. Intensive training can improve health, get rid of excess fat, speed up metabolism and increase body endurance.

8 myths about cardio training

Most people are afraid of cardio because of made-up myths. In fact, such a load, if done correctly, cannot harm the body.

1. The only way to lose weight is through cardio. This is not true; you cannot lose weight without correcting your diet. Frequent exercise in the gym will only increase weight due to muscle growth.
2. The lesson should begin immediately with exhausting exercises. You cannot give the body a large load on all muscle groups in one day. It is better to work on one problem area in one workout.
3. One cardio session requires you to burn more than 500 calories. You shouldn’t strive for big numbers right away; it’s better to focus on your well-being and your muscles. If it is not possible to exercise at a fast pace, it is better not to force yourself.
4. You need to remember the formula for proper fat burning. What you need to remember during training is the intensity and pace of the session, as well as the amount of energy expended.
5. Exercising on an empty stomach helps you lose weight faster. Long-term training on an empty stomach will cause irreparable harm to the body; it is better to exercise 1.5-2 hours after eating.
6. Marathons give you the opportunity to say goodbye to weight quickly. Of course, marathons have great health benefits, but they do not lose weight faster than the body can do.
7. Cardio and strength exercises are best performed separately. Sometimes comprehensive physical education can be more effective than performing each type separately. After the complex, the body continues to lose calories for another 20-30 minutes.
8. 8. At high loads, it is possible not to change the power supply. You can't lose weight without correcting your diet. No amount of physical activity can burn all the extra calories.
   Exercising on a regular basis can strengthen the body, making it stronger and stronger, and also reduce weight. In addition to all cardio exercises have a positive effect on the figure of both men and women. For the stronger half, this is an excellent option to achieve a manly figure, and for girls - a thin waist and elastic buttocks.

Cardio exercises - aerobic exercise, in which the muscles are supplied with oxygen, The body's endurance increases, the cardiovascular system is trained, and lung capacity increases.

A typical example of cardio training: running, exercise bike, swimming.

Goals of cardio training, their effectiveness

Usually the main goal of cardio training is burning excess fat or “drying”.

Aerobic exercise burns a large number of calories and speeds up metabolism, which is why regular aerobic exercise leads to weight loss.

The muscle relief becomes more pronounced, which is important for bodybuilders before competitions.

Another equally important goal of aerobic exercise is development of body endurance. Thanks to cardio exercises, the heart increases in volume and blood vessels are strengthened. This is important for athletes who aim to gain muscle mass. As muscle mass increases, the amount of blood in the body increases, which means the load on the heart and blood vessels increases significantly.

Cardio exercise increases lung volume, muscles are more actively supplied with oxygen and recover faster after strength training.

Aerobic sessions have a general strengthening effect on the body: immunity increases, hormone production accelerates. After an intense cardio workout, the level of growth hormone and testosterone in the blood increases, which leads to an increase in muscle mass.

The most effective cardio workouts for fast weight loss

The most effective cardio exercises for burning fat are considered running, cycling, elliptical, rowing machine, jump rope, swimming. It is important to correctly calculate the load and intensity of exercise, otherwise the effect will not be achieved.

Attention! Fat burning begins after 30 minutes of training. There is no point in exercising for less than this time. .

Dependence of weight loss on training intensity

There are two types of cardio training according to intensity: high-intensity and low-intensity aerobic session.

Considered more effective for burning fat high intensity cardio workout. During such exercises, fast pace of exercise is alternated with medium pace.

It is important to monitor your heart rate: when performing the fast phase, it should be 85% of maximum, and during the middle - 65%.

With low-intensity training, fat is not burned as quickly, but the athlete is able to perform the exercises longer. The pulse is kept at the level 65% of maximum, and the session usually lasts 40 minutes. The advantage of low-intensity exercises is that they are suitable for severely overweight people, the elderly, and athletes after injuries.

From the accompanying diet

Without adjusting your diet, even with regular cardio exercises, weight loss will not occur. Behind 30 minutes athlete walking on a treadmill loses about 300 Kcal, while to burn one kg of fat mass it is necessary to spend 7 thousand Kcal.

Without a doubt, cardio equipment is useful and effective, but The main thing for losing weight is diet. Aerobics can lead to an increase in appetite, in which case you can also gain fat mass by working out in the gym every day.

Important! To lose weight, caloric expenditure must be exceed their number, coming from food.

When losing weight, it is useful to have a food diary in which you keep track of all the calories you receive during the day.

Adult men typically consume 2200-2500 Kcal per day, women 2000—2200 Kcal. To burn fat, this number is reduced by 200-300 Kcal, but no more, otherwise stress will be created for the body and metabolism will decrease.

It is enough to exclude sweets, flour, and carbonated water from the diet and the result will not be long in coming. Preference is given protein products, vegetables and fruits.

You might also be interested in:

Interval Cardio

The interval type of exercise has gained popularity. During this training the tempo changes from very high to medium. Opponents of the method argue that all the calories spent on exercise come from glycogen, and not from fatty acids. This is correct, however, a calorie deficit - the main condition for losing weight - is created anyway.

Research shows that when you alternate the pace of exercise, Fat loss occurs faster compared to traditional endurance training. In addition, after exercise, the body continues to burn fat even more. for two to three hours, metabolism increases.

Intense cardio training helps not only maintain, but even build muscle mass, because a high degree of load stimulates the production of growth hormone.

High-intensity training also affects testosterone in the blood; the level of this hormone increases and remains high. 2-3 hours after the end of classes.

Exercises with a high degree of load have a limit on the number of repetitions; if you do them too often, then the opposite effect occurs: testosterone decreases, the body's consumption of amino acids increases. It is important to repeat such sessions no more than 2-3 times a week.

Run

Running is considered effective for burning excess fat. However this The method is quite aggressive and has contraindications. Running is not recommended for overweight people, athletes with problems with the spine and joints.

However, this method is the most accessible type of cardio exercise. For beginners, walking at a fast pace is also a good place to start.

It is important to develop a training plan and Monitor your heart rate while jogging. Experienced athletes keep a diary where they record data on distance traveled, speed, calories burned and heart rate fluctuations.

Photo 1. Jogging in the fresh air. Training should take place in sportswear that does not restrict movement.

To achieve a positive result, carry out 2-3 workouts per week. Running at least 30 minutes so that energy begins to flow from fat cells. As the body gets used to the stress, the duration and intensity of the workout increases.

There is no difference when to go for a run; both morning and evening are suitable. Instructors recommend ending your strength training 20 minute run, in order to supply the muscles with oxygen.

Attention! Before the run do a warm-up. The load is increased gradually, otherwise there is a high risk of injury.

For running It is important to choose the right shoes and clothes. Sneakers should provide good cushioning, protecting joints and tendons and reducing stress on them. Select clothes that are comfortable and do not restrict movement.

Which cardio machine is best for weight loss?

There are many exercise machines that help you lose weight.

Rowing machine

This projectile allows you to burn the most calories compared to others. In half an hour exercise weight athlete 80 kg spends about 350 Kcal. When exercising on a rowing machine, all muscle groups are used, injuries are almost excluded, however, such a session is not suitable for everyone.

Photo 2. A man working out on a rowing machine. When exercising on it, all muscle groups are involved.

Performing exercises on this machine requires technology For beginners, such training will be difficult.

Orbitrek

When working on an orbitrek, almost the same number of calories are consumed as on a rowing machine: about 350 Kcal. During exercise, all muscle groups work. Orbitrek is a great option for those for whom exercise on a treadmill is contraindicated. This simulator does not put stress on joints and tendons and is not dangerous. But for beginners, it is quite difficult to fully train on an ellipsoid.