Why is variety important in our cardio training?

Why is variety important in our cardio training?

If you are getting bored with the same workout every day, chances are, your body is too, and will stop adapting.

There are a thousand ways to add variety to your training, but I’ll chop it up into some simple examples:

Heart Rate Variability

Let’s use the example of a long run VS interval training:

In the long run, your heart rate will be at 60-70% of your max HR. Your body will begin to use oxygen throughout the session, which can remove waste and replenish your energy so you can keep going for a considerable amount of time. What’s important here is the rest-to-work ratio, so if running is not your thing, you could jump on a bike, a rower, or a cardio machine of your choice. Thirty minutes or above would be a good starting point to tap into your aerobic state – where your body will begin to utilise its fat reserves for fuel more efficiently. During this intensity, you should feel like you could keep a light conversation but not sing a song. We are aiming for less than 100% effort here. 

Interval training
Imagine running as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then walking for 3 minutes, repeating 6-8 times. When working, your body cannot replace the energy used in time, so you will have to slow down and eventually stop or go slow enough for your aerobic system to cope. When you start walking, your body replenishes your anaerobic energy while removing all the waste left over from the sprint – legs start burning? That’s lactic acid, a waste product from the body working anaerobically.

There is so much data and many studies over the years, so what are the benefits of each?

Aerobic:

·      Reverse and prevent cardiovascular disease

·      Increased stamina, overall energy levels

·      Lowers cholesterol

·      Increases HDL-C (good cholesterol)

·      Increases the strength of your heart

·      Correlation between aerobic exercise and lowering all-cause mortality

·      Correlation between aerobic exercises and obesity 

·      Several aerobic activities prevent the breakdown of osteoporosis

·      Improved mood

Anaerobic 

·      In addition to the above, anaerobic exercise gives a few extra benefits due to the intensity of the exercises

·      It uses fast twitch fibres in your muscles therefore it often promotes hypertrophy (muscle growth) and prevents atrophy (muscle wasting)

·      Greatly increases stroke volume (how much blood is pulled in and pushed out of your heart).

Feeling stuck for ideas? Remember, you will find an array of workouts within your app! There are a variety of modalities, lengths and levels of intensity available to suit your schedule and needs.