I'm all about no equipment workouts, especially when it comes to cardio, I like to get outside and move. Whether I'm going for a hike, a run, hitting sprints or walking, nothing beats heading to the beach or a park for a good sweat sesh.
Depending on the time of year and where you live, it might be tough to always get outside to do your workout. It's about to be daylight savings time which means it will be dark and cold by5pm. Not my favorite time of year…
I personally don't love the idea of running alone once it's dark so I typically take it inside more often this time of year.
I've wanted to share my gym cardio workout with guys for a while now. They'll give you more variety for your cardio days in the HBSG and you can still totally take them outside if you'd rather. Cardio at the gym is boring so I get creative to keep it fun! I know you'll love these workouts!
I partnered up with Kohl's to get some new, cooler weather workout gear. Needed fresh running shoes for all the cardio I'll be doing this fall to combat the holiday parties.
I also got a new Fitbit Ionic Smart Fitness Watch which is super cool! I know the Fitbit is usually everyone's go-to, but shockingly it's one of the few I haven't tried yet. I have yet to find one to stick with so I'm excited to finally try it out!
This might sound silly, but my favorite feature so far is the batter life! It last for multiple days! That's part of why I give up on a lot of trackers. The batteries always die so fast, but this one is way easier. Plus it stores your music, works with blue tooth headphones and has GPS tracking.
Cardio 101: What it is & Why you need it
If you have the Hot Body Sweat Guide you know just how important the right balance of strength and cardio workouts is. We actually have 2 whole pages in the guide dedicated to explaining the different types of cardio! It's a super broad term that basically means any form of exercise that increases your heart rate, i.e. cardiovascular activity.
In general, you mostly hear about two main types: LISS & HIIT
Low Intensity Steady State Cardio (LISS) is a form of cardio where you stay at the same pace and intensity for the entirety of your workout. It's typically 30-60 minutes at a moderate pace and includes exercises like walking, jogging, yoga, swimming or hiking.
Benefits
- Per calorie, body burns more fat during these exercises (Fat Burning Zone)
- Easily performed by any fitness level
- Increase cardiovascular endurance
- Great option for an active rest day
- Allows for more efficient muscle recovery
High Intensity Steady State Cardio (HIIT) is a type form of cardio where you do intervals of max effort, high intensity movement followed by periods of rest. The will increase your bodies need for oxygen which makes it work harder to recover and leads to serious calorie burn even after you complete the workout
Benefits:
- Burns more calories in less time
- Elevates hear rate
- Increases metabolism
- Quick and convenient
- No equipment needed.
Getting the right mix of HIIT and LISS workouts is key if you want to increase strength, burn fat and sculpt your body.
If you're following the HBSG, add these new routines into your week to help you mix it up!
Even though these routines are built for the treadmill and stair climber, you can ABSOLUTELY take them outside too!! You may not be able to control your incline, but you can definitely control the intensity so go get your sweat on babes!
The Workouts
2 Treadmill Routines You'll Love
Both of these workouts are designed to burn serious calories and a perfect way to mix up your HBSG cardio routine!
I do wish I had a treadmill at home sometimes for days I don't feel like heading outside or to the gym. I was actually surprised by how affordable they actually are at Kohl's. You'd have to know it's something you would REALLY use to make the investment, but could totally be worth it.
40 Minute LISS Cardio on Treadmill
Keep your speed between 3.0-4.0. Find a pace you could comfortably walk at while carrying on a conversation. You can make this more challenging by holding weights during your walk as well.
30 minute HIIT Cardio on Treadmill
For this you will be taking the treadmill to a speed that has you pushing yourself hard. You want to be at a 8 or 9 out of 10 on the tough scale.
Start on the treadmill and gradually increase speed until you find your max. That's your sprint speed! You will take intervals going at max effort and then hoping off to rest and recover.
***Only do this if you feel comfortable and safe hopping on and off the sides of the treadmill onto the belt. Otherwise, physically change lower the speed on the treadmill to walk between sprints. Get Your Climb On
If you have access to one of these, USE IT! Training your body to efficient climb up and down stairs is incredible important. There's a reason it feels harder than simple walking on a treadmill or even jogging, for the same amount of time. You literally are having to life your entire body to keep moving with each step.
It's the best way to work your glutes and quads while doing fat burning cardio and avoid “cardio booty.” People looking to gain muscle definition worry about doing too much cardio and losing those gains, that's where these stairs come in! You will get a serious calorie burn without sacrificing your muscle.
Find Your Pace
Like treadmills, all machines are a bit different. Start at a slow climb and gradually increase the pace until you hit what you feel is your max. 10 out of 10 on the tough scale. Dial it back down a bit until you're at about a 5 or 50% of your max.Grab everything you need:
"This post was sponsored by Kohl's through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated to write a post about Kohl's, all opinions are my own."
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