Fitness: Run, Climb or Swim at the gym

The start of the new year always brings about a plethora of weight loss goals. Everyone is hitting the gym trying to get back into shape again. If you are not a gym rat or someone who exercises regularly this can be quite daunting. What should you do when you get there? I often see people in the gym wondering aimlessly around from machine to machine not really doing much and then leaving in frustration. I think your best bet if you are new to the gym is to take a class, because it will give you guidance on how to start. If you have the time and the extra cash then hiring a trainer is also another good option. However, if these two options do not work then here are some suggestions I have for my gym newbies or people who just want to change it up. I preface these suggestions by saying I am not a trainer so consult an expert before beginning any new program. My fitness experience lies in the numerous triathlons I have trained for and completed. So here are some of my favorite cardiovascular workouts that I do on a regular basis:

Tabata 40 minutes on Treadmill

Tabata is one of my favorite workouts because it goes by very quickly and it burns a ton of calories. First set the treadmill to the highest setting you can sprint at (usually for me this around 6.7 mph) after you do that stand on the side.

For the first 10 minutes:

Sprint for 35 seconds and stand on the side and rest for 25 seconds on each minute.

For the second 10 minutes:

Sprint for 40 seconds and stand on the side and rest for 29 seconds on each minute.

For the third 10 minutes:

Sprint for 45 seconds and stand on the side and rest for 15 seconds on each minute.

For the fourth 10 minutes:

Sprint for 50 seconds and stand on the side and rest for 10 seconds on each minute.

***Make sure you get comfortable hopping on and off the treadmill to stand on the side. The belt will still be moving so make sure you have a firm grip on the handles (when you go to jump off) especially when you start to get tired.

Stairmaster Interval Training

Warm up for 5 minutes on the Stairmaster at a moderate level.

Crank up your level to 6 times more then your usual distance nothing lower then level 12.

Maintain this pace for 2 minutes and then give yourself a one minute break at level 6 or 8.

Repeat this 10 times.

Swim workout

***This is based on a 25 meter pool if your pool is 20 meters just divide the distance by 20 to get the amount of laps and vice versa.

200 Meter Warm up pace (8 laps straight)

4 x 50 Meter Drill (4 times doing 2 laps straight)

5 x 100 Meter with 30 second rest in between each set at a faster pace (5 times doing 4 laps straight)

6 x 50 Meter with 30 second rest in between each set at fastest pace (6 times doing 2 laps straight)

100 Meter cool down (4 laps straight)

Try these workouts out and let me know what you think!  Leave your questions and comments.