Interval Cardio Workouts

Time is a valuable thing. It seems as though we can never get enough. Lately, my schedule has become more and more busy as different tasks pile up. I’ve got a full time job, a new semester of school is coming up, and don’t forget that we’re in the middle of the holiday season. It’s times like these that I like to keep in mind that many of you have schedules as busy or even more busy than mine. Between families, hobbies, work, school, and friends your workout window of opportunity most likely appears to be getting smaller and smaller.

That’s why I prefer to use high intensity interval training in my home workouts. This type of training is designed to give you the best results in the shortest time possible. It does, however, come at a cost. The phrase “high intensity” means that you must work much harder than you would in a longer workout. It’s going to painful, and it’s going to be uncomfortable. Fortunately, it’s going to save time, and when it’s over you’ll feel better.

One of the best, if not the best type of high intensity interval training is called the Tabata Protocol. This workout calls for 20 seconds of your most intense effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, and is then repeated for a total of 8 times. When you add that up you get a 4 MINUTE WORKOUT!!! That’s crazy! Of course, when you do something this intense, I recommend that you warm-up for at least 3-5 minutes. I prefer to include a good warm-up so that it's easier to get a sweat going.

The Tabata Protocol is not for beginners. If it’s been awhile since you have done some cardio exercise, you should take your time and ease into it. Start out with 6-8 sets of 20 seconds of work followed by 20-30 seconds of rest. If that seems too easy then go ahead and decrease the rest time. With this type of training you can use a variety of different exercises. I will provide some examples but you can also experiment with different exercises to see what works for you.

Track Workout

This is simple. Sprint 20 seconds, and walk for 10. Repeat 7 times for a total of 8 sprints.

At Home #1

Sprint in place

Butt Kickers

High Knees

Squat Jumps

Remember to move as fast as you can. Go through each exercise once and then repeat.

At Home #2

Jumping Lunges

Butt Kickers

One, two Punches

Mountain Climbers

A circuit like this may be a little easier because some of your muscles get a rest while you do another exercise. If you want, you can increase the intensity by decreasing the rest periods. These workouts should be done 2-3 times a week. There are a few ways to keep track of your timing. You can count to yourself, but be careful to not lose focus on the counting tempo. To make it easier, you can download the Tabata app, or get a fancy stopwatch that allows you to set up intervals. However you do it, make sure you do it, because it works. You will be able to get all of your work done, spend time with family and friends, take care of the house, and still get a fantastic workout done.