Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Trainer Tuesdays: February is Heart Health Month. What is Your Favorite Exercise for Cardio or to Get Your Heart Rate Elevated?



Trainer Tuesdays

Welcome back to the weekly edition on Trainer Tuesdays. Make sure to check in at our blog every Tuesday evening to learn the expertise of our great staff. Aside from being fantastic exercise coaches, they are also extremely knowledgeable in many aspects of health and fitness; so, it's time that you get to know them a little better! Each week, we will post a frequently asked, or sometimes just a fun fitness related question followed by the answers of each of the trainers at Fitness Together Brecksville.


February is Heart Health Month. What is Your Favorite Exercise for Cardio or to Get Your Heart Rate Elevated?
www.fitnesstogether.com/brecksville/cardio


Justin Traft: I would have to say one of my favorite exercises to get my heart rate up is one we all have done at sometime or another. That is burpees! The exercise itself gets the heart going but also comes in many different forms. I love the variety of combos you can do with burpees to keep it fresh and not so boring.

Jessie Regula: My absolute favorite cardio activity is the elliptical.  A lot of people think it's boring to stay on the same machine for so long, but they are so wrong!!  First of all, there are usually a wide variety of programs already on the elliptical, some of my favorites are the intervals and glutes programs.  If there aren't set programs on your elliptical, I make up my own all the time!  For instance, you can create your own intervals based on commercial breaks or your ipod.  If I'm starting to lose fuel, then I decide to go fast every other song until my workout is up.  Also, if you only pedal forward, you are missing out! Pedaling backwards really works your glutes and you can feel a great burn in your quads!  If you really want to switch it up, do intervals while switching the direction you are pedaling.
I've also recently been getting into rebounding for cardio activity.  Rebounding is jumping or jogging on a small trampoline.  It's easy on the joints and is a great way to get your heart rate up if you suffer from inflammation, arthritis, or other joint issues.  My advice: keep trying different cardio activities until you find one that you enjoy--if you hate running, keep looking; you don't have to suffer through cardio--it CAN be enjoyable and FUN!!

Bronson Rotaru: My favorite method to ensure my heart health is running outdoors. This time of year I slow it down a lot but I stay pretty active with it the rest of the year. Lately I have been more focused on how fast I can complete 2-3.5 miles at a time. Interval running on the treadmill is my second choice.

Monika Cotter: My favorite kind of cardio to do is running! It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but for me it is an escape. Not only is it good for your cardiovascular health but it is also good for the calves, quads and the booty. If you are not into running long distances there is always interval running: Running (or sprinting) at a fast pace for a short period of time and then walking or a slower jog for a period of time. The point of an interval is to raise the heart rate and then slow it back down. The fun part is that you can make the intervals whatever you want---in example, 2 minutes at a fast pace then 2 minutes of walking; Or 30 seconds of sprinting followed by 90 seconds of walking. Even if you don’t want to run you can use this same method with walking, biking or on the elliptical. Everyone is different and likes different things so find what works for you and have some fun with it!

Adam Teplitz: My favorite cardio activity would have to be swimming. Treadmills are a great option, but can get monotonous after a while. Swimming can be a great alternative.  There are endless benefits to it. It enhances cardio conditioning, develops core strength and improves overall endurance. Above all else, it is extremely effective for burning calories.

Lisa Clark: One of my favorite types of exercise to do for cardio is interval training called Tabata training. Tabata is a system of short, high intensity intervals developed originally to train Olympic speed skaters. The basic formula for tabata training is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated 8 times. Because this exercise strategy is a formula for training, not a specific workout, the possibilities are almost endless! Choose any exercises you want, from upper body, lower body, alternating upper to lower, you can use bodyweight exercises or incorporate some weights into your intervals. Have fun with them....😊

Sean Sullivan: Jumping rope is my favorite activity to get my heart rate up! I will typically do some jump rope as part of my warm-ups before lifting weights. Not only does it elevate the heartrate, but it also gets your shoulders, hips and knees loosened up and engorged with blood to help prevent injury during the workout. That being said, how could I forget the phenomenal cardio activity that is Irish Dancing?!


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