Let’s face it – cardio isn’t the move fun thing around. Most of us would rather be washing dishes, changing diapers, or scrubbing the walls, rather than standing on the same machine for 30 to 45 minutes, plugging away endlessly on a path without finish. Your lungs burn, your arms and legs start to ache, and your mind is forced to deal with such an inordinate amount of boredom.

Yes, we can all agree that cardiovascular training is necessary. Most people require about ten minutes per day, just to maintain healthy heart and lung function. A nice 25 to 30 minute romp with the cardio. Four times per week, is ideal for staying lean as a bodybuilder. And, if you’re in the pre-contest phase preparing for a show, you’re going to require up to 45 minutes of cardio, 4 to 5 times per week, in order to bring your bodyfat below 6% and make a mark at your local show.

If you don’t relish the thought of trudging away for 45 minutes on the same piece of machinery, why not mix it up? Split your cardio training into several different sessions. They will be completed one after another, with the only break being the time it takes to walk from one machine to the next. Here is how a sample workout could proceed.

5 minutes walking

Start on the treadmill. Use this as your warm-up, to bring your heart rate from normal to your desired range. You’ll also bring blood into your arms and legs, which will make the next movement (running) easier and safer on the joints.

5 minutes running

Remain on the treadmill. Bump up your speed, but keep the elevation at zero. You have plenty of time to move up the incline. For now, we’re going to keep the heart rate elevated with a steady run when we’re at our freshest, for a full five minutes.

7 minutes elliptical climber with high incline – low speed

Now that you’ve certainly broken a sweat, move over to the elliptical. Get the incline jacked right up, but drop the speed from the treadmill. Thanks to the incline, your heart rate will remain high.

5 minutes elliptical climber with medium incline – high speed

Now it’s time to drop the incline down a bit, and speed it up. This will keep the heart rate from falling, as it will be ready to do. It will also give your thighs a break from the painful incline romp they just faced.

6 minutes rowing

At this point your legs will be torched, but you need to keep your heart rate up. Jump to the seated rowing machine, and let your arms, shoulders and back do the work while you heart rate stays up.

5 minutes descending speed stationary bike

Finally, it’s time to ramp things down. Hop on the stationary bike, and pedal for the remainder of your time. You just completed your 6th phase of cardio – how do you feel?

Your body does not care what kind of cardio you’re doing. As long as your heart rate stays at an elevated level in the desired heartbeat per minute range, you will see the results you desire. Good luck, and keep it fresh!

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