Spring Forward to Action 30-Day Challenge - Day 9: Cardio

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

10 Apr 2006 06:00 AM

Welcome to Day 9 of the Spring Forward to Action 30-Day Challenge! Today we have Cardio and Strength Training. Our cardio workout can include our previously described programs of treadmill, bicycle, stationary bike, aerobics or mall haul. For those of you looking to up the intensity or change your cardio around, here's a new program that can help you up the intensity of your treadmill workout.

The following is a 21 to 25 minute work out program. You'll spend 2 minutes at the beginning warming up and 2 minutes on the end cooling down. This workout is designed for moderate to heavy intensity. If you are comfortable with your previous workout levels, you can try this, but monitor your progress.

If you feel faint or dizzy at any point, dial down the intensity and remember to watch your heart rate.

Here we go:

• Start your treadmill pace at 2.5 and a 0.0 incline for 2 minutes.
• Increase your speed to 2.6 and the incline to 1.0 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 2.7 and incline to 1.5 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 2.8 and incline to 2.0 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 2.9 and incline to 2.5 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 3.0 and incline to 3.0 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 3.1 and incline to 3.5 for 1 minute.
• Decrease speed to 2.6 and incline to 1.0 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 2.7 and incline to 1.5 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 2.8 and incline to 2.0 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 2.9 and incline to 2.5 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 3.0 and incline to 3.0 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 3.1 and incline to 3.5 for 1 minute.
• Decrease speed to 2.6 and incline to 1.0 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 2.7 and incline to 1.5 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 2.8 and incline to 2.0 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 2.9 and incline to 2.5 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 3.0 and incline to 3.0 for 1 minute.
• Increase your speed to 3.1 and incline to 3.5 for 1 minute.
• Decrease your speed to 2.5 and incline to 0.0 for 2 minute cool down

And you're done. How do you feel? Did the course feel challenging? We'll be upgrading this one over the next week or so, dipping and rising the incline in order to give you a modicum of hill country. If you prefer to do your walking outside and you want to increase your intensity - add some hills to your walking program.

For your journal entry today, finish the following thought: Working out every day makes me feel ...

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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