Ways to Keep Ahead of the Fitness Curve - 20-minute workouts! (Cardio)

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

Cardio is the secret to burning extra calories. Cardiovascular workouts get your heart rate up and revs up your muscles. It's a great way to get you going in the morning, it's a great way to reduce stress throughout the day and it's a fantastic way to burn calories and body fat.

Cardio exercise is anything that:

· Gets your body moving.

· Uses your legs as the primary movement. Legs are the big muscle groups of your lower body and require a lot more blood when they are in motion; this increases your heart rate.

If you're into sports, there are a lot of sports that provide cardio exercise. Some sports that get your heart pumping include:

· Basketball

· Boxing

· Cross-Country Running

· Fencing

· Field Hockey

· Ice Hockey

· Judo

· Karate

· Rugby

· Soccer

· Swimming

· Tennis

· Water Polo

· Water-skiing

· Wrestling

The following are a selection of 20-minute cardio burst activities that will help you get your heart rate up. It's important to remember that if you're working out to build lean muscle mass or to burn calories, that you should be doing cardio workouts 3 to 5 times a week for anywhere between 45 to 60 minutes in length.

So how does a 20-minute workout help you? Easy, 20 minutes in the morning, afternoon and evening will provide you with 60 minutes in a day. The following are a series of different 20 minute routines designed to pump up your heart.

· Jog 10 steps, walk 10 steps, wash, rinse, repeat. Repeat this cycle 5 to 10 times as many as fits within a 20-minute timeframe. · Quickstep up 3 flights of stairs and back down again. Repeat as many times as fits within a 20-minute timeframe.

· Take your bike out for a spin on the bike trail. Find a level, less hilly area that let's you bike flat out. Using a stationary? Choose one of the programs it offers and let it keep you in your target heart range.

· Take the baby out for a fast walk stroll. Take the dog for a walk, but rather than just wait for him to do his business and head back, add some fast-walking and set a brisk pace for the two of you. It's good for you and the puppy.

· Turn on the radio and dance for fifteen to twenty minutes.

· Dance while you clean. Yes, it sounds kitschy, but who wouldn't want to be in a musical while they are vacuuming the carpet, dusting the bookshelves or even folding the laundry. Dance the steps, and throw yourself into the activities.

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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