Tips to power you through with your cardio
- Stretch, stretch, and stretch some more: This goes without saying! And this goes for before, between, and after a workout. If you are not stretching before cardio then your stiff muscles will give you a hard time. If you don’t loosen up in between, your muscles will not get the full range of motion because they must be all pumped up from the earlier set. And if you don’t do it in the end, your muscles won’t recover for the next day.
Stretching is good for your well-being. - Keep sipping water between your sets: Your mouth tends to get dry when you do cardio because you breathe from your mouth.
- Don’t sit right after a set: This is usually what we do and it’s absolutely wrong. When you do cardio, your body gets warmed up, and right after your set is done you tend to take a long haul which cools down your body. Now when you start your next set, you have to do it all over again. Hence, you don’t get the desired result and have to put in more energy. So make a note of this point.
- Try doing small but intense circuits: Keep a stopwatch handy and do circuit mapping. Doing 60-second or 30-second circuits will keep it short and sweet. You don’t get very tired and will be able to catch up on your breath without losing your stride.
Not exercising will only deplete your energy levels. - Keep a check on your breathing: If you want to do a long cardio session, you need to keep a check on your breathing. You need to see that you inhale and exhale properly. And yes, don’t commit the biggest fitness sin of all time – holding your breath.
- Prefer outdoor for cardio: Doing cardio inside a room can make you claustrophobic and you won’t be able to do it for a long time. Plus, fresh air will also do the trick.
- Keep switching exercises: Doing the same exercise for days or in one go can make it pretty boring, so keep hopping from one exercise to another. This will keep it interesting and you will also stay motivated.
