Five 30-Minute Cardio
Workouts for Cold Weather
Provided
by American
Council on Exercise
It’s the middle of
winter—it’s dark in the morning before going into the office and dark not long
after getting home. Without a creative cardio routine, it’s tough to get
motivated to head to the gym before or after the workday. That’s why I am
constantly coming up with ways to keep me engaged and motivated to get in those
steps and heartbeats. Whether you are inside at a gym or outside in the cold,
there are a number of ways to get in exercise. Here are five 30-minute cardio
workouts to add variety to your cardio routine this winter.
1. Incline
Walk With Sprints Mixed In (Gym or Hill Outdoors)
This has to be one of my
favorite cardio workouts. Typically done on a treadmill, I like to raise the
treadmill up to an incline of 15%. I usually walk from anywhere from 30 to 60
minutes.
For a 30-minute workout,
walk on an incline for 3.5 minutes; next, bring the treadmill down to a flat
for the following 30 seconds. Once the treadmill is flat (around 4:30), run for
1 minute at a sprint pace. Repeat for six cycles. For your
walking pace, set the treadmill anywhere from 3.0 mph to 3.5 mph. To
maximize the efficiency of this workout, don’t hold on to the treadmill while
walking on the incline.
To implement this session
outdoors, find a decent hill. Walk the hill for 4 minutes and then run on a
flat for 1 minute.
2. Stairs
With Plyometrics (Gym
or Outdoors)
If you are doing this
workout indoors, hop on the Stairmill. Set the pace
to 80 to 90 steps per minute. Climb for 4.5 minutes. Then hop off the machine
and perform 60 seconds of a plyometric exercises (see table below). Repeat this
circuit for 6 rounds.
Round 1: Mountain Climbers
Round 2: Squat Jumps
Round 3: Burpees
Round 4: Jumping Lunges
Round 5: Skaters
Round 6: Plank Up Downs
3. Elliptical
Intervals (Gym)
This workout can be down
outdoors as well. You just need some stairs and a space to complete your plyometrics.
Take high-intensity
interval training to the elliptical. Start out at a moderate incline and
moderate resistance to warm up for 5 minutes. Next, bring the incline up to its
maximum and sprint for the next 60 seconds; recover for 60 seconds. Repeat this
cycle until you reach 25 minutes. For the remaining 5 minutes, cool down by
bringing the elliptical to a flat and resistance to zero.
4.
Bike (Gym or Outdoors)
Whether you ride a bike
indoors or outdoors, you can get in a good cardiovascular workout. For a
30-minute ride indoors, alternate between fast songs at a sprint pace and
slower songs with heavy resistance. If you are riding outdoors, attempt to do
the same while using your gears and pace to vary the intensity of your ride.
5. Midday
Walk (Outdoors)
I like to go for a
30-minute walk around lunchtime to stretch my legs, get some fresh air, get my
creativity going and get in some steps. You might also consider suggesting
walking meetings at work. I mention mid-day because the sun tends to be a
little warmer than in the morning or later in the evening; however, whenever
you can fit in 30 minutes, go for it.
A few other things to keep
in mind if you are exercising outdoors this winter: Make sure to dress properly
and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. And don’t
forget to fuel your training by eating around your workouts.
AUTHOR
Kelley Vargo
Kelley Vargo,
MPH, MS, CSCS, ACE Health Coach is a recent graduate of the Milken Institute
School of Public Health at The George Washington University where she received
her MS in Exercise Science with a concentration in Strength & Conditioning
and her MPH in Communication & Marketing. Ms. Vargo
has contributed content to Discovery Health as well as the ACE Fitness Journal.
She is a member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Delta Omega
Public Health Honors Society, and a Metabolic Effect Instructor. She enjoys
sharing her passion and energy with others, helping them create healthier and
happier lives. Follow Kelley on twitter @kelleyvargo
or contact her at kmvfitness@gmail.com or www.kelleyvargo.com.