We're a little over a month into the new year, and inspiration is strong! It's great to look forward at your health objectives and excitedly start working toward them as soon as possible. Increasing energy, cardiovascular endurance, and general physical fitness is possible this year, whether via a distance race or a fun run.
However, with so many alternatives, programs, and resources available, you may be unsure where to begin.
How do you determine what to do first? How much do you push yourself in the beginning? How can you avoid damage while yet pushing your body to adapt and get stronger?
There is no need to be concerned if these questions seem to be difficult at first. It's normal to be unclear where to begin when beginning on a new health quest or fitness goal. With a few easy steps, you can easily meet your cardio goals this year.
1. Set Your Final Aim
Before you begin a new fitness routine, be sure you know precisely what you want to achieve. Plan how to arrive to your target in the most effective and safest method feasible rather than blindly struggling for an uncertain end. Ensure that the final objective is detailed enough so that progress can be tracked along the way (for example, I will run a fun 5k race in 6 months).
2. Determine Your Beginning Place
Now that you've chosen your final objective, consider where you're beginning. Consider the aim of running a 5k in 6 months, for example. If you haven't done any cardiovascular exercise before, attempting to run a 5k straight away will be neither useful nor safe for your body.
After receiving authorization from your doctor to begin exercising, gradually increase your distance by beginning with daily walking or very slow, easy jogs to establish a baseline for your endurance, since going too hard too quickly may put you at danger of injury. An first exercise might even involve a mix of walking and jogging to achieve a specific time (for example, running for 1 minute, followed by walking for 1 minute, and repeating that combination ten times for a total of 22 minutes of cardio).
However, if you have been doing some aerobic exercise a few days a week, you may be able to begin a program that immediately involves running larger distances since your body is already somewhat conditioned to manage the physical stress or load. Take what you've been doing for a while and increase time and/or distance to challenge yourself as you work toward a 5k.
You may even repeat the jog and walk combination at a greater intensity level (for example, jog for 3 minutes, then walk for 1 minute, and repeat 10 times for a total of 40 minutes of cardio).
3. Follow An Exercise Plan
Now that you've established a starting point, it's much simpler to select a program that will help you achieve your goal of running 5k. As previously said, the ideal cardio exercise plan should be challenging but not impossible to complete. You should leave your exercise feeling somewhat out of breath, but not gasping for oxygen and unable to talk.
If you're just getting started, a "couch to 5k program" might be a wonderful fitness plan. However, if you are already reasonably fit, a program that begins with a higher intensity level may be a better match.
4. Understand The Development
Regardless of your experience level or age, beginning a new activity with prudence is essential for knowing what your body is capable of properly accomplishing. Experiment with varying distances, speeds, modalities (e.g., running vs bicycling), and weekly volume to ensure that each activity is demanding yet manageable without damage.
If an exercise seems too easy, it's a good indication that it's time to increase the total intensity since your body is developing strength and endurance! Monitor your soreness levels as well to ensure you are challenging your body to get stronger without being painful for many days after completing an exercise. Allow your body time to progress, but not so long that it pauses. The body must be continually pushed in order to trigger the adaptations required to improve overall endurance and physical capability.
As you improve, keep injury prevention in mind by adding a thorough warm-up and cool-down into each training session, feeding your body with right nutrition, and recovering enough between bouts of activity. Proper footwear is also required to guarantee that your joints get the necessary support to remain healthy and robust.
To avoid overuse injuries, cross-training (with multiple aerobic modalities and strength training) may be used to ensure that exercises are diversified and different sets of muscles are consistently engaged.
5. Allow Yourself Grace
Pursuing a new aerobic objective (such as running a fun 5k race) does not have to be or seem flawless, but by following these basic steps, you will gain confidence and understanding of how to work toward your goal from the very first exercise. Anything new is going to involve some trial and error, so be patient and enjoy the process as you strive toward enhanced endurance and general health.
You now know how to introduce a new cardio exercise into your normal regimen, taking you one step closer to your objectives. You understand how to set a goal, define your starting point, stick to a fitness schedule, and grasp growth while allowing yourself grace along the way.
Don't allow unanswered questions keep you from accomplishing your objectives. If you are still unsure, seek the advice and assistance of a fitness professional to create a personalized program customized to your individual requirements.
Ola Hansen