Cardio routines

[rtha6551]

Hi all

Wondering if anyone has any decent cardio training routines (both gym based and home/field Etc) they wouldn't mind sharing?

Just trying to boost my endurance/stamina and also work on cutting my 1.5 mile time for a fitness test I have coming up in April

Thanks

[7057sam]

Go for high intensity interval workout use it alot in my boxing training and it's a absolute killer,you can also mix it up with weights and low weight high reps.

I also do alot of skipping which builds up my carve muscles which always give out before my legs do on a run.

On the treadmill or crosstrainer go for the graph which is 2 mins run 2 mins walk and add abit of gradeate into it,Do for 10-15 mins

[Iceman299]

Out of curiosity, what is your 1.5mile time? Is it on a treadmill or on the road?

[Dave]

Since my office has moved I now have to drive to work (Used to bike 2 miles to work)

So in the evenings I do a 4.5m circular ride, started at 18 minutes down to 16.5 and aiming for 15 minutes.

I'm dripping by the time I get home.

[rtha6551]

Out of curiosity, what is your 1.5mile time? Is it on a treadmill or on the road?

10 min 37 secs, pass time is 11 min 09 secs so not beating it by a huge margin and wanting to get it under 10.

Will try the HIIT on the next cardio session on Saturday and report back, also now the weathers warmer the bike could save me money as well. Most places I go outside work I could ride to, just a case of buying some safety equipment like lights etc.

Thanks chaps

[Dum-Dum]

When I was racing BMX a race was only ever a 1 lap sprint but still needed a reasonable bit of endurance as it was 30-45seconds which is much more than most people can sprint for. I used to try and sprint 3 or 4 laps of the track back to back to build up my endurance and it worked although at the end of 4 laps as fast as I physically could I'd be so f*cked I couldn't even see straight.

I used to also train at race pace with a bag full of bottles of water strapped to my back as I'd have to jump so much harder to clear stuff and when I took them off I found that I could jump further and found it easier.

Anyway on that basis how about starting running 3-6 miles (5km-10km) and you'll start finding 1.5miles easier. www.parkrun.org.uk is good if you want a free weekly timed 5km run and maybe consider some ankle and wrist weights or running up hills too.

[Iceman299]

Out of curiosity, what is your 1.5mile time? Is it on a treadmill or on the road?

10 min 37 secs, pass time is 11 min 09 secs so not beating it by a huge margin and wanting to get it under 10.

If that's on the road, it's an impressive time!!

[Dum-Dum]

Yeah that is a bloody impressive time, its just over 7 minute/mile pace which is fast

[rtha6551]

Out of curiosity, what is your 1.5mile time? Is it on a treadmill or on the road?

10 min 37 secs, pass time is 11 min 09 secs so not beating it by a huge margin and wanting to get it under 10.

If that's on the road, it's an impressive time!!

It was on the treadmill, reason being the fitness test is conducted on a treadmill and having never really used one up until a few weeks ago thought Id better bang at least some of the practice in on one given the difference in techniques ie keeping up with a belt as opposed to actual propulsion against the ground 

Reason being I'm in the process of joining the navy, passed the written test and interview just medical and fitness tests to go plus security vetting. Although I am comfortably within the time limit for the pre joining fitness test, if I am to be successful in completing basic training (should I get that far), it will be much harder and more of a shock the less prepared I am as I'm sure it will not be easy at all both mentally and physically.

Good advice there dum-dum, I'll sign up to that site when I get on a proper PC. Will also train for much further distances, also near to me I have a field which would be decent with a few cones for knocking a 'track' up or shuttle runs, plus a 100m long steepish hill which is good for hill sprints. 

[RetroPug]

If you're training on a treadmill and want to achieve a certain time for a 1.5 mile, work out the speed at which you'd have to run consistently to achieve a bit under that time, set the treadmill for that pace and then you'll have no option but to either run at that pace the entire 1.5 miles or give up.

Then just don't give up.

If you keep doing this then you'll get better at running a 1.5 mile in the time you want, and you could increase the speed in small increments every few training sessions.

[Iceman299]

Ways to improve are road running (as it's way harder than a treadmill) or set the treadmill to a slight incline while you train for it. After doing either one, running on a treadmill with zero incline will feel like running downhill and be much easier

[1616six]

Ways to improve are road running (as it's way harder than a treadmill) or set the treadmill to a slight incline while you train for it. After doing either one, running on a treadmill with zero incline will feel like running downhill and be much easier

I tried this and had to just stick to the treadmill. I just get awful shin splits every time I run on the road.. absolutely fine on the treadmill!

[laurence_13]

play squash... 45 minutes of that and you'll be fooked.

[Iceman299]

Ways to improve are road running (as it's way harder than a treadmill) or set the treadmill to a slight incline while you train for it. After doing either one, running on a treadmill with zero incline will feel like running downhill and be much easier

I tried this and had to just stick to the treadmill. I just get awful shin splits every time I run on the road.. absolutely fine on the treadmill!

Yeah the treadmills have about 1-2inches to flex when your foot hits the surface unlike roads. 
Only downside is the 'road' is moving for you, rather than you having to actually run/walk to push yourself along. The gradient on a treadmill also stays constant. I remember being able to run for 60mins on a treadmill with minimal effort but on the roads i'd be shattered! It does give you false hope lol

[RAW]

I have to take PFAs every term as part of my sponsorship at uni and I've got to agree with the post above about squash. Used to be my main sport at college and my times got much worse now I'm not playing as regular.

Training for PFAs the best thing you can do is intervals though. We did a good session last week in out PT session which was as follows:

One minute to do 100m and rest, then
Two mins to do 200m and rest, then
3 mins to do 400m and rest, then
Four mins to do 800m and rest, then
Back down through the same times to 100 again.

Whole session takes 16 minutes so about 30 mins including warm up and warm down and was absolutely killer!

Richard

[Dum-Dum]

If you are going to do much running get fitted for them at a running shop that does gait analysis. The right shoes for your feet and running style make a big difference.

[Sian]

McDonald's is good for cardio.. Hahah

[Ruan]

If you want general endurance, rowing machine (erg) will absolutely break you... 8ks and 10ks are a good way of getting significantly fitter and it's not just your legs you're working/breaking- it's an entire body workout and non-impact for the guys who have shin splint problems.. My naffed up back means I really can't run very far, especially on road as I'll be in agony a few hours later!

Other good one to do with ergs is 30@20 - so do half an hour, keep your stroke rate to 20 strokes/min and see what split you can hold, means you can't fluff it by pulling a high stroke rate and waste all your energy getting up and down the slide, means you're putting down loads of power, but you get a good recovery time, amazing for building up your strength and endurance, doing x2 30/20s a week and then a weeks rest, just doing a bit of general cardio, bike ride or swimming, I could see my 2k times drop weekly... When I used to do them, there'd literally be a puddle underneath me, was pretty mank.

Then obviously aim for the 400m sprint of rowing, the 2k - set a split you seem comfortable with and go for it, consistency is the key, don't get slower because you'll never make it back. I'd usually end up vomiting/feinting after a 2k test - you know it's good when you get to your car and can't even press the clutch pedal after a 2k test, used to be a good 2-3 days before you're actually recovered... My PB is a 6:48:8, someone on here has to be able to beat it - Anyone would think I used to row...

[Anton]

Cardio? What's cardio?

[Dum-Dum]

Then obviously aim for the 400m sprint of rowing, the 2k - set a split you seem comfortable with and go for it, consistency is the key, don't get slower because you'll never make it back. I'd usually end up vomiting/feinting after a 2k test - you know it's good when you get to your car and can't even press the clutch pedal after a 2k test, used to be a good 2-3 days before you're actually recovered... My PB is a 6:48:8, someone on here has to be able to beat it - Anyone would think I used to row...

I'm not understanding mate. Is that 6m 48s 8hun to row 2km, I reckon I could have a good stab at that. Next week I'm working somewhere with a gym and I'm planning on hitting it hard.

[Iceman299]

Cardio? What's cardio?

'Gime? What's a gime?' *walks into gym* 'Oh a GIME!' - Homer Simpson

[Ruan]

Then obviously aim for the 400m sprint of rowing, the 2k - set a split you seem comfortable with and go for it, consistency is the key, don't get slower because you'll never make it back. I'd usually end up vomiting/feinting after a 2k test - you know it's good when you get to your car and can't even press the clutch pedal after a 2k test, used to be a good 2-3 days before you're actually recovered... My PB is a 6:48:8, someone on here has to be able to beat it - Anyone would think I used to row...

I'm not understanding mate. Is that 6m 48s 8hun to row 2km, I reckon I could have a good stab at that. Next week I'm working somewhere with a gym and I'm planning on hitting it hard.

Yeah, 6m 48.8 seconds for 2k, that works out at an average split of 1.42.2/500m. I'll be impressed if people nail that on the first attempt, took me about 2 years to get to!

Anyone ever done a proper VO2max (Oxygen Uptake) test before - had one done a few years back whist I was rowing competitively...

[Dum-Dum]

I'll have a stab at that, I doubt I have the arms for it TBH. Legs on the other hand I get on the exercise bike and after a warm up sprint at the hardest resistance setting for 45 seconds at a go, brief recovery and repeat.

I'd love to know my oxygen uptake, the only interesting stats I know is I can keep up a huge heart rate. Before I did my ankle I'd got down to a resting heart rate of 50bpm. I can keep going at 180bpm for over an hour and my max heart rate is 230bpm+ although I try and never go over the 200bpm mark s it cant be good for me.