Seven fun cardio exercises

Sonia Lulla

Posted On Sunday, July 18, 2010   

Cycling is boring and jogging doesn’t interest you. You like swimming but your club is way too far and routine gym workouts have begun to get on your nerves.

If this is the story of your I-am-beginning-to hate-exercising life don’t fret. We bring to you the latest trends in cardio workouts, so that you lose weight and have fun doing it!

Benefits of Cardio

"Cardio workouts are essential for individuals to maintain their pulse rate and heart rate. Individuals above 30 years specially, can see the results of cardio workouts," says Dr. Sanjay Mehra.

"However, cardio must be done within the limit. Shortness of breath, excessive perspiration, and pain on the left side of the chest at a later stage, indicate that the cardio is being done in excess," he adds.

Here is a list of the latest trends in cardio:

Stair-master

What makes the stair-master an effective workout to lose weight is the fact that you're working against gravity; something that will always make you burn more calories. A stair-master is designed to make you feel as though you're ascending a flight of stair. Except that in the former, instead of pulling yourself upwards, your body weight pushes the steps down.

A stair-master can be quite a strenuous workout and is ideally done for few minutes. Increasing the effort level will cause the steps to fall faster, hence making you climb quicker.

"A cardio workout is effective when it is done at the person's target heart rate. Depending on a person’s endurance and stamina, he can gradually increase the time limit of each session," says Dr. Mehra.

Calories burnt: Approx. 100 calories in 15 minutes

Climbing machine

Designed to give you the effect of trekking, a Climbing machine has two foot-pads and two handles. The machine is designed such that when you push down one footpad, the alternate handle rises.

“While a stair-master and climbing machine may seem similar, a stair master has more effect on your other body muscles over a climbing machine, which only works on your legs. So while you can go faster on a climbing machine and hence burn more calories to lose weight, a stair master being more difficult, works better to contract your muscles, giving you the benefits of after burning, i.e, burning calories even few days after working out,” says Fitness trainer Sanket Jadav.

Calories burnt: Approx. 200 calories in 15 minutes

Rowing Machine

This machine is devised to give a watercraft rowing effect. The rowing machine works on several muscles of your body, making it a strength-endurance workout. A person using the machine can row at his own pace, hence leaving the intensity of the workout completely in his hands.

The workout when correctly performed works on your thigh and butt region and can be an intense cardio workout to lose weight once you get the hang of it.

Calories burnt: An powerful session of Rowing can make you burn around 200 Calories in 20 minutes.

Wave

The wave machines are designed to give you the feel of riding on the sea. Something which seems like regular leg pedaling can have wonderful effects to tone your thighs, lose weight and give it the shape you’ve always wanted!

The wave can be harmful to your knees if not done properly so initially doing it under supervision is preferable.

Calories burnt: Approx. 300 in 30 minutes

If gyming is not your thing, here’s a list of alternative cardio workouts:

Spinning

One of the most popular trends of recent times, spinning is a workout that's capable of getting out your 100%. A spinning studio is set to resemble a disco studio, with the latest remixes ringing through your ears. Spinners are expected to spin as per the beats and lose weight.

A good spinning studio starts with a warm-up and gradually increases the effort level. The music starts off slow, goes into a crescendo and follows with a cool down. Most studios offer a great variety in a spinning class, and an individual can adjust his bike to the level suitable to him.

Calories burnt: Approx. 400-500 calories/hour

Kick Boxing

“This is perhaps the most power packed workout. The intensity of your workout depends on the amount of effort you put in your punches and kicks. It’s the best workout to give a boost to your energy and burn a large amount of calories to lose weight,” says Jadav. Kick boxing is a form of an exercise that gives you a complete body workout.

Calories burnt: An intense session of Kick boxing can make you burn around 500 calories in 30 minutes.

Aero-dance:

A combination of aerobics and dance, aero-dance is another power-packed workout as it is capable of working on your entire body in a single class. Aero-dance may include several styles of aerobics such as hip-hop, high-low construction, kick-boxing, Pilates, afro-jazz and many more.

The advantage of aero-dance is that within a single hour, you get to work on almost every muscle of your body, thus giving you a complete workout within a short period of time. Unlike other cardio workouts, Aero dance provides a huge variety in styles, and hence doesn’t get you bored or irritated! It’s a workout which despite doing for years together will still have its effects on your body.

Calories burnt: An intense session can burn up to 400 calories in an hour.

Do you know any other alternative cardio workouts to lose weight? Leave us a comment and let us know

Source: iDiva.com

Pic: tim & annette



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