Cardio Speed and Endurance Workout
This workout involves working on the treadmill (or any cardio machine of your choice) for anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. You'll be spending a lot of time changing your speed and incline to make the workout more interesting and burn more calories. For a shorter workout, go through the entire routine once. For 30 minutes, repeat twice and for 45 minutes, repeat three times. The speeds and inclines listed are samples only and are more of a medium-fast walking pace. Increase or decrease the speed according to your fitness level. Use the Perceived Exertion Scale below to determine how hard you're working.
| TIME |
Instructions |
Ending Speed/Incline |
|---|---|---|
|
5-10 min |
3.0 mph/1% incline- warm-up |
3.0 mph/1% incline |
|
1 minute |
Increase speed and incline 1 increment every 15 seconds |
3.4 mph/5% incline |
|
1 minute |
Remain at above speed and incline |
3.4 mph/5% incline |
|
1 minute |
Lower speed and incline 1 increment every 15 seconds |
3.0 mph/1% incline |
|
1 minute |
With speed at 3.5 mph, increase incline every 15 seconds |
3.5 mph/5% incline |
| 1 minute |
Remain at above speed/incline |
3.5 mph/5% incline |
|
1 minute |
Speed at 3.5 mph, decrease incline every 15 seconds |
3.5 mph/1% incline |
|
5 minutes |
Speed at 4.0 mph, Incline at 1% |
4 mph/1% incline |
| 1 minute | Starting at 4 mph, 2% incline increase speed every 20 seconds | 4.3 mph/2% incline |
| 1 minute | Remain at 4.3 mph/2% incline | 4.3 mph/2% incline |
| 1 minute | Decrease speed every 20 seconds | 4.0 mph/2% incline |
| 1 minute | Sprint as hard as you can! | 5.0 mph + |
| 5 minutes | Cool down | 3.0 mph |
When exercising, you should monitor your intensity to make sure you're not working too hard. One way to do this is by using a Perceived Exertion Scale. For most workouts, you should stay somewhere between Level 5 and Level 6. For high intensity interval workouts, your recovery should be around Level 4 or 5, and your intense interval should not go above 9. For longer, slower workouts, keep your PE at Level 5 or lower.
- Level 1: This is so easy I could do it all day.
- Level 2: I'm working up a little sweat, but could still maintain this pace for a long time.
- Level 3: My muscles are warming up and I'm sweating lightly (this is your warm up level)
- Level 4: I'm sweating, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly.
- Level 5: I'm sweating more now, am a little breathless, but could maintain this pace for a while
- Level 6: I can still talk, but am breathing harder.
- Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to.
- Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions. I can only keep this pace for a short time period.
- Level 9: I am probably going to die.
- Level 10: I am dead.
