Cardio for Beginners
The following are suggested routines for beginners or those who are sedentary, have never exercised or haven't exercised in a long time. These workouts can be performed on a variety of machines or outside and are designed to ease you into cardio training. To progress, add a few minutes to the workout of your choice each week.
- Modify the workouts according to your fitness level. Add more time or reduce the workout time as needed
- The RPE's (Rate of Perceived Exertion) help you track intensity on a scale of 1 - 10. Choose a pace you can maintain for the length of the workout.
- If you can't talk or feel dizzy, stop!
- You can also use a Target Heart Rate Calculator to monitor your exercise intensity.
- Perform this workout 2-3 times a week with a day of rest in between. Be sure to progress each week by adding time and/or increasing intensity.
- Check with your doctor if you have any medical conditions or injuries
The following walking workout is a nice choice for beginners. It requires no equipment (except a good pair of shoes) and you can do it outside or indoors on a treadmill. Feel free to adjust the workout according to your fitness level.
| Beginner 13-Minute Walking Workout |
| 3 minutes RPE 3-4 - Warm up at a comfortable pace |
| 4 minutes: RPE 5 - Increase your pace a bit so that you're working harder, but are still able to carry on a conversation |
| 3 minutes: RPE 4 - Slow down just a bit |
| 3 minutes: RPE 3 - Slow down to a comfortable pace to cool down |
| Try this stretching workout after your cardio to increase flexibility and relax. |
| Total Workout Time: 13 Minutes |
If you've never exercised (or it's been awhile) a stationary bike is a nice choice. Because bikes offer resistance for you to work against (rather than your own body weight), you can allow your body time to get used to exercise without impact. Please modify according to your fitness level
| Beginner 10-Minute Bike Workout |
| 3 minutes RPE 3-4 - Warm up at a comfortable pace and keep the resistance low |
| 4 minutes: RPE 5 - Increase the resistance a few increments to work harder. Make sure you can carry on a conversation |
| 3 minutes: RPE 3 - Decrease the resistance and slow down to a comfortable pace to cool down |
| Try this stretching workout after your cardio to increase flexibility and relax. |
| Total Workout Time: 10 Minutes |
