Cardio workout to burn fat: 8 popular myths + 10 best exercises

You can lose weight without fitness, but with regular exercise this can be done faster and more efficiently. How to build an aerobic activity for maximum results? And is it true that the most effective way to burn fat is cardio workout?

This article will cover the most popular questions that relate to cardio workouts and their effectiveness for weight loss. We will also look at popular myths about cardiovascular training, which can mislead and hinder progress in the classroom. And finally, bring you complex cardiovascular exercises to practice at home or in the gym.

The benefits of cardio for fat burning

Cardiovascular exercise (or aerobic exercise) is due to the energy that is produced during the oxidation of glucose molecules with oxygen. This is the main difference from the power load, where energy is extracted oxygen-free way. Therefore, during cardio train not only muscles, but also the entire cardiovascular system.

Cardio workout is especially useful for those who are just starting to do fitness. They prepare your heart for heavier loads. Other benefits of aerobic exercises?

Benefits of cardio:

• Calories are burnt, which facilitates and accelerates the process of weight loss.
• Increases endurance, you will be able to withstand a heavier load (it will come in handy in everyday life).
• Accelerate metabolism and metabolic processes.
• Increases the strength of the lungs and their volume.
• Improves cardiovascular health, reduces the risk of diseases.
• Increases immunity.
• Relieves stress and psychological tension.
• You will receive a charge of vivacity and energy for the whole day.

PROPER NUTRITION: how to start step by step

Heart rate during cardio workout to burn fat

To cardio workout was effective, you should engage in the area of weight loss. So-called fat burning zone is in the range of 65-85% of your maximum heart rate (HR). The higher the heart rate the more calories you will burn. Corridor pulse, which gives the fat loss, is calculated by the following formula:

Heart rate_max = 220 – age (this is the maximum value of the pulse)

Further we consider the area of weight reduction, it is in the 65-85% of heart rate_max:

• Lower bound: heart rate_max * 0,65
• Upper bound: heart rate_max * 0,85

EXAMPLE:

Let’s say your age is 35 years

220-35=185 (this is your heart rate_max)

• The lower boundary of the zone weight loss: 185 * 0,65 = 120
• The upper boundary of zone fat loss: 185 * 0,85 = 157

Ie to burn fat during a cardio workout your heart rate should be in the range 120-157 beats per minute (for example the age of 35 years). This is the recommended heart rate zone in which cardio exercise is both effective for weight loss, and safe for the heart.

To measure heart rate during a cardio workout, you can use a heart rate monitor or a fitness bracelet. If you don’t have one, you can pulse independently during class. To do this, count the number of beats for 10 seconds and then multiply by 6. So you will get the value of your pulse.

Rules for an effective cardio workout to burn fat

1. Give preference to interval loads. Interval training is significantly more effective than routine aerobics. You will burn more calories and will give a session more productive. In addition, these cardio programs are the least destructive to muscle tissue. For example, you can carry out exercises on the TABATA principle: 20 seconds of exercise with a heavy load, 10 seconds rest, do 4-8 approaches, rest 1 minute. You can also choose the intervals to suit your features.
2. People with a large overweight also need aerobic exercise. Only in this case it is better to choose walking: on the treadmill, outside, or at home, for example, watch our collection of: Top 10 video training on the basis of walk for beginners. Do not have to run or jump, to drive away the excess weight. The most important cardiovascular training is to do with increased heart rate, and this is achieved in any physical activity.
3. Cardio workout should always be complemented by strength training. Without strength training you will lose muscle, slow your metabolism, degrade the quality of the body. Do not have to carry both loads in one day, they can be used interchangeably. Must see: strength training for girls + ready-made plan.
4. Start to exercise with weight training, and aerobic finish. If you combine the two types of loads in one day, it is better to start with strength exercises. Otherwise after cardio you will not have the strength to quality work with weights.
5. Always follow your heart. At low values you will not reach the desired goal, while at the higher hurt your health. If you do not have a heart rate monitor, measure the pulse independently 2-3 times during classes.
6. Periodically change the form of aerobic exercise. If you are in the room, then alternate, for example, an ellipsoid and a Jogging track. When doing cardio workouts at home try to change your routines. It will increase the efficiency of the results.
7. If you have problems with the knee joints, pick’s low impact cardio. Now released lot’s low impact programs that will help you to burn fat without harming the knees. If you are in the room, you can choose a fast walk on the track or ellipsoid.
8. How often should I do cardio training? If you want to lose weight, do cardio at least 3 times a week for 30-45 minutes. If you want to keep in shape or work on muscle mass, it is enough 1-2 times a week for 30-45 minutes.
9. Even if you don’t need to lose weight, you should not completely eliminate cardio workout schedule. With their help, you improve your endurance and heart muscle. That is, develop your fitness holistically, in all directions.
10. Cardio sessions will not help you to lose weight without a caloric deficit. It is important to understand all the slimming people. Even if you engage in daily aerobic exercise, but it does not follow the diet to burn body fat you will not succeed. Read more about counting calories.

One example of interval training, if you run:

Many people do not like cardio workout and possibly try to avoid them. But now a very large selection of aerobic and interval programs so you can choose the most suitable option:

• running
• walking
• HIIT training
• dancing
• TABATA
• crossfit
• step aerobics
• kickboxing
• water aerobics
• Cycling
• classes at the octagon
• exercise bikes

Also an alternative to cardio exercise to burn fat can be a sports activity: skiing, skating, rollers, swimming, athletics, team sports.

8 major myths about cardiovascular training for fat burning

MYTH # 1: weight loss and fat burning have to do cardio workouts

No, for losing weight and burning fat is not necessary to do cardio workouts. Lose weight from a caloric deficit (consume less food than the body is able to expend per day), and the quality of the body is improved with strength training due to the strengthening or growth of muscles. So you can lose weight without cardio.

However, cardio training gives the additional consumption of calories, thus helping you create the necessary deficit for weight loss and fat burning. So with regular cardio workouts to lose weight will be easier. In addition, the training of the heart is a very useful component of fitness training, which should not be avoided if you don’t want to get problems with the cardiovascular system.

MYTH # 2: If wrap film problem areas or to wear termopalas, then fat burning during cardio workouts will be faster.

No, it does not affect the process of losing weight, increases calorie consumption during training and does not help fat burning during cardio workouts. Film and termopilas only will cause you to lose more moisture during a workout. Maybe your weight is even slightly reduced, but only at the expense of lost water, not fat.

In addition, dehydration during a workout is not only very unhealthy, but also reduces the effectiveness of the exercises. Therefore, the film and termopalas will not help weight loss, but only harm to health.

MYTH # 3: If you do strength training, then cardio is optional.

If you are doing strength training and working on muscle growth, it does not mean that cardio you don’t need. Heart muscle trains much longer than the muscles of the body, so with increase in power loads in your heart (unlike the muscles of the legs and hands) is just unprepared. It is fraught with not only the fall results, but also serious health problems.

Imagine that you deal only with the development of the muscles of the body, forgetting about the heart muscle. With the increase in body mass the heart has to pump more blood and thus work harder. As a result, your untrained heart with increasing loads, will quickly wear out. So even if you are working on muscle mass, you should have a good mix of cardio and strength-training.

MYTH # 4: If you constantly do cardio workouts, then follow the diet is optional. During class all “will burn down”.

When during the day you consume more food than your body is able to process, all “remaining” goes to the reserve Fund – fat. For example, the average one-hour workout burns 500 calories in an hour class, and this is the equivalent of only 100 grams of chocolate. So if you want to lose fat, you need to follow the diet to fit into your rate and not gain weight. Cardio workout is a great way to burn calories, but for weight loss is primary all the same food.

In addition, if you are doing intense cardio workouts for burning fat, the body perceives this as a very energy-intensive event. Trying to compensate for the effort, he begins to increase the appetite to make energy. You unwittingly eat more, which is why it is often the case when intense exercise does not help lose weight. We recommend you to count calories to the slimming process was clear and obvious.

MYTH # 5: Cardio exercise should be extended because the consumption of fat starts only after 20 minutes of training.

Another popular myth that fat starts to burn after 20 minutes of training. But it’s not. The duration cardio workout depends on where the body will draw energy for exercise. But to the overall process of weight loss is irrelevant. For weight loss the main thing is to create a calorie deficit, that is, to spend a day more calories than comes with the food.

Cardio workout longer than 20 minutes is beneficial only to those that with their help, you will spend more calories compared to short. We emphasize that for weight loss it does not matter whether you want to train 5 times a week for 10 minutes or 1 time per week for 50 minutes. For any exercise to spend the calories, not so important how you spend those calories: by using long or short classes. The only recommendation is not necessary to do cardio workouts more than 1 hour because it threatens to muscle breakdown, which is not very good for body composition, and metabolism.

MYTH # 6: If you exercise outside of weight loss, exercise will be useless.

This is not so. Whatever the heart rate during exercise (heart rate), you will burn calories. The higher the heart rate, the more calorie consumption. 70-80% are those optimal numbers under which you efficiently train your heart and burn maximum calories without the harmful stress on the body.

MYTH # 7: to Do at home without equipment full cardio workouts impossible.

If strength training you do, you may need additional equipment (dumbbells, barbell, fitness equipment), for cardio workouts at home no equipment not needed. Below offers ready-made lists of videos with cardio workouts, but we also recommend you to look at our article: a Selection of cardio exercises at home + ready-made lesson plan.

MYTH # 8: If there is a problem with the joints and blood vessels, then do cardio impossible.

You can, but you must select’s low impact exercise options. The most important thing in cardio workouts is the rise of the pulse and burning calories, no matter how you reach it: to normal walking or heavy jumps. If you work out in the gym, choose a walk on the treadmill, changing the speed and angle of inclination. If at home, I’d go for a walk, for example, here on this 45-minute video from Leslie Sansone (suitable beginners):

10 cardio exercises to burn fat

Offer cardiovascular exercise to perform at home or in the gym. You will not need additional equipment, all exercises are performed with the weight of his own body. The load can be easily adjusted by accelerating or reducing the rate of exercise.

The program will consist of two laps. In each round you will 5 effective cardio exercises for fat burning. Exercises performed in sequence, one after another, first a circle, then another circle. You can perform the exercises is not on time, and at the expense, of approximately 20-40 reps depending on the exercise.

Plan for beginners:

• Each exercise performed for 30 seconds, then 30 seconds rest
• Each circle repeated 2 times
• Between rounds 1-2 minutes rest
• Total workout length: 25 minutes

Timer:

Plan for advanced:

• Each exercise performed for 45 seconds then 15 seconds rest
• Each circle repeated 2-3 times
• Between rounds 1-2 minutes rest
• Total training duration: 25-40 minutes

Timer:

The first round of cardio

1. Running with Shin zahlest

Run on the spot, trying to hit his heels on the buttocks. Lightweight version: walking in place zahlest Shin.

2. Squat jumps

Jump into a wide squat position, hands touching floor. Your knees should not go for the socks, the back remains straight. Lightweight option: perform a wide squat without the jump.

3. Horizontal Jogging

Adopt the plank position and pull your knees to your chest, quickly replacing one foot to another. The body forms a straight line, the back does not bend or bends. Lightweight option: alternately pull one knee toward your chest to the bar. Read more about exercise “Horizontal Jogging”.

4. Breeding hands in the half squat

Jump into the half squat, simultaneously spreading the arms and legs. Throughout the exercise keep the half squat. Lightweight option: attach the legs in half squat position without jumping.

5. Skier

Throw up your hands and feet, moving as if on the track with a small podrujkami. The arms move synchronously with the feet. Lightweight version: walking in place, simultaneously moving arms and legs.

The second round of cardio

1. Running with knee lift

Run in place, lifting knees so that the thigh is parallel to the floor. Back straight and not go back. Lightweight option: go to place, pulling your knees to your chest.

2. Burpee

From the position of the strap pull your knee toward your chest and jump straight up, then jump back and take position strap. Lighter option: this exercise can be performed without jumps out. Read more about exercise burpees.

3. Raising the legs in the strap

The plank position jump, spreading legs to the side. The body keeps a straight line, the back remains straight. Lightweight option: attach legs alternately out to the side.

4. Squats with jumping

From a squat position make a sharp vertical jump up and then come back in a squat. Lightweight option: perform regular squats. Read more about squats with jumping.

5. Skater

Take a shallow squat position on one leg, the other pulled back. Jump to the side, shifting weight on the other foot and touching the hand on the floor. The weight is transferred to the supporting leg, the free leg is moved back. Lightweight option: jump from side to side without touching the hand on the floor.

Thanks for the gifs youtube channel: Shortcircuits with Marsha.

Cardio workout to burn fat at home

To perform cardio at home you will not need additional equipment, you can train with the weight of his own body. This is a great advantage. Not necessarily to make a street run (which is so hard to persuade), when you can do cardio at home with no less efficiency.

If you are looking for ready video effective cardio workouts for fat burning at home, we recommend you to watch:

• Top 20 of cardio for fat loss from youtube channel and Popsugar
• Top 12 cardio workouts from FitnessBlender, with emphasis on the stomach
• 14’s low impact cardio workouts from FitnessBlender for beginners without jumping
• GymVirtual: 10 cardio workouts from the Spanish coach Petri Jordan

If you are ready for heavier loads, the most effective for weight loss will be high intensity interval training:

• Top 20 TABATA training in the Russian language from FitnessoManiya
• Top 15 TABATA training from the Polish coach Monica Kolakowski
• The top 14 workouts from Christine Salus on 800-1000 calories for advanced
• Top 10 workouts from FitnessBlender 1000 calorie per lesson

For beginners, For weight loss, Cardio workout