okay so this may be kind of a dumb question but here goes…so i’ve been going to the gym last few weeks…my routine is mostly treadmill..
I do a brisk walk at 2.5-3.0 for about 10-15 minutes as a warm up…then move to jogging (4.5) and running (5.0) and sprinting (5.6). I cant do more than a few minutes on the latter two settings..I stop for a few seconds, driunk some water, and start running again.
All in all I end up doing 40 minutse of this kind of cardio, at intervals. Is this going to help me at all?
And yeah, I do feel really awkward when I see people next to me, strolling at 4.5 and running at like 7.0 speed..
you need to build it up, so i'm told. i'm still working on it myself as my breathing isn't very good.
i probably wouldn't do the sprinting just yet. try to run for longer periods (a few minutes), before you get the point where you can't go on, bring it down to a brisk walk (don't stop!) for about 30s-1min, then start running again for a few mins. basically keep your heart rate up. as you improve, you will be able to run for longer periods with less brisk walk breaks.
don't compare yourself to other people. if 3.0 is a brisk walk for you, then that's what it is.
perhaps do 20mins of this (with a 5mins warm up) and 20mins on the cross trainer? there is no reason you shouldn't be able to get keep going at a steady pace on that.
I agree with stoppit, you need to build up your stamina over time. I was never good at running...I'd literally run for 5 mins and I was gasping for breath by the end of it. Although I've improved I'm still not very good at running but as long as my heart rate is high throughout my workout I don't worry too much about how long I can run for.
8 mph (no less than that) for 45 mins every day... that's what I do... took me a while to get there but I can now do it daily without any problems... Keep increasing it gradually, you'll get better with time, just dont stop.
p.s. for weight loss a higher speed like the above might not be the most effective...
Thanks everyone for the input. Frankly today I was way too sore to go again...iA tomorrow.
I have read in several books and magazines that interval training (doing short spurts of speed and then something more do-able) is best for weight loss...but i just cannot do those numbers recommended....
nother question :) when i do run/jog i get that cramping/pain in my side. What could be the reason for this? I dont' want to stop my workout nor do I want to take down the intensity........
Very good suggestions, I am not too sure if this fact was over looked or not. But I will say it any ways.
You know never underestimate slow longer walk/jog. It help you build stamina and it can do miracle if you are in process of establishing your self physically.
It wont tire you out and helps you keep going. Then eventually your body will tell you to cross train.
Thanks everyone for the input. Frankly today I was way too sore to go again...iA tomorrow.
I have read in several books and magazines that interval training (doing short spurts of speed and then something more do-able) is best for weight loss...but i just cannot do those numbers recommended....
nother question :) when i do run/jog i get that cramping/pain in my side. What could be the reason for this? I dont' want to stop my workout nor do I want to take down the intensity........
you're body isn't used to sudden, prolonged exertion and it's going into anaerobic mode.
do the interval training and with more brisk walking/jogging. once your body becomes used to what you're doing you will build your aerobic capacity.
i just don't think there is any need to trying running yet, you need to build up your stamina and breathing.
Sara u need build up ur stamina first like everyone above said, and that will take a few weeks. Then increase ur speed and the interval gradually. I cud hardly run at speed 7.. but now i do intervals with the max speed of 10-11 for one to 2 min then come down to speed 4 and then up again. Also do intervals at the eliptical trainers for 30-40 min, heard its good.
**
p.s. for weight loss a higher speed like the above might not be the most effective...**
Really? So what would be most effective?
Okay so in a last minute effort i decided to go... I had dinner around 7 PM so I was going to take it a bit easy, not get as intense. I did a good 10 minutes of jogging, without stopping. No running or sprinting. And the soreness is almost gone.
I thought that since I had eaten already I would feel ick if I worked out, but actually I felt pretty fine.
I have read in several books and magazines that interval training (doing short spurts of speed and then something more do-able) is best for weight loss...but i just cannot do those numbers recommended....
.
you are right
if u cant do those numbers then do what you can and slowly do more
I don't know if its just me or what but I definitely feel my stamina is increasing...i can jog at a certain pace easily for several minutes.. more than I could in the beginning. Its only my 7th day in a row going (before I would go 1 day and take the next 3-4 days off). I still get the bad side cramps but I try to run through them as long as I can before I stop and pause and I'm definitely feeling less tired and less winded after the workout than I did before.