Everyone needs to incorporate recovery into their workout programs. Whether you are a three times to the gym person or a five or more times a week fanatic, you need to incorporate recovery sessions into your program. Don’t be afraid and stop dreading it. Easy cardio recovery can actually be enjoyable and can be done in 60 minutes or less. You can read/listen to a book or watch a movie while doing it. Also, easy cardio will help you lose even more weight without the intense effort!
There are various reasons why we do easy cardio for 60 minutes or less:
- You will continue to burn fat, even performing at a 60% of maximum heart rate
- You will be in better shape and feel better because a lack of cardio-respiratory fitness contributes to muscular fatigue
- You will be able to recover faster during and after workouts as you will be in aerobic condition.
- You will feel better during heavy lifts as easy cardio helps with creatine replenishment that is an oxidative process that helps your muscles perform more efficiently
- You can work on better technique and become more efficient for the cardio activity you select
- You will have a clearer mind and be able to handle stress in a more effective manner
There are many ways that you can incorporate easy cardio into your life. It’s easier than you think and the more you do it the more you will want to do it because you look better and feel better. Here are a few ways to incorporate it into your life and the benefits easy cardio recovery can provide:
- 10-20 minutes before a workout will help
- clear your head and get you ready for that workout
- promote blood flow, warm you up to avoid injury, increase your heart rate and prepare you for a workout
- become more efficient if you pick an exercise that does not come naturally and you accumulate hours doing it
- 30-60 minutes on your day off or as a second workout in a single day will help
- increase your aerobic capacity
- help you feel better afterward
- help you improve your technique
- 10-20 minutes as cool down after a workout will
- flush out lactic acid out of the muscles, which will minimize soreness
- give you time to reflect on your workout
- accumulate hours on something that doesn’t come easily, making you more efficient
The milestones you will achieve will surprise you. To put it simply, easy cardio adds up fast. If you add an extra 20 minutes of cardio to your warm up and cool down, that is around 8,000 meters on a rower or skier. If you continue that routine 4 times in a week, you will have achieved 32,000 meters. If you continue it for a month you will have 128,000 meters in a month. Easily you will have over 1,000,000 meters in a year. It adds up exponentially. Go ahead and see what you can do.
Make recovery a priority and reap the benefits. If you are struggling to breathe well during your hard workouts or if you’re always sore, I guarantee that easy cardio recovery days will fix the problem. I have clients who train intensely 5 times a week and couldn’t keep up that program without intense recovery. Stop with the excuses and start easy cardio recovery.
