Shake Up Your Cardio Routine

Do you go to the gym and do the same cardio routine every time? Do you always do the same boring thing on the same machine – without achieving the results that you want?

Here are three different cardio plans for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels that are designed to keep your body guessing the entire time you’re working out. The result will be a stronger, fitter body.

Beginner Plan

– This treadmill interval plan will have you walking up a sweat for 30 minutes

Warm Up

• 5 minutes – Warm up walking at 3.0 speed and 0 incline
• 3 minutes – Medium intensity walking at 3.5 speed and 0 incline
• 2 minutes – Fast walking at 4.0 speed and 0 incline

Now reduce the speed and add some incline

• 2 minutes – Walking at 3.0 speed and 2 incline
• 2 minutes – Walking at 3.0 speed and 3 incline
• 2 minutes – Walking at 3.0 speed and 4 inlcine
• 2 minutes – Walking at 3.0 speed and 5 incline
• 2 minutes – Walking at 3.0 sped and 6 incline

Back to speed for the last 8 minutes

• 2 minutes – Walking at 3.5 speed and 0 incline
• 2 minutes – Walking at 3.8 speed and 0 incline
• 2 minutes – Walking at 4.0 speed and 0 incline
• 2 minutes – Walking at 4.0 speed and 0 incline
• 2 minutes – Cool down at 3.0 speed and 0 incline

Intermediate Program

– This treadmill and jump rope program will tone your arms as well as your legs in under 30 minutes

Warm Up

• 3 minutes – Warm up walking at 3.5 speed and 0 incline
• 2 minutes – Increase speed to 4.0
• 5 minutes – Jog at 5.5 speed
• 5 minutes – Walk at 3.5 speed and 10 incline

Jump Rope

• 2 minutes – Jump rope continuously
• 20 Squat jumps (with feet shoulder-width apart, sit backwards into a squat, jump up, land back into a squat, repeat)

Run/Walk Segment and Cool Down

• 5 minutes – Jog on the treadmill at 5.5 speed and 0 incline
• 5 minutes – Walk on the treadmill at 3.5 speed and 10 incline
• 3 minutes – Cool down at a 3.0 speed walk

Advanced Program

– Cardio meets strength training for maximum results in this 45-minute total body workout. You’ll need a treadmill, jump rope and a bosu ball

Warm Up

• 5 minutes – Warm up at 4.0 speed and 0 incline
• 3 minutes – Jog on treadmill at 6 speed and 0 incline
• 2 minutes – Jog on treadmill at 6 speed and increase incline to 2
• 2 minutes – Jog on treadmill at 6 speed and increase incline to 3
• 2 minutes – Jog on treadmill at 6 speed and increase incline to 4
• 1 minute – Sprint on treadmill at 7 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Jog on treadmill at 6 speed and 0 incline

The Fun Stuff!

• 2 minutes – Jump rope
• 30 Squat jumps (with feet shoulder-width apart, sit backwards into a squat, jump up, land back into a squat, repeat)
• Bosu Running – standing on the top of the bosu, run for 30 seconds
• 20 Burpees with the bosu ball (turn the bosu ball over with the dome part facing down. Start by standing on the bosu on the floor, bring your hands down to the top of the bosu, jump your feet backwards into a plank position, then jump your feet back in and stand back up)

Cardio Segment – 25 minutes

• 2 minutes – Walk on treadmill at 3.5 speed and 0 incline
• 3 minutes – Run on treadmill at 6.0 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.1 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.2 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.3 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.4 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.5 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.6 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.7 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.8 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.9 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 7 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Run on treadmill at 6.0 speed and 5 incline
• 2 minutes – Run on treadmill at 5.5 speed and 0 incline

Cool Down

• 2 minutes – Walk on treadmill at 3.5 speed and 0 incline
• 1 minute – Walk on treadmill at 3.0 speed and 0 incline