Fitness that is well rounded.

[deleted] · 2014-04-19T23:15:48+00:00

If anyone would like an example, the first ~~day~~ week consists of a five minute walk, and 8 intervals of the following:

1 minute run

1:30 brisk walk

This is followed by another 5 minute cool down. Throw in some abs and stretching to relax a bit, then fuel your body.

You can do this. If you can't get a full minute, try. Start at 30 seconds and give yourself an extra 30 seconds to recover. Jog at your own pace. You'll walk away from it when the program has completed realizing you can run 3 miles and change at one time. Your goals are your own, if you are embarrassed, don't share. Rest assured that we are all here for the same goal, to get better. So do it.

Here's the key, don't quit. It's every other day for 30 minutes. You can handle that. You'll see improvement. Start something and finish it.

BoyMeetsHarem · 2014-04-20T01:01:49+00:00

I think regular cardio (2-4 times per week) is healthy, but it's probably not necessary to get more than 30-45 minutes per workout. Beyond that the increased stress and cortisol will have negative impacts on your testosterone and overall health.

Also, there's a lot of recent research that says sprint and HIIT workouts provide just as much cardio fitness in a fraction of the time, and with less wear and tear on the joints and cartilage. So, unless you actually enjoy running there's no reason to be forcing yourself to log 40 miles a week.

Lukegotro · 2014-04-20T02:35:56+00:00

High intensity cardio is better for strength. Low intensity cardio can actually be detrimental to your strength gains.

[deleted] · 2014-04-20T16:50:15+00:00

The easiest way to go from nothing to 5km is to start running at an easy pace and don't stop until you've hit 5km. It's that easy. You can be there in a week. If your pace is too fast, slow down a bit...just don't stop.

When I started that's what I did. My ex did the exact same thing and she was in no way, shape or form fit to start with. Hey motto was "don't keep up, just keep going".

MinimumROM · 2014-04-19T23:35:27+00:00

Well cardio is better for your overall health than lifting. You can be big and strong but not necessarily fit in the sense that you'll get out of breath after jogging for a few minutes if all you do is lift. Best is to do both, which does take time and dedication. But seriously, looking after your body's health - not to mention the positive mental health effects - is one of the best uses of your time.

One thing to remember is that if you're lifting to put on muscle mass and doing a moderate amount of cardio (swimming, cycling, running) then you'll need to up your calories accordingly.