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Category: Cardio Workout Tips

How to breathe during a cardio workout

Posted on by Angie Tinsley

There's an art to running. And while many exercise enthusiasts take care to maintain proper form while working out on their home treadmills, having the right breathing technique often goes by the wayside, even though it can make it possible to run longer with less effort.

"Runners think about training their heart and legs, but they rarely think about training their lungs," Mindy Solkin, owner of The Running Center in New York City, told Runner's World. "A strong respiratory system can improve your running. It's a simple equation: Better breathing equals more oxygen for your muscles, and that equals more endurance."

While having great fitness equipment, such as the TRUE PS300 treadmill, can help motivate you to run farther and longer by providing the tools you need to meet your fitness and weight loss goals (its eight preset programs make working out a no-brainer), it's difficult to run very long without breathing properly.

There are a few approaches that runners can take to train themselves to have breathing techniques that will enable them to run well. Firstly, runners should practice breathing deeply. Your body needs to deliver a constant supply of oxygen to its muscles during a run to provide the strength and energy needed to keep going, and this can't be accomplished without deep breaths from the diaphragm.

"When you take deeper breaths, you use more air sacs in your lungs, which allows you to take in more oxygen to feed your muscles," Dr. David Ross, a pulmonologist at UCLA Medical Center, told the source. "When I'm running, I concentrate on taking slow and deep breaths to strengthen my diaphragm."

During your run, it's important to breathe in a rhythm. Match your inhaling and exhaling to your steps (try inhaling for two or three counts and exhaling for the same amount of time). If you are unable to match your breathing to your steps, try slowing down your pace.

Although it may feel more natural to breathe through your nose, during a run it's better to breathe through your mouth because it will allow you to intake more oxygen. However, according to FitSugar, runners should breathe through their noses during colder weather because the dry air can trigger wheezing and coughing. In either case, concentrate to make sure your breaths are coming from your belly rather than your chest and you will boost your endurance.

How to Use Your Home Treadmill to Train for a 5K

Posted on by Angie Tinsley

If your springtime resolution is to finally run a 5K, you may have to overcome a few mental hurdles before you’re ready to take your running routine public. To avoid becoming discouraged as you train for your first 5K, the most important thing to do is take it slow. Follow these tips and you’ll be a racing success in no time:

1. Have the right equipment
Having the right home fitness equipment could prove to be critical for staving off injury as you begin your training. The TRUE Fitness M50 treadmill is specifically designed to reduce the impact on your ankles, knees, hips and back, which makes it perfect for anyone who’s just getting their start as a regular runner.

2. Set your goal
If you really want to get serious about your running routine, sign up for a 5K so you will have a definitive goal to work towards as you begin your training. Ask a friend to sign up with you so you can hold each other accountable as you make your way towards race day. Using a compatible fitness app will allow you to track your training and ensure you are reaching your goal.

3. Warm up
Never jump right onto your treadmill without stretching beforehand, especially early in your 5K training. Taking a few walking lunges, swinging your legs and marching in place will help prevent injuries as you train.

4. Take it slow
Don’t expect to run an entire 5K on your first day of training. Remember: it’s a goal you’re working towards. Start off by walking for half an hour every day, then alternate walking and running until you are able to run for a full 30 minutes. Listen to your body. If you’re in pain, it’s OK to take a break.

5. Have a plan
You’ll need to give yourself enough time prior to your 5K race date to get yourself in shape – anywhere from four to 10 weeks depending upon your athletic ability. Write out a training plan before you get started so you can stay organized and be ready for your first 5K!

Don’t overdo it if you’re a running beginner

Posted on by Angie Tinsley

New Years resolutions to get into a running routine may have fallen by the wayside, but spring is in the air and the budding leaves may just inspire beginner runners to once again give it a try. Many beginners may give up on their goal of becoming a runner too quickly because they don’t have the proper information to get them into the right routine, but with the right know-how, they can position themselves for success.

Equipment
To begin with, it is especially important that running newbies have the right equipment. Using a fitness treadmill can make the transition easier because when exercising indoors, runners do not meet wind resistance.

In addition, to avoid becoming injury-prone as they look to shed pounds or get in the habit of running regularly, it’s a good idea for beginners to choose a treadmill that has orthopedically correct shock absorption, such as the TRUE Soft Systemâ„¢, available on several TRUE Fitness treadmills.

This innovative feature not only allows runners to set the firmness of the deck, but also provides a soft surface on impact while transitioning to a firmer surface for push off, making it ideal for both beginners and those who are more well-trained.

Strategy
In addition to ensuring that they are running on the proper surface, beginners should increase their running routine gradually to avoid becoming overly tired or triggering an injury. Runner’s World recommends that beginners increase their mileage by 10 percent per week.

Rather than overdoing it and losing confidence, Fitness magazine recommends that beginners start running three days a week for 20 minutes at a time. If 20 minutes is initially too much, it’s ok to take walking breaks. Getting into a running routine should be a gradual process so beginners feel comfortable and are inspired to continue their training.

Obstacles
Running beginners may become discouraged if they experience symptoms of soreness or fatigue. However, it’s important that they understand that many of the obstacles that they encounter, such as side stitches, will go away over time as they ease into a regular routine.

If beginners find they are getting out of breath, they should concentrate on breathing deeply and take walking breaks when necessary. In the end, it’s possible for running newbies to someday become running veterans if they have the tools to help them be successful.

Intensify your treadmill workout with hill interval training

Posted on by Angie Tinsley

Many may think of a treadmill as a boring alternative to other exercise options. However, home treadmills have proven to be a great way to shed pounds, improve endurance and even enhance your overall fitness. The only way treadmill workouts are boring is if you make them that way. There are plenty of ways to incorporate interesting workouts on your treadmill without becoming disinterested. One of the best ways to do this is with hill workouts.

TRUE’s fitness treadmills offer users preset programs that make working out simple. The varied intervals and speeds ensure that exercise remains both interesting and effective. The PS800 Treadmill comes with eight preset workouts to try out every time you want to go for a walk or run. This piece of fitness equipment can also ensure that you’re working out at a safe level by monitoring your heart rate with cruise control. Once your target heart rate is entered, the speed and incline will adjust automatically to maintain that heart rate.

Advantages of a hill workout on a treadmill
Although you could go outdoors for hill intervals, training inside on a treadmill offers you a safer and more controlled environment in which to do so. You can easily decide how steep you want the incline and for how long you run at that level. Active.com explained that instead of running outdoors and getting overwhelmed by large or long hills, treadmills offer the chance to tackle certain grades or slopes when you are ready and feel you have progressed enough.

Running hills means that the incline of the treadmill is being raised up and down. By utilizing this incline option, users are actually using more muscle in their calves, quads and glutes than they would be on flat surfaces. According to Melissa Cox, RRCA-certified running coach, running uphill improves aerobic capacity, which allows for enhanced oxygen intake and improved running.

Maintain proper form
During these hill intervals, it’s crucial to keep proper form in order to get the most effective workout possible and to prevent injury. Runner’s World suggested maintaining the correct form by looking ahead rather than looking down. This will help align your back and neck. It’s also important to keep your shoulders low and loose. When you’re intensely exercising, it can be easy to tighten and raise up your shoulders, which can cause tension. As far as your arms go, they should be swinging forward and back, rather than across your body, to help you drive forward. If they’re going across your chest, this may slow you down.

Nine ways to save time at the gym

Posted on by Angie Tinsley

If your excuse for not exercising nearly as much as you should is that you don’t have time to go to the gym, we have a few time-saving strategies for you. We get it, you’re busy! But don’t let your crazy schedule get in the way of that swimsuit body you’re working towards. Here’s how to minimize the time that you spend at the gym without sacrificing your workout:

1. Stop talking
You may be surprised by how much time you waste socializing at the gym. Talk to your friends before or after workout rather than between intervals so you can concentrate on your exercise plan and be efficient.

2. Avoid peak hours
If you can make it work with your schedule, go to the gym when you know it will be the least busy so you don’t waste valuable time waiting for your favorite TRUE Fitness treadmill to be available.

3. Exercise at home
If you have gym-quality equipment at home, such as a TRUE Fitness elliptical, you can stick to your workout routine without clamoring for the best machine along with the masses at your local gym.

4. Be prepared
Before leaving for the gym, make sure you are organized and ready to get to work right away. Fill up your water bottle, untangle your headphones and put on your running shoes at home.

5. Make a plan
Make sure that you head to the gym with a set plan of what your workout will consist of. You may want to ask a trainer to develop and write an exercise plan down for you so you can stick with it on your own.

6. Multitask
Get more done in less time by forcing your muscles to multitask during your workout (for example, crunches on a stability ball). The harder you can work your muscles all at once, the less time you’ll need to spend at the gym.

7. Alternate intensity
You can increase the effectiveness of your workout by doing intervals of intensity variation. Experiment with the incline on your treadmill, or try out some short sprints in between steady-paced running.

8. Time yourself
Include the amount of time you plan to spend on each exercise in your workout plan, and stick to it! Try to limit your distractions.

9. Do something you enjoy
The time you spend at the gym will go faster and be more effective if you enjoy your workout, so include something you like to do in your exercise routine, whether that be yoga, weight training or using the elliptical.

How to speed up your post-workout recovery

Posted on by Angie Tinsley

Whether you occasionally hop on your home elliptical machine or are a marathon runner, in order to get the most out of your workouts it’s important to give your body an appropriate amount of time to recover. The general rule of thumb is to allow yourself one day of rest between workouts, but if you’re itching to get back on your TRUE Fitness treadmill, follow these tips to minimize your post-workout recovery time:

1. Get plenty of sleep
Not only does sleep deprivation reduce your energy levels and cause you to be sluggish, making it difficult to even complete your workout in the first place, it can also have a negative effect on your recovery. Try to get a full six to eight hours of sleep each night to give your body plenty of time to re-energize so you’re ready to tackle your next workout. If that’s not possible, take a quick power nap approximately two hours after exercising.

2. Rehydrate
Drinking plenty of water is an essential component of a faster post-workout recovery. If you exercise while dehydrated you could damage your muscles, so replenish your fluids with water or sports drinks. Drinking cherry juice can also reduce the swelling from damaged muscles, and the protein in chocolate milk can help kick-start your recovery.

3. Eat the right food
Within a half-hour after you’ve completed your workout, reach for a high-protein snack to make sure your body has the fuel it needs to recover. Carbohydrates like nuts and avocados also make a great post-workout snack. Whatever you eat, make sure it’s easy to digest – avoid heavy, solid foods like pizza.

4. Workout regularly
If you really want to reduce the amount of time it takes you to recover after a workout, you’re going to have to exercise more regularly. Aim for spending time on your TRUE Fitness treadmill at least three times per week and your body will respond to the conditioning.

5. Take a cold bath
After your workout, hop in a cold bath to reduce the soreness and inflammation that can come with exercise. Icing your muscles can also speed your recovery time, especially if there are areas of your body that you chronically injure: Try placing the ice pack on sore muscles for 10 minutes at a time, giving them a 10 minute break in between.

The best ways to boost your metabolism

Posted on by Angie Tinsley

Every time you eat something, the cells in your body have to work to break down that food and turn it into the energy that keeps your heart pumping and fuels you to take on the day. Having a fast metabolism translates to more calories burned, but in many cases, the speed may be largely genetic. However, there are a variety of ways to speed up your metabolism and be on your way to trimming your waist. According to John Berardi, author of “The Metabolism Advantage,” you actually have a large amount of control over your metabolic rate. Check out a few ways you can amp up your metabolism and burn more calories:

Eat the right foods
Keeping up a healthy diet is going to help you torch the calories. However, what you’re putting into your body makes a difference. Prevention stated that foods like lean meats, nuts, whole fruits and vegetables take more time to chew and longer to leave your stomach. When eating takes longer, your stomach has more time to register that it’s full, which can prevent you from mindlessly consuming extra calories. In fact, just the simple act of chewing these foods can increase your calorie burn by up to 30 percent.

Think spicy
You may want to add a little spice to your next meal after hearing about the advantages that come with it. According to FitDay, indulging in a spicy meal can provide a temporary, 8 percent increase over an individual’s typical metabolic rate. Capsaicin, the compound that gives a kick to red chili peppers, creates the largest rise in body temperature, which helps burn more calories immediately after a meal. The New York Times also stated that black pepper and ginger have similar effects.

Get a blast of cardio
Health Magazine suggested amping up the intensity on fitness treadmills for about 30 seconds, then returning to your normal speed afterward. Using this interval strategy will help you take in more oxygen and you’ll work harder to burn energy. Keep an eye on your heart rate to ensure an intense workout with TRUE’s cardio fitness equipment. Many of the bikes, treadmills and ellipticals are equipped with wireless heart rate monitoring systems so you can lock into your target heart rate. Your speed and incline will automatically adjust throughout the duration of your workout to maintain your target heart rate and ensure you that you’re getting the proper amount of exercise for your fitness level.

How to get out of bed and onto the treadmill

Posted on by Angie Tinsley

We all know how it goes: The alarm goes off bright and early and you begin to rise for the start of a new day. Then the thought "I should workout" enters your head. But it's still dark outside and your bed covers are oh so comfortable. Becoming an avid morning exerciser takes time and practice. Of course sleep seems more appealing at the time, but working out in the morning can provide you with the energy you need to take on the day and whatever it may throw at you. Check out a few of these ways to hop on out of bed and onto home fitness equipment:

Get to bed at a normal time
In order to be okay with getting up early, you must start going to bed at a normal hour to allow yourself enough hours of sleep. We realize this is easier said than done. If you have a show you love to watch at night, just record it and watch it the next day. When you're not exhausted the next morning, you'll be glad you did. If you find that you're not sleepy enough at night, FitSugar recommended cutting back your caffeine intake during the day. You may also want to try warm baths, a cup of your favorite tea or reading to lull yourself to sleep.

Let there be light
According to Discovery Health, light tells the brain that it's time to wake up. Light helps to regulate your circadian rhythms and keep them on track. So once your alarm goes off, get into the habit of opening your shades to let in a bit of natural light. If it's still dark out when you rise in the morning, turn on your bedside lamp to wake yourself up.

Sleep in your workout clothes
One of the hardest parts of breaking a sweat in the morning is simply getting prepared to do so – nobody wants to leave the comfort of their warm bed to put on shorts and a t-shirt. Daily Spark suggested giving yourself no excuses by snoozing in your workout clothes. Not only does it save you precious time in the morning, it takes one obstacle out of the way and you'll be one step closer to working out.

Play motivating music
Once you rise out of bed, put on an upbeat playlist that's going to get you moving and pumped up about exercise. According to Daily Spark, music can change your mood, give you energy and even motivate you to reach your goals. Continue this habit on the treadmill to keep your workouts intense. Many of TRUE's home treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes are iPod compatible, making it easy to listen to your favorite tunes once you step on your cardio fitness machine.

Make working out a priority, not an option
When your alarm goes off in the morning, don't even think about making that snooze button an option. Tell yourself that this is something you have to do. By saying "I'll wake up and see if I feel like working out tomorrow," you're essentially giving yourself an excuse to not exercise.

Bribe yourself
If you can't get out of bed for a workout, get out of bed for a different reason, whether that's a pre-workout snack or watching your favorite TV show before you hit the treadmill. If you have something to look forward to after getting out of bed, you're more likely to follow through on that morning routine.

Map out your workout
Instead of just getting on a piece of equipment and running, have a set workout regimen. TRUE's preset workout programs make designing the perfect workout for your fitness level easy.

Melt off your love handles on the treadmill

Posted on by Angie Tinsley

The love handles, located on our sides, are likely one of the hardest areas to target and really burn fat. Home gym equipment is a great way to stay in shape, tone your body and even melt off those stubborn pockets of fat. You just have to know how to do it! Fitness treadmills allow you to create a workout especially made for burning fat and trimming your love handles. Women’s Fitness explained that cardio machines that work the whole body, like treadmills, are the best cardio equipment to help you lose your love handles and tone up. Here are a few things to keep in mind next time you hop onto the treadmill:

Stay in the fat burning zone
In order to shed those pounds, you’ll need to get your body into the fat burning zone. This will depend on your weight, height and heart rate. According to Women’s Fitness, the fat burning zone is around 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. All of TRUE’s home treadmills are equipped with heart rate technology called TRUE HRC Cruise Control. This makes it simple to stay at a steady heart rate and allows you to lock into your target. Once it is entered, your speed will automatically adjust throughout the duration of your workout, helping you to stay right in the fat burning zone!

Vary your workouts
Just because you’re working out on a treadmill doesn’t mean that you have to keep up with the exact same workout regimen. Try a variety of programs like hill training and interval training to keep your body guessing and get you on your way to burning off excess fat. TRUE’s treadmills have a wide array of preset workout programs, making it easy to keep a variety and not get bored with your workouts. Try sprinting for 30 seconds, then giving yourself a minute of rest, then going back to sprint mode. Do this for about four minutes. According to Yahoo, this four minutes of hard work on the treadmill will kick your body into the action of burning stubborn fat.

Use the incline
Walking on a flat surface may suffice, but by increasing the elevation on your treadmill, you can amp up the intensity of your workout. Your heart rate will elevate, causing you to work harder. As a result, you burn more calories. You can opt to set the incline at a variety of levels for a more interesting exercise regimen.