Increase Your Cardiovascular Exercise Intensity

Put down the newspaper, magazine, or book when doing cardiovascular exercise during your next workout. I walk through the gym everyday and see a number of people doing this. As you can see it drives me crazy.

Usually these people are working at a low level, are going for a long period of time, and are not seeing results. This training method probably worked the first few weeks and now their body has adapted to the physical stress placed on it. Change your cardio routine! Here's how:

1. Try doing intervals: Increase to one minute at a higher intensity followed by one minute at a low intensity, and doing 6-10 repetitions

2. Train for a distance. Pick a cardiovascular machine and go a certain distance on it. Attempt doing a mile on a treadmill at a fast pace.

3. Only spend 1 day per week training at a longer distance, unless you're training for an event that requires long distance training. 

4. Change it up. Bike, row, run, jump rope do something that will keep it fun for you.