Pool Season: Adding in Cardio

It's that time of year again--the weather is heating up and the pools are opening, but are you ready to show off all your hard work in gym? If you have been lifting to bulk up but aren't quite seeing ripples and definition in your muscles yet you should try adding some running to your daily workout schedule.

I am a huge fan of running outside at night in during this lovely spring weather. Personally, I try to get between a 20 to 40 minute run in at night 3 to 4 times a week, and if you are looking to burn some fat and tone up your muscles I would recommend doing the same. You don't need to run incredibly long or hard,  just a nice consistent jog will be all you need. The important part is making sure you run at least 20 minutes a workout.

The body does not start tapping into the fat reserves for energy until after around 20 minutes of constant movement and cardio, so if you don't run at least 20 minutes than you are just burning the calories you consumed that day, not stored fat. A cardio exercise in your target heart rate zone for about 20-40 minutes will give you maximum results for fat burning. Anything below 20 minutes is not enough--going over 40 minutes can be just as detrimental though, and if you do it consistently you will see a reduction in your muscle size (not what you want if you're lifting add muscle bulk). 

Adding a quick set of abs right after you run can also help you target that problem mid-section as well. "Spot" fat reduction is not possible in the human body, but since your body is already in a fat-burning stage right after a run, doing abs as soon as your finish running will target areas in the midsection to help feed those particular muscle groups. Thus, you will be building muscle in your abdominal area while burning fat all at the same time! 

If you employ these methods 3-4 times a week I promise it will compliment all the weight lifting work you have been doing and really help you get that ripped look for pool season. As you lift more and your muscles get bigger, however, you won't have to do as much cardio because the more muscle you have the higher your metabolism will be at a resting rate. So in turn the more muscle you have, the more fat your body will burn on its own at a resting rate. 

Keep stopping by every week for more great tips to ad to your fitness plan that will have you looking your best for the upcoming summer!