We see it all the time at the gym: You stand there staring at the machines trying to figure out which one will be the least boring and give you the biggest bang for your exercise efforts. Or you just climb on and maintain the same pace until you can't stand it another minute. No wonder so many of us dread going to the gym! We all need to put the excitement- and results-back into our cardio sessions, so we asked top trainers for their most effective routines to blast calories, boost your metabolism, sculpt muscle, and free you from that "When will it end?" mind-set. The secret: Don't just change things up every month, change them during every session.
THREE-WAY FAT BURNER
TRAINER Wendy Larkin, personal training manager, Crunch, San Francisco
WHAT YOU'LL NEED A jump rope, group cycling bike, and treadmill
CALORIES BURNED 450-500
"Alternating between different types of exercises allows you to push yourself to your limits-then briefly recover and do it again on the next piece of equipment-while using all your muscles," says Larkin. "It's with both feet, then gradually start alternating feet. If you can't do 10 minutes, jump for 10 revolutions, then rest for 15 seconds. Add 10 revolutions at a time until you get to 10 minutes. When you're cycling, begin with just enough resistance to feel a slight pull on the wheel, then increase it from there. During the standing portions, keep your butt over the seat and your legs over the pedals.
LOWER-BODY SCULPTOR
TRAINER Tracey Staehle, creator of the Walking Strong workout DVD (fitbytracey.com)
WHAT YOU'LL NEED A treadmill
CALORIES BURNED 200*
This "lofty" hill routine makes your lower body work extra hard, and the more you engage those large muscle groups , the more calories you burn. "Plus, things are changing frequently, so you have to stay focused-you can't zone out," says Staehle. "You're constantly being confronted with a challenge, whether it's speed-walking up a steep hill, jogging on an incline, or doing walking lunges."
*CALORIE BURN IS BASED ON A 145-POUND WOMAN.
MEGA CALORIE BLASTER
TRAINER Paul Frediani, certifi ed USA Triathlon coach, New York City
WHAT YOU'LL NEED A watch with a second hand or a stopwatch
CALORIES BURNED 300-600
Runners and triathletes practice something called "tempo training"-maintaining an intensity that's challenging but not so hard that you feel like you're about to keel over. "It's one of the best ways to improve your stamina, speed, and fi tness level," says Frediani. Plus, you're working at a point- about 80 percent of your max heart rate (go to shape.com/heartrate to calculate yours)-that optimizes both your fat and calorie burn . It takes practice to maintain this level for a long time, but this routine, which incorporates mini speed bursts, will help you nail it. Do it indoors or out while biking, running, or speed-walking. (You can also adapt it to almost any other cardio machine, from the rower to the elliptical.)
There are 3 additional ways to blast up to 600 claories! Visit Shape.com to find out how.
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