Get Strong, Fit, and Fabulous in 4 Weeks

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Cardio

Part 1: Steady-Paced

Do any longer, moderately paced (RPE 6-7) workout (walking, swimming, cycling, etc.) on the weekends to blast calories and improve endurance.
Weeks 1-2: 30 minutes
Weeks 3-4: 40 minutes

Part 2: Intervals

These interval workouts smoke calories while sculpting your legs and butt. Do them twice a week with any cardio activity (we give a sample routine on a treadmill), using your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), or how hard the exercise feels on a scale of one to 10. If the workout feels too easy, try the challenge version.

Minutes	Intervals: Week 1	RPE
0:00-5:00	Walk at 3.5-3.8 mph.	4
5:00-5:20	Sprint at 6.5-8.0 mph	9
5:20-6:50	Recover by walking at 3.0-3.5 mph.	3
6:50-10:30	Repeat sprint series 2 more times, alternating 20-second sprints with 90 seconds of recovery.
10:30-15:00	Walk briskly, 3.5-3.8 mph.	4

Challenge yourself: Add a sprint series for a total of 4 sets.

Minutes	Intervals: Week 2	RPE
0:00-5:00	Walk at 3.5-3.8 mph.	4
5:00-5:20	Sprint at 6.5-8.0 mph	9
5:20-6:20	Recover by walking at 3.0-3.5 mph.	3
6:20-11:40	Repeat sprint series 4 more times, alternating 20-second sprints with 60 seconds of recovery.
11:40-20:00	Walk briskly, 3.5-3.8 mph.	4

Challenge yourself: Add a sprint series for a total of 6 sets.

Minutes	Intervals: Week 3	RPE
0:00-5:00	Walk at 3.5-3.8 mph.	4
5:00-5:30	Sprint at 6.5-8.0 mph	9
5:30-6:30	Recover by walking at 3.0-3.5 mph.	3
6:30-12:30	Repeat sprint series 4 more times, alternating 30-second sprints with 60 seconds of recovery.
12:30-15:00	Walk briskly, 3.5-3.8 mph.	4

Challenge yourself: Add 3 more sprints for a total of 8 sets.

Minutes	Intervals: Week 4	RPE
0:00-5:00	Walk at 3.5-3.8 mph.	4
5:00-5:30	Sprint at 6.5-8.0 mph	9
5:30-6:00	Recover by walking at 3.0-3.5 mph.	3
6:00-13:00	Repeat sprint series 7 more times, alternating 30-second sprints with 30 seconds of recovery.
13:00-20:00	Walk briskly, 3.5-3.8 mph.	4

Challenge yourself: Add 2 more sprints for a total of 10 sets.

Originally published in Fitness magazine, July 2006.

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GinnyPancha wrote:

I don't have a treadmill and because of allergies I can't work out outside on some days, would skipping inside work just as well for the intervals? It would be easier to adjust speed then trying to walk around a small room. A student budget just wont allow for a gym!

2/20/2013 01:25:24 PM Report Abuse

brianahamlett wrote:

I don't have a treadmill is there an alternative to it.

1/2/2013 02:59:26 PM Report Abuse

lindadprice1 wrote:

The sample intervals doesn't make sense to me cause its supposed to equal to 40 mins, am i supposed to do the interval running walk and do them again untill 40 mins?

9/26/2012 10:18:23 AM Report Abuse

a3984502 wrote:

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3/2/2012 03:13:23 AM Report Abuse