Effective Cardio Exercise

For effective cardio exercise, it is important to monitor our heart rates. Our heart rates can be monitored with a wrist cardiac monitor while exercising. Some of the more common brands of wrist cardiac monitors include Suunto, Polar, Garmin and Mio.

Our maximum heart rate varies with our age. The formula to calculate maximum heart rate is:

Max Heart Rate (HR) = 207 - (age X 0.7)

To effectively burn calories, we would have to maintain our Max HR around 60%.

Here are 2 examples of cardio exercise routines tailored to burn calories & effectively lose weight:
1. Run-Jog Routine
Run at 35% Max HR for 3 minutes. Then sprint at 90% max HR for 6 seconds followed by a jog at 60% max HR for 12 seconds. Repeat the sequence for a total of 16 minutes and finally end the exercise with a 2 minute walk at 35% max HR to cool down.


2. Run-Row Routine
Start with a run at 50% max HR for 5 minutes. Then row at 90% max HR at level 8 for 2 minutes followed by rowing at 30% max HR at level 10 for 3 minutes. Repeat the sequence for 30 minutes and then cool down.

These two cardio exercise regimes are specifically tailored to burn more calories and help in effective weight loss. Our heart rate is optimised during these exercise routines and it will help us to burn off the unwanted fat in a shorter period.