Cardio Mash Up Workout - Free Workout Printable - Burn 600 Calories

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If you're like me, you get bored. Sure, you could probably stay on that elliptical for longer -- if you wanted to. But you don't. And you get bored. So you leave.

Nevermore, my friends. This is the ultimate workout for people with exercise A.D.D. You won't have to be on any machine for longer than 15 minutes, and you won't have to do a single thing for longer than 5. You can do anything for just 5 minutes, right?

This workout specifies which machine to be on and breaks each 15 minute machine segment (treadmill, stair master, elliptical, bike) into 5 minute chunks. Try not to take breaks in between machines, other than a very short stretch if you're feeling too tight or a sip of water.

Before I give you the workout, here are a few additional tips:

• Be honest with yourself: focus on the perceived exertion/difficulty level. If the workout specifies that you should be pushing yourself to about 90%-100%, then force yourself to work that hard.
• Don't stress the hard parts: Each 15-minute segment starts out moderately difficult and ramps up, ending with the most difficult part of that segment. Don't worry - just keep in mind that, as soon as you get off that machine and start on another, it'll start over again and things will get easier (at least for a few minutes!).
• Mind the order: If you can't manage to do these segments in the specified order, it is okay to change the order up. That said, it is designed this way for safety, to protect you from mistakes and joint damage that can result from fatigue, so keep that in mind.

Without further delay, here's your workout! Click on the image to enlarge and print!

Click the workout to enlarge and print

6 Workouts You Could Do Today: Fitness Inspiration

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Have you been perusing Pinterest all week for some fitness motivation... but are still finding your butt sitting on the couch? Quit it with the excuses, already! Here are 6 workouts you should do today...

P.S. Don't have much time? Pick your workouts based on how much time you have, here!

Go On A Run

"That's not sweat. It's your fat cells crying!" 

The trail by my parents' house really does have a sign that says that. I'm pretty sure it's an old one from some high school cross country meet... but it's a darn good sign to see mid-run! 

To make things more fun, try making your run into a game using intervals. Either download or stream these workout playlists, which will time out Tabata-style intervals for you (sprint for 20 seconds, walk or stand for 10) or use the scenery to make it happen. The above picture is taken on a trail that has both shady and sunny spots - I make it a point to always sprint through any parts of the trail that are shaded. You can also incorporate high knees and butt kicks, using the same methods!

Get Insane With Insanity

Did I mention I'm an Insanity fan? Shaun T of Beachbody's Insanity series is a goofy, hilarious guy who somehow gets away with bossing me around for an hour at a time!

Check out the Insanity Series for more information.

Not ready to shell out the dough for Insanity? Try this HIIT workout, which works off of a very similar method.

Watch TV... On The Elliptical

Yes, that is Courtney from The Bachelor. After all, what's better to get you fired up than a crazy bimbo who's trying to steal Ben's sanity? Whether you're a Courtney fan or not, scheduling an entire hour (or more!) on the elliptical will help you get the cardio you need!
Try out Megan Fox's interval workout, amended for the elliptical, here!

Hang Out With Jillian

I have periodic dates with Jillian Michaels. See the candles glowing in the above picture? Yeah, that happens. I set up some candles, place a fan to blow perfectly in my face, lay out a mat and do her workout. It's like a date with fitness. What could be better?

Check out Jillian's videos:
No More Trouble Zones (pictured above), which incorporates light weights and tones and lifts what most people consider their "trouble zones," like triceps, inner and outer thighs, glutes, and abs.
Banish Fat Boost Metabolism, which incorporates cardio exercises to ramp up your heart rate, burn fat, and speed up your metabolism.
Don't Want to Wait For Jillian to Come in the Mail?
Try this workout while you're watching TV! Set yourself up the same way... candles, fans, luxury... and your very favorite TV show!

Rip Your Abs

Whether you're using a video like P90X's Ab Ripper X or a good old self-guided ab workout, you really can't go wrong when you get some good ab ripping in. No, I don't mean ripping your muscles--- I mean getting ripped. Don't have a video? Perform sets five and six of this workout for 10 minutes of ab insanity! 

Go On a Bike Ride

If you've got a bike, head out on an adventure. You can bike to work, bike to a friend's house, bike to the beach, bike through the woods... You can head toward a destination or simply ride in a loop, taking in the scenery as you go. Either way, if you can make it about 2 hours, you've burned between 500 and 1,000 calories! Consider downloading an interval app or downloading this music to force yourself to alternate between hard-as-you-can pedaling and coasting! :)

P.S. Don't have much time? Pick your workouts based on how much time you have, here!

Megan Fox's Butt

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 (Via).

Ha, did I get your attention with that post title? Okay, maybe only the guys...

My friend Kelsey mentioned trying the Megan Fox bike workout at the gym recently. I found her bike workout on Bodybuilders.  The cardio workout is based on intervals... and, when I say intervals, I mean serious intervals. The workout increases your heart rate very quickly, but only for very short bursts of time. As bodybuilders says, this transforms your body into "a fat burning furnace." Not sure how I feel about being compared to a furnace, but... okay. I'll try it. Hey, couldn't hurt, right?  

WRONG! IT HURT! IT HURT REALLY REALLY BAD!  But in the workout world, pain is good. So, I suppose I should say "IT HURT! IT HURT REALLY REALLY GOOD!" 

Because the workout is based on intervals, it can be done on any cardio machine. That means it works in your gym... on a bike, an elliptical machine, a treadmill, or a stairmaster. So, in the interest of changing things up with your workout routine, here are the basics for making this workout happen at the gym...

ON A BIKE:

• 0:00-2:00.....Begin at a relatively easy level for 2 minutes. 
• 2:00-3:00.....As the clock reaches the end of two minutes, increase the level to 10 and sprint at 100+RPM for 60 seconds.
• 3:00-5:00.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 5:00-5:45.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches the 5:00 mark), increase the level to 12 and sprint at 100+RPM for 45 seconds.
• 5:45-7:45.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 7:45-8:15.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches 8:15). increase the level to 15 and sprint at 100+RPM for 30 seconds.
• 8:15-10:15.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 10:15-40:00.....After two minutes of recovery, cycle at a moderate pace for a further 30 minutes in order to keep your heart rate raised.

ON AN ELLIPTICAL:

• 0:00-2:00.....Begin at a relatively easy level for 2 minutes (average crossramp [usually 10], average resistance [somewhere between 5-8]). 
• 2:00-3:00.....As the clock reaches the end of two minutes, increase the resistance to 10 and sprint at 200+RPM for 60 seconds.
• 3:00-5:00.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 5:00-5:45.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches the 5:00 mark), increase the level to 12 and sprint at 200+RPM for 45 seconds.
• 5:45-7:45.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 7:45-8:15.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches 8:15). increase the level to 14 and sprint at 200+RPM for 30 seconds.
• 8:15-10:15.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 10:15-40:00.....After two minutes of recovery, move at a moderate pace for a further 30 minutes in order to keep your heart rate raised.

ON A TREADMILL:

• 0:00-2:00.....Begin at a relatively easy level for 2 minutes (0-2 incline and at a light jog [between 5 and 6.5 speed]). 
• 2:00-3:00.....As the clock reaches the end of two minutes, increase the level to 8.5 and sprint for 60 seconds.
• 3:00-5:00.....Return to your easy speed for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 5:00-5:45.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches the 5:00 mark), increase your speed to 9.5 and sprint for 45 seconds.
• 5:45-7:45.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 7:45-8:15.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches 8:15). increase your speed to 10 and sprint for 30 seconds.
• 8:15-10:15.....Return to your easy speed for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 10:15-40:00.....After two minutes of recovery, run at a moderate pace for a further 30 minutes in order to keep your heart rate raised.

ON A STAIRMASTER:

• 0:00-2:00.....Begin at a relatively easy level for 2 minutes (whatever feels good - probably around 10-20). 
• 2:00-3:00.....As the clock reaches the end of two minutes, increase the level to 45 for 60 seconds.
• 3:00-5:00.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 5:00-5:45.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches the 5:00 mark), increase the level to 50 for 45 seconds.
• 5:45-7:45.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 7:45-8:15.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches 8:15). increase the level to 55 for 30 seconds.
• 8:15-10:15.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 10:15-40:00.....After two minutes of recovery, cycle at a moderate pace for a further 30 minutes in order to keep your heart rate raised.

WHY IT WORKS:

• The first 10 minutes of this workout are what we call High Intensity Cardio (Or High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT for short).  This type of training is very effective at releasing fat from your fat cells and into your blood stream, but is not particularly effective at using fat for energy.
• The remainder of this workout is what we call Low Intensity Cardio.  This type of training is very effective at using fat for energy, but is not particularly effective at releasing the fat to begin with.
• This combination results in a workout that first effectively releases fat from fat cells and then effectively uses that fat as energy.

Before you decide you hate me, remember that you were warned: This workout is hard. How hard? Well, even Megan Fox hates it... She's quoted as saying "I hire a personal trainer who is supposed to come three times a week. He comes to me – I don’t even have to leave the house. He’ll come to my house and I’ll be lying in the exact same spot he left me in. I’ll be like: ‘Not today! Not today!'" (Source).


So, yes, during the "burn" periods, your face will be twisted, your jaw will be clenched, and under your breath, you will be cursing at either me or Megan Fox. But, remember. This. Is. Normal. 


And it works.