How to Do Steady State Cardio

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Assess your current level of fitness.

   Steady-state cardio is best for people who have not worked out in awhile, or who have been living a relatively sedentary lifestyle and want to improve their overall fitness.While high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be all the rage, you risk serious injury if you go into a program like that and don't have the endurance or experience to handle it.
   
   Steady-state cardio also can be beneficial if you're starting a weight-loss program.
   
   While you won't burn as many calories with steady-state cardio as you would with higher intensity exercise, you'll recover more quickly so you can exercise for longer periods and more often.
2. 2

   Step 2: Identify your goals for exercising.

   Your exercise goals may impact the type of steady-state cardio you end up doing.
   
   If you're training for a particular sport or activity, choose a steady-state cardio exercise that will work the muscles you need to use the most.For example, if you're training to improve your tennis game, you might benefit from light jogging for an hour each morning.
   
   If you want to lose weight, steady-state cardio won't offer you quick results.
   
   However, if you're able to exercise for an hour or longer, your body will stay in the fat-burning zone for a longer period of time than it would if you were doing high-intensity training. , To do steady-state cardio, you want to keep your heart rate in the moderate range, typically under 145 beats per minute (bpm).
   
   You can find your particular range by doing a simple calculation.First, subtract your age from 220 to find your maximum heart rate.
   
   For example, if you are 28, your maximum heart rate is 192 (220 – 28 = 192).
   
   Take your pulse to get your resting heart rate – first thing in the morning typically is the best time to do this.
   
   Then subtract your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate to find your heart rate reserve (HRR).
   
   For steady-state cardio, you want your heart rate to be between 45 and 50 percent of your maximum heart rate.
   
   Multiply your HRR by
   0.45 and add your resting heart rate to the result.
   
   That is the low end of your target range.
   
   Find the high end of the range by changing the multiplier to
   0.50. , There are a number of different ways to get a steady-state cardio workout.
   
   While most athletes simply do time on a treadmill or elliptical machine, there are plenty of other options if this sounds boring to you.Ideally, you want to choose an activity that you actually enjoy doing – particularly if you're planning to do it for an hour or longer every day.
   
   This will keep you from getting bored too quickly.
   
   You also want to find an exercise that feels good to you, and that doesn't cause any pain or significant discomfort.
   
   If you have any injuries or chronic medical conditions, some types of movement may be difficult for you even at a low intensity.
   
   Cycling on a stationary bike is one of the most accessible steady-state cardio activities to do, especially if you're new to fitness.
   
   Its low-impact nature means few people have significant pain or discomfort while doing it.
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   Step 3: Find your target heart rate range.

4. 4

   Step 4: Consider your available options.

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