How much cardio should I do on a daily basis? What's the typical weight women use on arm machines?

Question

Wow, Ryan. Thanks.....I'm actually not new to "working out"..not an expert but was just wondering. I currently alternate the ellyptical with the stationary bike for an hour. Try to do it 6 days a week if possible.

Answer 1

Try to do 30minutes to an hour of cardio atleast 4 times a week, with in between days
Now there are 3 types of cardio
Light, moderate, and heavy
Light would be something like running on a mainly flat path, or on a tredmill/elliptical it would be anything from lvl 1-3 on a 10lvl scale
Moderate would be somethig like running on a flat path with some slight inclines, or on a tredmill/elliptical it would be anything from lvl 4-7 on a 10lvl scale
and Heavy would be something like running on a very hilly path, or on a tredmill/elliptical it would be anything from lvl 8-10 on a 10lvl scale

an example schedule would be:
Monday- 45 minutes of moderate cardio
Tuesday- rest
Wednesday- 30 minutes of heavy cardio
Thursday- rest
Friday- 45 minutes of moderate cardio
Saturday- rest
Sunday- 1 hour of light cardio

I recommend that you use this schedule to start with and as you start progressing you should turn 2 of your rest days into 30 minutes of light cardio, but only 2 because if you don't rest you'll burn out

I recommend running because it's the most effective because it is high impact, relaxing, and gets you some fresh air; but if you are simply not the running type or can't handle the high impact I would use an elliptical or a tredmill
another alternative is walking around your block/town/city are a moderate speed, and by walking I mean that one foot should always be on the ground

and for the weights on the arm machines
I recommend using 10lbs if you just want to tone your muscles
but if you want to gain muscle i recommend using 10lbs for a week then 15lbs the next week then 20lbs the week after

an schedule i recommend for you to use would be
Monday- 10lbs
Tuesday- rest
Wednesday- 10lbs
Thursday- 20lbs
Friday- rest
Saturday- 15lbs
Sunday-rest

and the best way to do weight training is AFTER you do your cardio workout because it is easier for your heart to pump blood to your muscles

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

It depends on your current fitness. If it is not that good you should spend a lot of time (over an hour) doing a low intensity workout (like walking) preferably ever day. If you are in better shape you must increase the intensity and run the same distance with the aim to eventually cover it in less than half the time. If you double the speed you quadruple the number of calories you burn to cover the same distance.

The typical mistake women make when they lift weights is to only lift light weights. Occasionally, you should lift as heavy as you possibly can. Especially on your "leg days".

Answer 3

if you want to lose weight, strenght training is the best way to go. Cardio is like a going to a job for one day, once you stop, you don't get paid anymore, for cardio, once you get of the treadmill, you stop burning fat. But, weight training is like an investment. ONce you weight train, your metabolism is raised for a few days after the workout , which means you burn more calories, also the extra muscle continually burns more calories. Women don't have as much testosterone as men, so don't worry about bulking up like a guy. Just lift what you can>