With steady state cardio and a strength training program, you will likely strength train two to three days a week, take at least one rest day, and the remaining days will be steady state. It’s recommended, with a strength training program as well as other fitness programs, to vary your cardio.
This means that even though you may want to run most days, it’s beneficial to also try other cardio exercises like rowing, cycling, and even swimming. Cross-training provides a number of benefits and it helps prevent injury. It helps you create better overall fitness.
● Sunday Rest Day
● Monday Strength
● Tuesday Steady State
● Wednesday Strength
● Thursday Steady State
● Friday Strength
● Saturday Steady State
Strength training programs might include anything from a heavy deadlift day to working to get a solid 20 push press rep in at a moderate weight.
Here’s an example of what your week might look like:
Monday – Kettlebell Workout
3 Rounds of:
● 30 Kettlebell swings
● 30 Kettlebell deadlifts
● 30 Goblet squats (holding the kettlebell between your hands and in front of your chest while you squat)
Tuesday – Run for 30 minutes – Steady State Cardio
Wednesday – 50 Turkish Getups with Kettlebell
Thursday – Row/elliptical for 45 minutes
Friday – 1 Rep Max Push Press (work up to your heaviest push press)
Saturday – Swim 30 minutes
Sunday – Rest day
This schedule is an example of the amazing variety you can get from two basic workout approaches. You might alternate muscle groups during the week or spend each week with a specific strength focus. You decide. Next, we’re going to talk about integrating steady state cardio into a workout program that includes strength and HIIT.
Steady State Cardio For Strength
Steady State, Strength, And HIIT
● Sunday Rest Day
● Monday Strength
● Tuesday Steady State
● Wednesday HIIT
● Thursday Strength
● Friday HIIT
● Saturday Steady State
With this schedule you are getting two workouts of each type. You might, however, adjust the schedule so that you get more of one type than the other, depending on your focus.
Sometimes you don’t know how a program is going to work for you until you try it out. If you’re unsure, consider trying the schedule above and see how it goes.
We’ve provided examples of HIIT workouts, as well as steady state and strength routines. Feel free to mix and match and create your own programming. Before we talk about tips to get started with steady state and how to move forward confidently, let’s talk a bit about mobility, because it should be a part of your weekly fitness program.
Rest Days, Mobility, and How to Stay Strong, Healthy, and Working Out with Confidence
Mobility. It’s the one thing that everyone talks about, but few people actually do. What is mobility? It’s paying attention to and spending time focusing on the health and vitality of your muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
When you exercise, you use your muscles and connective tissues. If you don’t do a bit of mobility work, those tissues can become tight and fixed. This can lead to injuries and prolonged soreness.
Examples of mobility include:
Using a foam roller. You can roll out problem areas including sore muscles, or the ever-tight IT band found along the outside of your leg between your hip and your knee.
Static stretching. This is when you hold a stretch. For example, sitting on the floor and leaning forward to hold your toes is a static stretch.
Dynamic stretching. This is when you flex and extend a muscle as you stretch. An example might be a side lunge, alternating sides.
To continue to stay strong and able to not only perform your workouts well, but to also recover well, mobility must be part of your program.
So, when can you add mobility to your life?
Daily is an option. Every morning or every night you can get out the foam roller and roll something, anything. You can stretch or roll during commercials when you’re watching television at night. It doesn’t take much, five minutes a day is enough.
Weekly at a minimum. If daily mobility isn’t an option for you, or you just know you’re not going to do it, then commit to spending ten minutes stretching and rolling on your off day. You don’t have to do it all at once. You can break it up and stretch during commercials. You won’t regret this small addition to your fitness program and your body will respond favorably.
Oh, and FYI, massage is also considered mobility so go ahead and book that appointment!
In addition to mobility, hydration, nutrition, good sleep and stress management are all part of a comprehensive fitness program. Fitness and health go hand in hand. You’ll have better workouts and recover more quickly when you take exceptional care of yourself.
Conclusion
In conclusion, steady state cardio is an effective way to build strength and improve overall health. It provides a low-impact, steady-paced workout that can be tailored to fit any fitness level. It also has the added benefit of burning calories and improving cardiovascular health. With the right plan and dedication, steady state cardio can help you reach your strength and fitness goals.
