5 Tips for an Efficient Cardio Workout

The bike makes it easy to do very quick changes to the workload – either by changing pedalling speed or by changing the effort level. This makes the bike perfectly suited for scientifically-proven efficient training methods leading to ways of training that require less time and are more fun.

Warm Up

Always warm up for about 5 minutes. Choose a resistance that is not too hard, but still challenging enough to increase your rate of breathing and your body temperature.

#1 - 10-Second Intervals

• Sprint for 10 seconds as fast as you can.
• Then pedal for 50 seconds at a very easy pace.
• Repeat 10 times.

Note that the 10 second sprint must be an all-out effort.

Total duration: 15 minutes.

#2 - 30-Second Intervals

• Bike at a very high resistance for 30 seconds. The workload must be at your maximum for the full 30 seconds.
• Then pedal at an easy pace for 1.5 minutes.
• Repeat 8 times.

Total duration: 21 minutes.

#3 - 1-Minute Intervals

• Bike at a relatively hard pace for 1 minute. The pace must be hard enough for your breathing to be markedly increased by the end of the minute.
• Then go slower for another minute.
• Repeat this 8 times.

Total duration: 21 minutes.

#4 - 3-Minute Intervals

• Bike at a moderately hard pace for 3 minutes. You should be just above “the talk threshold”, which means that longer sentences will be noticeably disrupted by breathing.
• Then go 2 minutes at an easy pace.
• Repeat this four times.

Total duration: 25 minutes.

#5 - Continuous Exercise

• Find the highest workload you can maintain for the entire exercise period.
• Do a total of 20 minutes after the warm-up. 

Total duration: 25 minutes.

References

Physiological adaptations to interval training and the role of exercise intensity. MacInnis MJ, Gibala MJ. J Physiol. 2017 May 1;595(9):2915-2930. 

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) for patients with chronic diseases. Ross LM, Porter RR, Durstine JL. J Sport Health Sci. 2016 Jun;5(2):139-144.

The effects of high-intensity interval training vs. moderate-intensity continuous training on body composition in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Wewege M, van den Berg R, Ward RE, Keech A. Obes Rev. 2017 Jun;18(6):635-646.