Why is cardio so hard-io?
Ever wondered about the 'optimal' training schedule? .
How many classes to do, which style of class, how long to rest for?
Well I have good and bad news...
The bad news is, we really don’t know, and may even argue that there is no such thing as an optimal training schedule, aside from “the one that works for you”.
Now for the good news!
There may not be a one size fits all approach to scheduling your training week, but there are a few questions you can ask yourself to make sure you are supporting yourself in movement the best you can. These are particularly relevant when choosing how many “cardio” classes to attend.
Q1: Where am I in my cycle? Are there hormone fluctuations to consider that may be impacting my energy levels?
It’s no shock that there is a serious lack of studies into an AFAB hormonal cycle and training, but what we do know is that our hormonal fluctuations will severely impact our stamina, motivation, and even things like body temperature and chances of acute injury, so cycle stage and how you are feeling within that is a crucial consideration when planning your week.
You might find that in certain weeks you are bouncing and ready for all the hardio cardio, but other weeks you could think of nothing worse. This is 100% valid and an important cue to listen to within the body.
Q2: What does life look like this week? What stressors are impacting my mindset and physical resilience?
Stress takes a huge toll on the mind and body, and your training is not immune to those effects. The body may be clever, but it has a hard time telling the difference between a heart rate spike because you’re laughing your way through a boxing set or running for your life from a bear. So when life stressors are at an all time high, our bodies simply do not tolerate cardio stress in the same way. Try to keep this in mind when you choose your classes.
Q3: How do I feel after that class?
Energy levels and how the body feels are really important indicators as to how the body is handling your training style balance. Finishing a cardio (or any) session feeling heavily fatigued, ready to crawl into bed? It might be time to adjust to some more restorative classes for the rest of the week.
Finishing your class feeling energised and bouncy? This is a great indicator that your training is nicely balanced and your body is handling things well.
Finally, a reminder:
Lifting weights stimulates your cardiovascular system. So does pilates, yoga, and virtually all styles of movement - you don't have to do a 'cardio' class to improve your cardiovascular fitness.
Try not to let the 90’s and 00’s diet culture rhetoric of “if you didn’t sweat did you even work out” rule your decisions. Talk about ick!
If, like us, you sometimes find it hard to ask yourself these kinds of questions, try creating a few minutes of space to sit still, take a deep breath, and really ask your body what it needs and how it’s feeling. This might be a moment in the car before you leave work or home for the day, or five minutes before you go to sleep to reflect and adjust where you need to.
You’ve got this!
