Screw The Treadmill

If you’re not a runner and don’t plan to become one, start embracing upper-body cardio.

Two reasons the treadmill became and has remained such a popular machine at the gym is because it’s easy to use and convenient to access. But whether you loathe running in place on a conveyor belt or are simply on the lookout for new cardio workouts, these upperbody sessions will fill that void.

THE LOWER-BODY BIAS

• Perform 20 minutes of steady-state cardio on an empty stomach.

• Walk 3 to 5 mph on a treadmill at a 2 to 3% incline.

• Do 4 to 6 30-second sprints at 95% intensity.

The above examples of M&F’s previously prescribed walking and running cardio sets are insular and exclusionary. That said, just because none of those examples are exciting doesn’t mean lowerbody-focused cardio activities don’t have value. They target your body’s largest muscle groups (read: glutes, hamstrings, quads), which generally gives you more bang for your buck in the calories-perminute department. But to ignore the positive effects of upper-body cardio is to ignore emerging science on the effectiveness of it.

ELEVATING THE FOCUS