Cardio Workout For Men To Burn Fat Create Muscle Definition

What type of cardio workout for men is there to lose weight, increase stamina, and create muscle definition?

It doesn’t have to be time spent on a treadmill or elliptical; there are many varieties of cardio that can help you.

We’ll go over each exercise’s positives and the different types and how many calories they burn?

Also included are beginners’ tips and guidelines to show you how to perform each exercise.

The Benefits Of Cardio exercise

• Weight loss
• Strengthen the muscles involved in respiration to assist lung function.
• Increased bone density
• Reduces stress
• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Natural relief from depression and anxiety and increase mental well-being
• Better Sleep
• Increases circulation throughout the body
• Strengthens the heart, which will improve your resting heart rate and pumping efficiency
• Better self-esteem
• Increases the total number of red blood cells to enable greater oxygen flow throughout the body.

These Are The Best Cardio Exercises To Include In Cardio Workouts For Men

Running (Burns About 600 Calories Per Hour) 

The best thing about running is that you don’t need much equipment or know-how. All you need is a quality pair of running shoes, and your off on a heart-pumping, calf sculpting, and calorie-burning workout.

You can run inside on a treadmill or outside along a scenic route. If you can include hills into your run, you’ll burn even more calories.

Being a high-intensity workout, it is great for losing weight fast, and since it utilizes the calves, thighs, hip flexors, and gluteus maximus, it provides a great lower body workout. It also helps;

• It makes you happier.
• It helps you lose or maintain weight.
• Strengthens your knees, joints, and bones.
• Reduces your risk of heart disease and osteoporosis.
• Adds years to your life.
• Increases your metabolic rate up to 24 hrs.

Beginners running plan

• Frequency: every other day.
• Intensity: 70 to 85% MHR.
• Duration: 25 to 35 minutes.
• Cool Down: 3 minutes, gradually dial it down to an easy walk.

Climbing Stairs (600 to 800 calories per hour)

Climbing stairs is the most convenient form of exercise, which reaps the best results. There is no equipment cost as well as space issues.

You don’t even have to learn this exercise as we have all practiced it during our childhood, and the best part is that it burns twice as many calories as walking.

• Climbing stairs helps you burn more calories every minute compared to walking or jogging.
• It helps our body produce endorphins, which create a sense of happiness in our mind.
• Weight loss.
• Improves heart rate and blood flow throughout your body.
• Stronger joints and muscles.

Beginners plan

• Frequency: Every other day.
• Intensity: 70 to 85% MHR.
• Duration: 45 minutes.
• Cool Down: A gradual walk for about ten minutes, also lower body stretches.

Jumping Rope (Burns about a 1000 calories an hour)

Believe it or not, the simple act of jumping rope can do more for you overall than the same time spent jogging. It’s also easy to do anywhere.

A jump rope slipped in your backpack or purse can be brought along on a trip, work, school, or done in the living room while watching your kids or tv.

Do yourself a favor, though and go to your local sporting goods store and get a professional jump rope, not a lightweight plastic rope from a toy store.

• Improves coordination.
• Decreases foot and ankle injuries.
• Burns major calories
• Completely portable and fun
• Improves bone density
• A healthier cardiovascular system
• Improved breathing efficiency

Burpees (burns 15 calories a minute)

If there were ever an exercise that people had a love-hate relationship with, it would be burpees.

Since burpees are a whole body workout, they can be challenging for beginners who haven’t built a lot of stamina to do for an extended period.

As you grow stronger and get in better shape, you’ll come to appreciate them and start to try and beat how many reps you did the previous workout.

Try doing 15 to 20 minutes to burn around 15 calories per minute; if you up to your intensity or add a weighted vest, you can burn even more.

Mountain Climbers

Anyone who was in the service will have fond memories of this exercise; I probably did mountain climbers and push-ups on every inch of Parris Island(this is where Marine Corp boot camp is located)

This is a challenging exercise to do consistently, but a 200-pound person can burn 40 calories after doing 3 sets of 30 mountain climbers.

Since you don’t need any equipment, you can easily add this into a cardio routine to burn even more calories, or you can do them until your shoulders and legs give out on you.

Cardio workout For Men Beginners Plan

Beginners should start with 30 seconds of consecutive jumping or about 50 repetitions, perform three or four sets with rest periods between sets lasting 30 to 90 seconds.

Gradually increase your sets’ duration and intensity by working up to 60 to 90 seconds of jumping, or 100 to 150 repetitions, With rest periods lasting only 30 seconds between sets.

Do this 3 or 4 times a week on non consecutive days.

If you feel overwhelmed, here is a great article giving you tips from personal trainers on how to lose weight

What Is Cardio

Aerobic activity requires fat to be used as an energy source, and since protein and carbs are used to a smaller extent during cardio exercises, it is the best way to burn fat.

Aerobic exercises increase your maximum heart rate (MHR). When this happens, oxygen, fats, and carbohydrates combine to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary fuel source for your cells.

Why Cardio Is Good for Weight Loss

Since the body has larger fat stores and fat is more easily broken down into energy than proteins and carbs, oxygen is prevalent. Your body will burn off more fat than anything else during aerobic exercises.

No matter what you want from your workout plan, cardio will need to be included.

If your goal is to lose weight, then cardio and a proper diet will be used together to achieve a  calorie deficit.

Or if you’re trying to build muscle, cardio training will limit unwanted fat gains to give your muscles more definition. Just remember, if your building muscle, you need to have a calorie surplus, and too much cardio can put you into a calorie deficit, so be sure to track your caloric intake properly.

Now that you know you have to apply cardio training to your routine, what are the best aerobic exercise to do?

Which Exercises Burn The Most Calories

The higher you get your heart rate up the more calories and fat you will burn.

It’s that simple, two people can run 5 miles, but one of them may have pushed themselves harder and burnt 1/3 more calories than the person that took it easy.

Certain exercises like burpees are going to demand more movement, which will naturally burn more calories than jogging in place,

Long as you are in the mindset that you’re going to bring as much intensity as possible, you’ll burn calories.

High Intensity aerobic activity(70 to 85 % of MHR) 

High-Intensity Cardio training: This level falls between 70 to 85% of your maximum heart rate (MHR). This means exercising at an intensity that pushes you and leaves you to be breathless to speak.

You will have to work up to this or try beginner level interval training in the beginning stages. People in more advanced levels can try high-intensity interval training for more difficult workouts.

• Will burn more calories and, in the long run, more fat.
•  Your metabolic rate will increase during and after training more so than when doing lower intensity training.
• Greater improvement of endurance, strength, and athleticism

Clues that you have reached a high level of intensity.

• Your breathing is deep and rapid.
• You develop a sweat after only a few minutes of activity.
• You can’t say more than a few words without pausing for breath

Moderate Intensity Aerobic Activity (60 to 70% of MHR)

Moderate Intensity Cardio training: This level falls between 60 to 70% of your MHR. Many studies show this to be the optimal range during a cardio exercise since it will initiate the fat burning process and has the lowest injury risk.

• Great exercise for beginners
• You’re training for an endurance event or sport.
• Your body feels more comfortable with a lower intensity workout rather than a high-intensity routine.
• You want to decrease injury risk and allow your body to recover.
• You want to burn calories without burning yourself out.

How to know you are at a moderate intensity level.

• Your breathing quickens, but you’re not out of breath
• you develop a light sweat after 10 minutes of exercise.
• You can carry on a conversation, but you can’t sing.

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

High-intensity interval training alternates between high intensity and low-intensity exercises. For example, sprinting for 30 seconds, then walking for 60 seconds is high-intensity interval training.

HIIT is one of the most efficient ways to get in proper peak physical shape. It’s exceptional at burning fat, building endurance, toning your body, and improving your speed and strength.

It would help if you tried to incorporate HIIT workouts into your routine 1 to 3 times a week. What goal you’re trying to achieve, your fitness level, training intensity, and how fast you recover will determine how often you perform certain activities.

HIIT cardio training is a fat-burning powerhouse, and the short intervals ask you to push yourself much harder than you would be able to if you were doing more prolonged duration bouts of movement.

Since it only lasts 20 seconds each time, you’re seeking out discomfort in the form of a pace that is not sustainable for much more than that short interval.

This unsustainable intense burst of energy output revs up the metabolism because the body does not instantly return to its average rate expenditure. Instead, it slowly normalizes itself over the next hours and sometimes even days (depending on the workout).

While it’s returning to normal, you get the benefit of burning calories at a higher rate than usual. Even while you’re just sitting around, it’s a great example of working smarter instead of harder.

Examples of HIIT workouts.

10 Minute Treadmill HIIT Workout

• 2 min brisk walk (3.0 incline)
• 2 min jog (1.5 incline)
• 1 min run (1.5 incline)
• 2 min brisk walk (3.5 incline)
• 2 min jog (3.5 incline)
• 1 min uphill sprint (3.5 incline)

20 Minute Beginner HIIT Workout

• 60s Jumping Jacks
• 30s Jump Squats
• 30s Push-Ups
• 60s Mountain Climbers
• 30s Jump Lunges
• 30s Dips
• 60s Plank Jacks
• 30s Lateral Lunges With A Hop (Explosive)
• 30s Close Grip Push-Ups
• 60s  High Knees
• 30s Plank
• 30s Plio Jump Squats
• 60s Butt Kickers
• 30s Leg Raises
• DO TWICE
• 10 TO 15 SECONDS OF REST IN BETWEEN

• 45s Push Ups
• 45s Squats
• 40s Butt Kicks
• 45s Tricep Dips
• 45s Side Lunges
• 15s rest in between exercises and 1 minute rest in between routines
• Do this routine 3 times in a row

Examples of Moderate Intensity Cardio Training

Brisk Walking (100 calories per mile)

A brisk walking pace is 3.0 miles per hour or around 20 minutes a mile, about 5 kilometers per hour or 12 minutes per kilometer.

If you are already at a high fitness level, you will probably have to walk at 4.0 mph (15 minutes per mile) to raise your heart rate enough.

Build up your time gradually; don’t worry about your speed. Your heart rate is what will determine if you’re pushing yourself hard enough.

Walking Tips

Keep the posture. As you walk, your chin should be up, your eyes looking directly in front of you, your back straight, chest raised, and shoulders relaxed.

Use your arms. Keep your arms at your sides, bent around 90 degrees, and swing them front to back.

Take smaller strides. A lot of people think more massive steps make you walk faster, and this isn’t true. Shorter, quicker steps will make you move quicker and also get your heart rate up more quickly.

Easy Jogging (around 400 calories an hour)

Jogging is an excellent way to stay or become fit, and it decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, depression, and anxiety. Jogging regularly is unquestionably a great decision.

Tips for jogging

Pick the right running shoe. Shoes help reduce the shock to your bones and feet while jogging. Make sure your shoes are comfortable and fit correctly. If needed, talk to an orthopedic Dr if you need specially made footwear. Replace your shoes every 300 to 400 miles.

Make sure you warm-up and cool down. When you work out, your muscles continuously contract and relax. Unless you prepare your muscles, you will get muscle cramps, which will prevent you from performing usually.

Learn the right upper body form. Many joggers slouch while they run; this will lead to posture and spine health issues. Whether you are running on a treadmill, road, or trail, make sure your chest is out, shoulders are rolled back.

Start slowly. Start by walking first; after 30 seconds, increase your pace. After 60 seconds, you should be at a brisk walk, now start jogging at a slow pace. Doing this will prevent you from exhausting yourself and will lead to you running longer distances.

What Cardio Burns the Most Fat

Cardiovascular or aerobic activities will burn fat the fastest which will lead to your belly fat diminishing and giving you a flatter stomach.

• Jogging
• Running
• Jumping rope
• Swimming
• Running stairs
• Cycling
• Elliptical
• Boxing

There isn’t any exercises that target just your stomach fat.

Your body burns fat evenly, and your stomach tends to be the most stubborn from having a higher percentage of visceral fat.

What Is A Good Indoor Cardio Workout

Any group of exercises that safely and effectively be done while at home or in the gym would suffice.

• High knees
• Jumping jacks
• Mountain climbers
• Jack squats
• Heisman
• Burpees (everyone’s favorite)
• Push-ups
• Crunches
• Bicycles

These are just a couple examples of dozens of exercises you could put together to make a great indoor cardio workout.

What Is The Best Exercise To Lose Weight Fast

It’s been estimated that half of the adult population every year tries to lose weight.

Whether they no it or not the one goal they’re trying to achieve every day is to have a calorie deficit.

This means that they burn more calories than they consume.

To have the fastest weight loss results, you’ll want to do an exercise that burns the largest amount of calories possible.

What Is A Good Cardio Time

If you’re a beginner I would aim for 15 to 20 minutes of cardio 5 times a week.

If you can do more than this that’s great, but make sure that you don’t push yourself to hard at first.

If you’re in better shape then you should be performing fitness routines that last for a minima of 30 minutes and maxing out between 45 to 60 minutes.

Is It Okay To Do Cardio Everyday

I know people that go for a run everyday and never take a rest day.

I know other trainers that take 2 rest days a week to give their body a chance to heal.

Either scenario is correct as long as you listen to your body and give yourself the chance to heal from injuries, get adequate sleep and eat the right diet providing yourself with the right type of fuel to allow your body to recover and function correctly.

Is A Treadmill Cardio

Any exercise that elevates your heart rate and puts you into a state of oxygen deprivation is considered a cardio workout.

If you push yourself on the treadmill you can absolutely receive a great aerobic exercise.

What Determines How Many Calories You’ll Burn

• Degree of intensity- How hard you workout is one of the most critical factors determining how many calories you burn.
• Gender- due to men having more muscle mass, they burn calories faster than women.
• Percentage of body fat- The more excess body fat you have, the quicker you’ll lose weight. It’s impressive how fast you’ll lose weight when you first start.
• How active you are during the day- If you take two people and have them do the same workout and eat the same diet, but one of them is a construction worker, and the other sits at a desk all day, guess which one will burn more calories throughout the day.
• How old you are- The older you are, the slower your metabolism is, and this results in a decreased amount of calories being burnt.

Cardio Exercise Tips For Men

In the beginning stages, any new exercise program should be taken slowly, especially if one is overweight or untrained. Walking is the perfect activity for the novice trainee since it is much less demanding and low impact.

Training too hard too soon might result in injury or burnout. It is also essential to start slowly at the beginning of a workout to warm up the muscles and lubricate the joints.

Stay Within Your Maximum Heart Range

The idea of the perfect fat burning zone has been debunked; it is still important to stay within a specified target heart range to ensure the body works at its full potential. You can determine the lower or higher limits of the target heart range and plan the session accordingly.

Try to work at the upper end of the spectrum to gain the maximum benefits. Working below the target range will limit your results, and working beyond may lead to injury.

Is 30 Minutes Of Cardio A Day Enough To Lose Weight

If you bring a high intensity for that 30 minutes and eat a diet that puts you within a calorie deficit, you will lose weight.

If you’re on a strict enough calorie deficit, you can lose weight without working out, but your results will be very minimal.

Working out for 30 minutes will give you better results, but working out for an hour will allow you to lose weight faster.

It all depends on how serious you are about losing weight and how fast you want to reach your goals.

How Long Should Your Cardio Session Be

After you decide what exercise you prefer, the next factor is how long to train for. In the beginning, you should be focused on duration instead of intensity, and overtime your endurance levels will increase, and so will your exercise options.

Trainers suggest 20 to 60-minute cardio training sessions to be the safest and most efficient in burning fat and increasing endurance. You don’t want to start with an hour-long session on your first day.

That’s too much if you haven’t worked out in a long time or ever.

How Many Days a Week Should You Work Out

The short non-scientific answer is more than you think you should and probably more than you want to. (just being honest)

Many factors play a role in your workout schedule; your fitness level, work schedule, goals, kids can all affect your routine. Here’s a simple breakdown of how frequently you should workout.

• For health. Try moderately intense cardio training 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three days a week. Or mix it up to a routine you feel comfortable with.
• To maintain your current weight, you need about 20 to 35 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise a day. Your goal here is to burn 1200 to 2000 calories a week.
• Your workout time increases to 200 to 300 minutes a week for weight loss, or 40 to 60 minutes daily.

Why Too Much Cardio Is Bad

Too uch cardio can pt you into a deep calorie deficit which will make your body start to eat away at your muscles to acquire energy.

No matter what your goal is you should have a balanced fitness regimen of cardio and strength training to lose weight and maintain existing muscle mass.

Conclusion

Cardio workouts for men are easy to create since the only basis for them is to get your heart rate elevated and to push your self hard enough that you can’t have a proper conversation while exercising.