Best Cardio Workouts After Back Injury

Experiencing a back injury can rob you of mobility and cause pain that makes even the most basic movements difficult. Once you have rehabilitated from your injury, your physician may recommend exercising to maintain or achieve a healthy weight, relieve stress and maintain mobility. Varying your cardiovascular exercises can help you to avoid strain and over-use, which could potentially re-injure the back

 

Warning

Always get your physician’s approval before beginning any exercise program. After a back injury and recovery, your physician can make recommendations for appropriate exercises for your condition

Recumbent Bicycle

A recumbent bicycle places less strain on the back than a traditional upright or stationery bicycle. Adjust the seat to where your feet can pedal comfortably as you use the bicycle. As you improve in function

Walking

Walking is a low-impact exercise that can be performed almost anywhere and is ideal for back patients recovering from injury. Be sure to warm up your muscles for 5 minutes by walking more slowly than usual and stretching your back, arms and legs.

Yoga and Tai Chi

 

Use yoga and and tai chi as a complimentary practice to your cardio workouts. Although some of the more strenuous styles of yoga like Ashtanga may be out of your reach while you're healing from your back injury; the slow measured movements of both yoga and tai chi will strengthen your core muscles that support your back.

Source: livestrong

 

Ways To Boost Your Stamina For Running

It really doesn’t matter whether you are training for a marathon or just want to shed those extra pounds or you want to give some extra TLC to your cardiovascular system. If you want to improve your running stamina, then you should include the following tips in your training:

1. Rest

Yes, it is important to let your body rest, so that you’re tired, sore muscles get time to heal and repair. You can’t run like a free tiger with a tired body. You’ll end up dragging like a lost puppy! So, get your minimum 7 hr sleep every day. And also do not go running every day. Mix it up with other kinds of workouts.

2. Music

Music helps you in getting into the flow and keep moving. We tend to match our steps to the beats. So make your workout playlist and load whatever kind of music that helps in moving your butt. That fills you with energy and gets you grooving. Trust me, you’ll find you ran an extra mile or two.

3. Diet

Taking care of your diet is imperative if you want to improve your running stamina. You need to fuel the machine if you want it to work at its best. Make sure you put good lean proteins and good carbs in your body. You need good food to get your energy.

4. Keep Running

To improve your running stamina, you need to keep running and keep trying. But remember, it is a gradual process. Go by the 10% rule. 

5. Plyometrics

Another thing that must be a part of your training is plyometrics. All athletes train their cardiovascular system to improve their VO2 by incorporating explosive exercises in their workouts. Explosive exercises or plyometrics like burpees, squat jumps, jumping lunges, froggy jumps, etc. not only improve VO2, but also burn lots of calories.

6. Interval Training

Interval training is another technique used by professionals to improve their stamina, endurance and speed. Interval training here involves alternating your running pace and style. 

7. Stretching

Stretching is an almost inseparable part of the workout of the professional athletes. Stretch your muscles with nice dynamic stretching exercises to warm up your body.

8. HIIT

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is important to improve your aerobic capacity. Your workout schedule should consist of at least 3 HIIT sessions every week. HIIT helps you train your heart and lungs better. Your workout should consist of the upper body as well as lower body moves. You can add in strength moves in your hold time in between the high intensity moves.

9.Strength Training

Your legs and core should be strong enough to carry you to a 5k distance. Most people think that running is through and through a cardio. They ignore the fact that strength training plays an important role as a part of any workout. This is quite wrong. Your leg muscles and the strength of your core help you in running better and longer. Strong muscles equal increased power and power leads to speed and stamina.

Source: stylecraze