14 Ways To Get Your "Heart On" This Valentine's Day

Thanks to Netflix, I've had my fair share of 11 hour weekend TV binges. More than I'd like to admit.

Right now, I'm in the middle of following Ted Mosby's life and his group of friends in Manhattan. How I Met Your Mother (if you're cool you abbreviate it with HIMYM) is an American sitcom that is narrated by the main character Ted. As a framing device the story is told in the year 2030 by Ted, who recounts to his son and daughter all of the events that led him to meeting their mother.

While living in New York City and working as an up-and-coming architect, Ted deals with his best friends; the long lasting relationship of Marshall and Lily with their ups and downs of their careers, the outgoing womanizer Barney, and the "on-again, off-again" relationship with Robin the news anchor. Ted is also the most mature of the group. He often quotes Chilean Pablo Neruda and prefers to go to elegant parties where ladies where big hats with gloves, the gentlemen have a scotch in one hand and a pipe in another, and caviar is served on a platter. He also likes to correct people with their verbiage.

Beneath the story-line is one thing:

Ted is on a quest for love.

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He wants to find "The One", the woman of his dreams. Because of this, he goes to outrageous lengths professing his love to numerous women in his life. Ted likes to pretend he has it all together being an architect who has a taste for high class interests and has an impressive vocabulary, but it's all a front. He really is a wreck in search for love and has no idea what he's doing.

He dates his best friend then breaks up with her and thinks they can still be best friends. He gets drunk with his crazy friend Barney, hooks up with a young woman who has him get a butterfly tattoo on his lower back. He decides to get the tattoo removed and gets a great idea to woo Stella (the dermatologist) and ends up asking her to marry him. She left him at the altar.

He dates a graduate student while he's a professor. He gets hired by a big bank to build its new headquarters, but is met by his nemesis, Zoey, who is the lead protester of his new project. Their heated battles soon turn into a relationship and Zoey divorces her rich sailor husband.
Ted and Zoey start dating but then breakup because Ted choose to put his career and friends over love. He then dates a girl who stalked him for several years and obviously realizes that was a mistake. And it goes on and on and on and I say to myself "C'mon, man, what the heck are you doing!?

After a while, his enthusiasm deflates. Ted feels hopeless. He begins to feel like he'll never find true love.

But this is where it gets interesting as a viewer, watching the show from the outside looking in. I know that Ted will find the love of his life. I already know the ending to this story, even tough Ted doesn't see it. Ted is in his own frame and can't see the big picture. His wife already exists, even though he thinks it'll never happen.

I want to plug you into this story as Ted.

But instead you're searching for an awesome cardio method that isn't painstakingly boring. you're on a quest to find the best fat burning cardio routine on the planet. Because of this you go to outrageous lengths professing your love to numerous training methods that you come across.

You might come off as someone who has it together, who has incredible taste when it comes to workout clothes, you keep up on the latest supplement articles and your living room coffee table is the home to 11 issues of Muscle & Fitness. But really, you might be on an aimless search looking for the right cardio training program for you. You're tired of being bored and frustrated with your cardio. You've tried so many weird methods that if someone was watching you from the outside looking in they would say, "C'mon, man, what the heck are you doing!?"

You feel hopeless. You might even begin to think that you'll never find a way to enjoy your cardio.

If this sounds like you, you're in luck. You've got someone on your side. Someone in your corner rooting for you. I already know the ending to your story even though you don't see it. You're in your own frame, and can't see the big picture. The perfect cardio already exists for you, even though you don't think so.

Here are 14 ways you can not only burn more fat, but you'll burn it FASTER while still improving your heart health.

14 Ways To Get Your Heart On

When you walk into a globo gym, the cardio section is huge. The reason is that people want cardio machines because they think its superior way to burn fat. But is it? Aerobic training is usually defined as low intensity, long duration exercise where you operate around 60-80% of your maximum. On the flip-side, anaerobic training is usually defined as bouts of high intensity, short duration exercise altered by low intensity intervals for recovery. During anaerobic training, you operate at 80-100% of your maximum.

There is an argument that steady state, low intensity cardio burns more calories. It does. But if you look at people who base their cardio training on aerobic training, in comparison to people who lift and do sprint intervals, who looks better? Now, don't get me wrong, steady state cardio has its place for some. Most often its for people who can train 2 or 3 times a day and need to burn extra calories. But, most people like you don't have the time nor do you want to train 2 or 3 times a day.

Steady state low intensity can burn fat, but it's not the best way, here's why:

A study done in 1994 compared steady state versus sprint interval training. The anaerobic interval training program lasted 15 weeks. The aerobic steady state program lasted 20 weeks. The people who did sprint intervals lost 9 times more body fat than the ones who did steady state aerobic training. The energy cost of the aerobic steady state program was 13,614. The energy cost for the anaerobic interval training was 28,661. It's obvious which method is superior for fat loss.

Here are 14 ways you can not only burn more fat, but you'll burn it FASTER while still improving your heart health.

For all of these methods we're going to keep it simple. After you warm up, the total workout is going to be a total of 14 minutes. You will perform 20 seconds of work, followed by 40 seconds of rest for 14 minutes. Perform 2-4 times a week.

Each workout is going to be a total of 14 minutes. You will perform 20 seconds of work, followed by 40 seconds of rest for 14 minutes.

1. Sled pushes

Not much to describe here but to put the work in. Don't load your sled too heavy. You want a weight that you can push at a pretty face past.

2. Russian kettlebell swings

The Russian swing begins with the bell just below the groin and is swung to eye level. The movement is short, powerful and compact. This is one of the best hip-hinge conditioning movements out there. Use it.

3. Airdyne sprints

Airdyne bikes (or air bikes) look like elliptical machines with a saddle on it. But, whatever. I still use it and a lot of top level conditioning athletes and coaches vouch for them as well. This is no ride in the park if you're going all out for 20 seconds.

4. Burpees

Ah, damn. Burpees. Really? If you don't have access to any equipment and you hate running, guess what? Yup.

5. Farmer's walk

You'll feel strong as hell doing these and you'll get you're cardio in. Your grip will thank you for the pain too.

6. Stone to shoulder

Doing stone to shoulders for cardio takes a little skill. I don't recommend doing this method if you haven't first learned how to shoulder a stone. It won't take years to learn how to, but invest an hour or two learning how to do it before you go all out.

7. Swim sprints

So you're not an ex-collegiate swimmer? It's all good. Nobody is watching your terrible form except for the lifeguard and the soccer mom babysitting her kids at the pool. Getting in the water for your cardio is easy on the joints but it can also act as a form of active recovery from lifting.

8. Row sprints

Take some and learn how to row. Damper setting, catch position, leg drive, back extension and the pull are all things you need to dial in for efficient rowing. Once you got the basics, the rower is a great way to get a lot of power output in a short amount of time.

9. Sprints on the track

This is the only time I've ever puked doing sprints. I'm not saying that's the goal or even a good measure of progress. But what I do know is that the level of intensity was insane.

10. Battleropes

I use to look at these and think it was a joke. Until I tried it.

11. Hill sprints

If you can find a hill worth sprinting, utilize it.

12. Skierg sprints

Not many places have these handy, but if you come across one it can blast you in 14 minutes.

13. Double-Unders

Like the stone to shoulder, doing double unders will take a little skill. But, once you get them they can be a potent way to turn up the intensity.

14. Yoke carry

Moving big weight as fast as you can produces results. Get under that yoke and move it.

References

Tremblay, A., Simoneau, J., et al. Impact of Exercise Intenstiy on Body Fatness and Skeletal Muscle Metabolism. Metabolism. 1994 43(7), 814-818.