If so, which ones are your favorites and why? I have vol. 2 and 3 and enjoy them and am thinking of getting another. I'm still trying to get back to 100% after a knee surgery 6 weeks ago so I'd like to stay away from any that are heavy in hills for the challenges and do more sprints, my knees can't take heavy hills yet. Any recommendations? I love Sean!
Do you use Cardio Coach?
- Thread starter Calee
- Start date
fox2star
Cathlete
Hi,
#7 is my favorite. It has 3 challenges, one with a combo of hills and sprints. You can always sub sprints for the hills, until you are able to do them again. I usually skip the first challenge, which is a 21 minute steady state, and do challenges 2 & 3 to make it around 35-40 minutes. That's another thing I like about the CC's, you can easily switch it up to change the workout depending on how much time you have or how energetic you are that day!
#7 is my favorite. It has 3 challenges, one with a combo of hills and sprints. You can always sub sprints for the hills, until you are able to do them again. I usually skip the first challenge, which is a 21 minute steady state, and do challenges 2 & 3 to make it around 35-40 minutes. That's another thing I like about the CC's, you can easily switch it up to change the workout depending on how much time you have or how energetic you are that day!
LaughingWater
Cathlete
Vol. 4 is my favorite, mostly because of the music. It has hills, but like Deb said, you can substitute.
Feel better soon!
Feel better soon!
Miss Lee
Cathlete
I do the exact opposite -- I usually do the warm-up through the first challenge and skip the rest
, but only because I do the Press Play workout at least once a month which includes challenges 2 and 3 from V7. Oh, and I often run outside with V7. I run the whole thing, even the hill climbs. V4 is one of my favorites, too.
Calee, I agree with Deb and Lori that you can sub hills with sprints. I do it all the time. I have used V's 1 through 7 to run outside with no difficulty whatsoever. I simply make sure I'm working at the level called for in the challenge. When you run outside you don't have control over the terrain so you adapt accordingly. The same is true on a bike or elliptical. All of the CC workouts with the exception of #8 are a mix of hills and sprints -- V 8 is all hills. I absolutely love 3 through 7 and use them the most. The more workouts you have, the greater your options for creating your own CC premixes!!
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MidgetDogg
Cathlete
I have 1, 2, 4 and 7. I like 1 & 2 for lighter days, and 7 for my longer Sunday run. I do 2 of them back-to-back because I run with my dogs, and each gets their own run with me. Usually I do 1 and 2 together during the week, then 7 & 1 on Sunday. That will be changing to 7 & 4 soon on Sunday and maybe eventually 7 twice.
Anyway, I love them. Sean is a clown - he has a great personality and seems to know exactly when you need the encouragement. The other day after I did my first run with #1 and came back for dog #2, my knees were hurting and I didn't have a lot of energy. I hadn't slept well the night before, and I was not doing well in the first few minutes of the 3rd mile. I decided I was going to blow it off and just walk the dog instead. I think I made it about 5 minutes of walking and Sean had me running the rest of the way. I was a little slower than I had been the day before.... but I still did it.
It's all about getting into your right zones, so whether it's hills or sprints is irrelevant. I used to do the workouts on a Nordic Track with a broken resistance adjustment. I just went faster and slower as needed.
Anyway, I love them. Sean is a clown - he has a great personality and seems to know exactly when you need the encouragement. The other day after I did my first run with #1 and came back for dog #2, my knees were hurting and I didn't have a lot of energy. I hadn't slept well the night before, and I was not doing well in the first few minutes of the 3rd mile. I decided I was going to blow it off and just walk the dog instead. I think I made it about 5 minutes of walking and Sean had me running the rest of the way. I was a little slower than I had been the day before.... but I still did it.
It's all about getting into your right zones, so whether it's hills or sprints is irrelevant. I used to do the workouts on a Nordic Track with a broken resistance adjustment. I just went faster and slower as needed.
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LadyPakenham
Cathlete
Yay! I love Sean, too!
I would go with Volume 4. I have 4, 5, 7, and 8 (I haven't even been able to get through Volume 8 all the way through...), but 4 is the easiest and least demanding in the joints. Hope that helps!
Vee
Cathlete
For me, the great thing about Cardio Coach is that they are as easy or hard as you make them. For instance you can get through all of Vol 7 if you choose to do it on an eliptical trainer or walk on an incline, if you dont want to take on impact for 8minute challenges. Depending on my current fitness level that I let fluctuate based on what else is going on in my life, I change my CC settings.
The point of Cardio Coach is to use a setting that makes you feel you are at the level of exertion the current segment needs. So if you find yourself moving into Level 4 in terms of exertion (whether perceived or as per your HRM) when you are doing a Level 3 interval, just cut back on your cardio machine settings or speed if you are outdoors. Initially you may be able to use a higher speed or setting for the first Level 3 or Level 4 interval, but find that you cant attain the same speed/setting for subsequent intervals. As your fitness develops you will be able to consistently use a specific setting for all Level 3 and Level 4 intervals.
Another way of using Cardio Coach is to work relatively harder at Level 3 than at Level 2 and at Level 4 than Level 3 if you are getting back to fitness or are playing safe due to a recent injury/illness. You still get a great workout even if you arent truly achieving Level 3 or Level 4 exertion.
My favorite is Vol 4 for the music and the inspiring Coaches Notes at the end. It is short enough for me to go aggressive on my settings as compared to subsequent Volumes where I need to pace myself to last through the workout.
I love Vol 7 and Vol 8 too. Music wise I like Vol 8 better. I like all other volumes equally in third place. Most people end up acquiring them all ultimately.
The point of Cardio Coach is to use a setting that makes you feel you are at the level of exertion the current segment needs. So if you find yourself moving into Level 4 in terms of exertion (whether perceived or as per your HRM) when you are doing a Level 3 interval, just cut back on your cardio machine settings or speed if you are outdoors. Initially you may be able to use a higher speed or setting for the first Level 3 or Level 4 interval, but find that you cant attain the same speed/setting for subsequent intervals. As your fitness develops you will be able to consistently use a specific setting for all Level 3 and Level 4 intervals.
Another way of using Cardio Coach is to work relatively harder at Level 3 than at Level 2 and at Level 4 than Level 3 if you are getting back to fitness or are playing safe due to a recent injury/illness. You still get a great workout even if you arent truly achieving Level 3 or Level 4 exertion.
My favorite is Vol 4 for the music and the inspiring Coaches Notes at the end. It is short enough for me to go aggressive on my settings as compared to subsequent Volumes where I need to pace myself to last through the workout.
I love Vol 7 and Vol 8 too. Music wise I like Vol 8 better. I like all other volumes equally in third place. Most people end up acquiring them all ultimately.
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